Disabled single mother Shakira Hussein reflects on her secret weapon against adversity. Adalya, her ‘excessively mature’ daughter, appointed herself her mother’s carer and fierce protector from age 9.
While enrolments for men over the age of 25 increased, numbers fell for women in this age group. A likely reason for the difference is caring responsibilities, which increased during the pandemic.
Too many informal carers have to choose between giving their older mum or dad the care they need and dropping out of the workforce.
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People with mental illness are at their most vulnerable when they’re discharged from hospital. Without the support of family or friends at this time, they’re less likely to recover.
Thousands of children and young people provide substantial unpaid care to a family member with a disability, chronic or mental illness, dependence on alcohol or other drugs, or frailty due to old age.
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A study has found children between the ages of 8 and 14 who take care of a family member with a drug addiction or mental illness aren’t very happy at, and don’t feel all that safe, at school.
Caring for a loved one with a mental illness can affect a person’s mental health.
In a survey of 600 members of the screen industry, 74% of carers felt their caring responsibilities had a negative impact on their career. Of these, 86% were women.
Many carers of people with disability face barriers to paid employment.
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The NDIS aims to help people with disability live more independently. It was hoped this would reduce carers’ responsibilities and allow them more time to work. But evidence shows this hasn’t happened.
Caring for a friend or family member can be highly challenging.
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While disability carers are employed to work part-time hours, they often have long work days with short periods of work interspersed with non-work periods.
Caring can be very rewarding for both the carer and the patient.
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Patient safety grabbed the attention when plans were mooted to move post-op people out of hospital and into private homes. But the project also moves important work into the shadows.
A new study has for first time placed a dollar value on how much it would cost the government to replace those who unofficially care for family members with mental illness.
Giving carers at home more power could save a lot of unnecessary pain.
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Parents of children who have complex healthcare needs often find their role as a mother or father is overwhelmed by all the clinical tasks they have to undertake.