A carer is someone who provides unpaid care and support to family members and friends who are living with disability, mental health challenges or long term health conditions (including a chronic condition or terminal illness), an alcohol or other drug dependency, or who is frail aged.
Over 2.65 million Australians provide help and support to a family member or friend, saving the Australian community more than $77.9 billion per year.
An estimated 320,000 Western Australians provide unpaid care and support to a family member or friend who requires help due to illness, disability or frail age.
Carers range in age from as young as eight to people well into their nineties.
More than one in nine Australians are carers. Of these carers, over 320,000 are providing either substantial or full-time care in WA.
Two thirds of carers are women and most carers provide care for a parent, partner, child or friend.
Carers WA helps carers in any caring situation.
People become carers in many different ways for a variety of reasons. Each circumstance is unique.
Sometimes the caring role happens gradually – helping out more and more as a person’s health and independence declines over time. Sometimes it happens suddenly due to an accident or illness.
Every care situation is different.
Some carers provide 24 hour aid to a family member or friend with high care needs. They may assist with daily needs and routines such as feeding, bathing, dressing and administering medications.
Others care for people who are relatively independent but require someone to keep an eye on them or assist them with tasks such as banking, transport, housework and shopping.
Carers are integral in providing comfort, encouragement and reassurance to the person they care for. They oversee their health and wellbeing, monitor their safety and help them retain their independence and quality of life.
The term ‘carer’ is often used to describe roles and activities that are different to those supported by Carers WA.
We are sometimes mistakenly contacted by people who think we provide services relating to these groups of people:
Carers WA assists people who provide unpaid care and support to family members or friends who are living with a disability, mental health challenge, chronic condition, terminal illness, an alcohol or drug dependency, or who are frail aged.
Carers WA respectfully acknowledge that we work on Aboriginal land and pay our respects to community members and elders, past and present. Individuals pictured are models and are used for illustrative purposes only. Carers WA is committed to understanding, embracing and celebrating the rich and multi-dimensional experiences that shape our lives and aims to ensure that everyone who engages with the organisation feels welcome and included. Carers WA welcomes all people irrespective of ethnicity, lifestyle choice, faith, sexual orientation and gender identity.
Carers WA acknowledges the Wadjuk Noongar Nation’s lands, water, customs, and culture of which the Carers WA Head Office is located. Carers WA recognises our services reach beyond the Perth (Boorloo) region, and so we also acknowledge the cultural diversity of First Nations Peoples across our state and throughout Australia.
Carers WA has qualified for the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission’s Registered Charity Tick, enabling the public to easily identify our organisation as a registered charity and confirming that we are both transparent and accountable.
