Carers, caring and respite care services
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Carers play a critical role in Victoria’s health system. Thousands of Victorians take on paid and unpaid caring roles at different times in their lives. There is financial and service support available to carers in Victoria. Understand the changes involved in caring and learn how to plan for those changes. Discover practical advice about how to manage appointments, medication as well as challenging behaviours and communication.
Information in your language
Information in your language about
- Carer rights and recognition
Respect, consideration, recognition and support are some of the principles that guide how government departments, local councils and government-funded services work with carers and people who are being cared for.
- Confidentiality and privacy in healthcare
There are laws that set out how healthcare professionals can collect and store your health information and when they are allowed to share it.
- Informed consent for carers
Informed consent means that a person understands their condition and any proposed medical treatment and carers can help with the decision-making process.
- Making a complaint about disability services
If you are unhappy with the way a disability service has treated you, you have the right to complain and to have your concerns addressed.
- Making a complaint on behalf of a patient as a carer
Carers have the right to make a complaint on behalf of a person in their care to a healthcare professional, service or regulatory body.
- Different stages of caring
Carer roles can change, for example, from part-time to full-time care and back as a person’s care needs change.
- Patient and carer rights in hospital
You and your carers should expect clear communication about medical issues and treatment options and costs in hospital in a way that you can understand.
- Role of a carer
More than 700,000 Victorians are a personal carer for a family member or friend who is older with care needs, has a disability or has a mental health or other chronic health condition.
- Unpaid and professional carers
The term ‘carer’ can refer to paid and unpaid, professional and ‘lay’ carers.
- Young carers
Even though you are caring for someone else, it is important that you remember to take care of yourself.
- Carers from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
Care in culturally and linguistically diverse communities may be supported by extended family networks.
- Caring for someone with mental illness
Being a carer for someone with a mental illness can be emotionally and physically demanding, but it can also be a rewarding experience.
- Foster care
Foster care is temporary care of children up to 18 years by trained, assessed and accredited foster carers.
- Parenting when you’re a foster carer
As a foster carer, you are providing a safe, supportive home for a child or young person who can’t live with their family of origin. You may face challenges that other parents don’t have to confront.
- Young carers
Even though you are caring for someone else, it is important that you remember to take care of yourself.
- Carer services and support
As circumstances change, it is important to continually assess what services and home assistance will be most helpful.
- Disability and sexuality
Sexuality is a key part of human nature. Expressing sexuality in satisfying ways is important for everyone, including people with a disability. Some people with disability may need additional support, education or services to enjoy healthy sexuality and relationships.
- Managing appointments, treatments and medications as a carer
Carers often organise appointments and treatments for the person they are caring for and help with medicines.
- Palliative care – looking after yourself
When caring for a loved one with a terminal illness, it is important to look after your own mental health and wellbeing so that you will have the energy and strength required for your role as carer.
- Sex and chronic illness
Sexuality is a key part of human nature. Expressing sexuality in satisfying ways is important for everyone, including people with a disability. Some people with disability may need additional support, education or services to enjoy healthy sexuality and relationships.
- Healthcare decision-making – options, benefits and risks
Ask a doctor and research health information when making a health decision. This will include the cost, timing and regularity of medical treatment.
- Medical treatment decision makers
You can appoint someone to be your medical power of attorney, also known as ‘enduring power of attorney (medical treatment)’, to make medical decisions on your behalf when, in certain circumstances, you can’t.
- When a caring role changes
There will be times during your care role when you will need to adjust your role as the circumstances of both you and the person you care for change.
- Aged care rights
Whether you are receiving care at home or living in a residential aged care home, you have the right to be treated with respect and dignity at all times, and receive high-quality care and support.
- Community services
Community services offer information, advice, practical support, financial help or a combination of services.
- Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect
Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect is a service dedicated to people who are supporting someone living with mental health and substance use challenges or psychological distress.
- Nurse-on-Call - 1300 60 60 24
Nurse-on-Call is a free, confidential telephone helpline that provides immediate, expert health advice from a registered nurse, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Carers from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
Care in culturally and linguistically diverse communities may be supported by extended family networks.
- Disability and sexuality
Sexuality is a key part of human nature. Expressing sexuality in satisfying ways is important for everyone, including people with a disability. Some people with disability may need additional support, education or services to enjoy healthy sexuality and relationships.
- Elder abuse
Any act occurring within a relationship where there is an implication of trust, which results in harm to an older person. Abuse may be physical, sexual, financial, psychological and/or neglect.
- Emergency or crisis support for carers
An emergency care plan is a set of instructions about caring for someone in the event that you are not able to.
- Emotional support services for carers
Look after your emotional needs so you can continue your care role, be healthy and well and enjoy life as much as possible.
- Financial support for carers
The Australian and Victorian Governments offer carer support services to people who provide care to someone with a disability, mental illness, medical condition or older person with care needs.
- Looking after yourself as a carer
If you are a carer, for example of a person with a disability or mental illness, or recovering from an accident or illness or an older person with care needs, you need to look after yourself or the demands may wear you down.
- Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect
Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect is a service dedicated to people who are supporting someone living with mental health and substance use challenges or psychological distress.
- Sex and chronic illness
Sexuality is a key part of human nature. Expressing sexuality in satisfying ways is important for everyone, including people with a disability. Some people with disability may need additional support, education or services to enjoy healthy sexuality and relationships.
Reviewed on: 23-02-2022