Mental Health Carers

Do you live with, or provide support to, someone with mental illness? If so, you might be described as a ‘carer’, which is a term used by services and governments to describe someone who provides support to someone with a mental illness.

You might spend time with the person and listen to their concerns. Perhaps you look after them full time at home. Maybe you’re there when they have to go to the hospital. If you support someone with mental illness, you are playing an important role in their recovery. You know how they normally act and which treatments work for them. You can answer questions if they become unwell. Every caring relationship is unique. But there are some common issues that carers of someone with a mental illness will go through:

• Discuss what the diagnosis means to them. Talk about how much support they think they need and what is realistic for both of you.
• If the person agrees, partner with the person’s professional team. This means you can go to appointments with them, talk about treatment and medications with the doctor, find out general information about their illness from the doctor, and find out how you can support them at home.
• If appropriate, help manage the person’s medications. For example, organise a Wester-pack for them at the pharmacy so they can take the right medicines at the right time.
• Make a list of important information, such as:
  • telephone numbers to call in an emergency
  • any medications the person is taking
  • any side effects to watch out for
  • legal paperwork (such as power of attorney and health guardianship information)
  • the early warning signs of the person becoming unwell, and what to do when this happens.

The following resources and support available to carers:

• Carer Advisory and Counselling Service: 1800 242 636
• Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres: 1800 052 222 business hours and 1800059 059 for after-hours emergency respite.
• Mental Health Carers Association Australia (NSW): 1800 655 198

• Topics:

• Mental Health & Wellbeing