Recent Stories

• Salome

  VIC

  I've been assisting my beloved, precious Mother for about 18 years, but unfortunately she passed last year leaving me devastated and needing to take her place in caring full-time for my elderly father and two brothers. I have to say it's been a full-fledged nightmare! I knew if I ever lost my amazing Mother I'd be in a terrible situation. The problem is I cannot abandon them, especially not my father, otherwise they'd be totally and unequivocally lost. Nothing prepared me for the daily onslaught of cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc... I'm exhausted but I still care.

• Elizabeth Brett

  VIC

  I care for two children with Aspergers Syndrome and chronic health problems. Due to their special needs, they are unable to attend mainstream school. Their is no element of choice about this, their lives would be endangered if they did. So, they are home schooled. Why do I care? Well, although there isn't a choice, I am happy to do it because I want them to have what they need. I just wish the NDIS would provide some help for carers. I have not had much respite this year due to poor funding under the NDIS. As a result, my health has suffered. I was better off before the NDIS.

• Chantel Arianna Lobban

  SA

  My name is chantel, I’m 26 years old I’m a single mum and my son is the love of my life, Jake was born with a encephalocele on the back of his head, his brain grew into it, they removed half of Jakes brain and the bit he does have has abnormal brain tissue and fluid. Jake cannot walk Jake cannot talk, Jake has learnt to wheel his wheelchair! Jake loves music. Jakes still in nappies and I’m his full time carer, from feeding him to singing to him every day, I am truly blessed to have a little boy who survived when doctors said he couldn’t, he has eyes bluer then the oceon but Jake is blind.

• Jenny T

  VIC

  I care for my mother, who has chronic depression, catering to her emotional and day to day needs since I was young and advocate on her behalf as she doesn't speak English. My relationship with my mum is difficult as she has difficulty showing affection. Most of the time, caring for her is very hard and not rewarding because I'm a full-time uni student and we do not always connect. During better periods, she does not think she has any health problems and has no memory of periods where she was very ill. I care because she is my mum and I want her to live as happy and comfortable as possible.

• Marsene

  SA

  I care for my daughter who is five she is completely immobile and she is in a wheelchair and she can't speak she is also incontinent and peg fed.

• Judy Anderson

  VIC

  Caring for my daughter who has a mental illness and finds all the activities she used to be able to do are very difficult now. She is a veteran and a beautiful girl whose dreams have been shattered by this hideous illness. She is recovering well but will never recover fully. She is a much loved family member and needs all the love and care we can give her to enable her to make the best recovery she can. The trauma we all went through while trying desperately to get her help when she was very ill, still sits with us now and will never go away. There need to be more help.