National Carers Week 2024
Care for a Carer
National Carers Week is celebrated every year from 13 to 19 October. It recognises and raises awareness for the 3 million Australians who provide unpaid care and support to their family members or friends. The week shines a light on the deep impact carers have on our communities and gives everyone a chance to show their appreciation.
Join the Care for a Carer campaign
We’re encouraging everyone in Bayside to acknowledge and support carers with the Care for a Carer campaign. There are more than 12,000 carers in Bayside who are providing unpaid care and support to a family member or friend with disability, mental illness, chronic or terminal illness, or an older person with care needs.
How you can get involved
Check-in regularly
Show your support by checking-in with your friends and family who are carers regularly. You can:
- Encourage carers to talk if this is helpful to them
- Validate their feelings without judgement
- Avoid discussing sensitive matters in front of the care recipient as it could make them uncomfortable.
Offer a break
Offer to provide carers with a break and time for themselves to recharge. You can:
- Run errands for them
- Help with household chores like laundry, cleaning, cooking, budgeting and shopping
- Plan a social activity together.
Acknowledge and appreciate
Recognise the exceptional role carers play in the lives of those they care for. You can:
- Express gratitude with a simple, personalised message
- Be a compassionate and empathetic listener
- Verbally recognise their efforts.
Initiate support
Carers often prioritise the wellbeing of the person they care for over their own needs. They might struggle to seek assistance due to a sense of guilt and shame or fear of being judged. You can:
- Ask how you can help them
- Listen to what they need – don’t assume you know.
This National Carers Week, we'd like to thank every unpaid carer in Bayside and beyond for the enormous contribution you make to our community.
