Who is caring for the carers?
In 2024, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that there were 3 million carers in Australia representing 11.9% of all Australians living in households. The contribution, generally unpaid or underpaid, of families who care for a loved one is overwhelming when looking at the statistics in Australia and beyond.The lived experience of every carer is different. Over many years there are a lot of organisations that have been established to support carers in lots of different ways. When my husband was diagnosed with CAA, and as it continued to impact his and our lives, I looked for avenues that potentially could assist me and where I could share my experiences. But where....? There are support groups for people with aphasia and their families, support groups for people who care for someone who has had a stroke and support groups for carers of loved ones with dementia. All of these were relevant in part to some of the issues that I was dealing with. However, none of them really re...