Carers Week: 13-19 October 2019

October 13-19 is National Carers Week, recognising the important role unpaid carers play in our communities.

Carers are people who provide unpaid care and support to family members and friends who have a disability, mental health issue, chronic condition, terminal illness, alcohol or drug issues, or who are frail aged.

Caring may include help and support in any of the daily activities of the person being cared for. It may include physical and personal care and assistance such as dressing, lifting, showering, feeding or providing transport.

Commonly, carers are responsible for the management of medications. Carers provide emotional, social or financial support. Caring may also involve helping the person they are caring for to be organised, reminding them to attend appointments and dealing with emergencies.

Many people who are caring don’t think of themselves as carers – they might just call themselves a parent, partner, sibling or friend. Regardless of how they identify, the care they provide to the people in their lives is incredibly important. 

Amaze has lots of resources and supports for carers supporting an autistic person or people in their lives: 

• Our Autism Advisor service offers practical and independent information
• Our Support Group directory lists many of the autism-related groups in Victoria, and we have information sheets on starting your own! 
• Amaze runs Early Days workshops for parents and carers of young children with an autism diagnosis
• Check out our library of downloadable information resources
• Find useful links to organisations that may provide further support
• Read about the NDIS and how autistic people and their families can navigate the system

For more information about caring in Victoria, go to the Carers Victoria website