Inside the Lives of Carers

I Let’s be honest: between work, relationships and the stress that is living through a major historical event, you’ve got a lot on. So imagine if you had to juggle care for a loved one as well. For 2.65 million Australians – more than half of them women – this is reality.

Welcome to the world of carers – the people who provide unpaid support to a relative or friend with a health condition, mental illness, disability, drug or alcohol dependency, terminal illness or who are frail. It’s a job many don’t even recognise they’re doing. “They see themselves as a partner, daughter, son, sister, aunt, mother – not as a carer,” explains Elena Katrakis, CEO of Carers NSW.

Caring can be