Family and Carer Support

Caring for a loved one in recovery can be daunting; however, it can also be an extremely rewarding role.The term carer here is used to refer to the primary support person for someone with a mental illness. 

A carer can be a loved one’s wife, husband, partner, child, parent, neighbour or friend. Carers are people who invest time, energy and support, generally in an unpaid capacity. In culturally diverse communities, responsibility for the provision of care may involve the entire community.

A patient’s primary carer is most often someone they feel:

• They can rely on
• Worry about them most
• Help them the most
• Do odd jobs to assist them in their day-to-day life
• Comfortable asking for help

  
As a carer you have the right:

• To be recognised as a carer
• To information:Information of personal nature can only be shared with the consent of your loved one
• Information of a general nature that can be shared which may include factual information to assist and better understand mental illness and treatment
• To know how to contact us
• To ask questions
• To have policies and practices explained
• To ask for assistance to source support services
• To be fully engaged in your loved one’s car