A carer’s role begins with a need - to care for family, friends or a partner - and quickly becomes a person’s entire focus. So what happens when a carer’s role ends?

This week marks National Carers’ Week, with 15-21 October dedicated to recognising Australians who provide unpaid care and support to a family member or friend. 

Over the past 12 months it has become a more difficult lifestyle for the 2.65 million carers to manage and sustain. 

“Carers are telling us that not only are they struggling emotionally, but the rising cost of living has also placed unprecedented financial pressure on a group already reporting lower financial prosperity,” Carers Australia CEO Jane Bacot-Kilpatrick said of the carer wellbeing survey they undertook, where 58.3 per cent of responders reported low wellbeing.

“Feeling of loneliness are significantly higher compared to adult Australians and carers were 1.4 times more likely to experience significant financial distress,” she said. 

Given the pressure of the role, there is concern that the adjustment into a caring role and lifestyle isn’t well supported by government, after a recommendation to provide long-term leave from work for those taking up caring roles was rejected by the Productivity Commission. 

Similarly, the UNSW Centre for Social Research in Health is trying to understand the impact of and lack of support afforded to those transitioning out of a carer role.

“A lot of people can’t see a future. They can’t even imagine a future…They’re afraid of what’s going to happen, to the person that they care for, and to themselves,” UNSW Associate Professor Emma Kirby said. 

According to their research, the average carer provides care for 12 years, before they aren’t needed anymore in the role. 

“Existing policy, services, and entitlements, such as they are, tend to focus on current carers, and don’t often include those ‘post-caregiving’,” A/Professor Kirby said. 

Employment opportunities after so long out of the workforce become limited, and with it becomes financial stress, poor health, and loneliness. Often, those are compounded by bereavement and loss.

“What often gets lost in these discussions is how much carers and care recipients rely on each other. So when caring ends, there can be challenges that are unforeseen.”

The project being undertaken by UNSW will provide an evidence base to inform improvements in the delivery and provision of support and entitlements.