06-05-2008
Caring
Trish Berrutti, from AFFORD (Australian Foundation for Disability), came to address the members on her work assisting carers. Part of her presentation is reproduced below:
- Last time I addressed the Club, I talked about my caring roles.
- I worked with Sharon Bond to arrange the 2005 Mental Health Forum.
- People with a physical disability have a 50% chance of also having a mental disability as well.
- I am the Carer Support Coordinator for the Australian Foundation for Disability for the South West.
- An issue that carers struggle with is, “What happens to the person I’m caring for when I can’t care for them anymore?”
- There are 1800 families caring for people in metropolitan Sydney.
- Trying to access services adds stress to the situation for carers and the cared for.
- Strategically, I’m looking to provide education to carers.
- We support carers in all 8 sections of the Caring Compass (Full Information, Recognition, A Life of Their Own, Time Off, Emotional Support, Training and Education, Financial Security, and Having a Voice). A carer who feels supported often wants to help other carers, and so carers networks evolve.
- Carers save the Government about $19 billion every year, but not a lot comes back.
- Most jobs these days require a university education, but carers often undertake the task of caring without these skills.
- We encourage families to develop an emergency care plan. If you have to get services in without an emergency care plan, it’s a double whammy for the person being cared for. Not only are they missing you, but no-one is doing things in the way that you do, and their familiar routine is upset.
- Garry said that the Club is looking for ways to provide recreational opportunities for carers. These opportunities are very important. As people network, they get support from each other.
- What do carers like to do? Have dinner together, go to the jacaranda festival, and go on a harbour cruise. Most cinemas will let carers in for free if they know that they are carers.
- More and more people are accessing our day programs.
- It’s amazing the difference a little bit of information can make to a carer.
- Carers should keep a pad and pen next to the phone to write down names, numbers, organisation name, and notes, so that they can check back on services that should be provided.
- 1 in 4 people will have mental health issues during their lives.
- For the 800 carers that we have educated so far, only 2 referrals came from agencies. The others came from carers talking to each other.
- 20% of carers come from a cultural/linguistic diverse background.
- The first thing that I suggest that carers do is to go to Centrelink to see if there is any financial support available.
- Support for kids with additional needs is quite good at schools and up to age 18, but isn’t very good after that.
- We work with HACC development officers to coordinate the provision of services.
- I’m happy to assist with another mental health forum.
- Thanks for inviting me to speak.
- If you would like to help with the installation of a liberty swing, we have one but it’s not installed yet.
Last changed: 03:21:38 04-10-2008