Peir Woon (end of life doula-in-training), Deb Malone, Deb Griffin and Sarina Chapman (Carer Gateway), Helen Callanan (Preparing the Way founder). Photo: Erin Hee.
There are three million carers in Australia, who come to the role in different ways – sometimes through helping someone out bit by bit, while sometimes taking on the position suddenly following an accident or illness.
Most carers feel guilt, anger and helplessness that amplifies over time.
The Carer Gateway program supports carers and will be holding a special workshop with end of life doula training program Preparing the Way (PTW) for unpaid carers in Griffith on 23 July, and Wagga on 24 July, called Supporting You, Supporting Others – Beyond Caring and Death and Back into Life.
“The Carer Gateway program is all about carers, and we try to support them in their caring role,” Carer Gateway coach Sarina Chapman said.
“The coaching service is there to support them to make changes within that space of taking care of themselves, because quite often it’s something they find difficult to do.”
According to Carers Australia, work done by carers is the equivalent of nearly $78 billion in paid services annually. One in three carers provide more than 40 hours of unpaid care per week and 37 per cent of carers also live with a disability.
The Carer Recognition Act 2010 defines carers as people who look after and support someone who needs help with their day-to-day living, whether it is because of a disability, medical condition, mental illness or frailty because they are old.
The act does not recognise carers who are employed to look after someone, or are volunteering or doing work experience as part of a course.
The free workshop is a continuation of their workshop in June, but carers who missed the initial workshop are still welcome.
“We have six sessions [in our coaching services], and any goal is viable,” Ms Chapman said.
“It is like life coaching, but it’s also understanding that the caring role is often quite challenging and unpredictable.”
She’s supported and helped people re-enter the workforce after they’ve had to give up their work to be a carer.
“I guess we’re a soft space for carers to land, so we slow them down whilst they do their carer work,” Carer Gateway support planner Deb Malone said.
“We get them to focus on themselves, start to get them to look at their own needs, their own health and identity.”
Ms Chapman found that the staff who went through PTW’s foundation and four-day training felt more confident in supporting other carers.
“They just felt more confident talking to our carers because quite often, you know, you’d pick up the phone and someone close to them had recently died,” she said.
“You might have been the first person they talk to, and it can be really challenging if you’re not comfortable in knowing how to respond to that.
“A lot of the carers are caring for someone who is either frail aged or living with a life-limiting illness.
“They either haven’t done it before or they’re just not sure how to find support for themselves [or] how to navigate that journey.”
The joint workshop by Preparing the Way and Carer Gateway is about providing carers with the information and resources on where to obtain legal documents, as well as equipping them with the confidence to navigate caring for someone with a life-limiting illness.
“We have difficult conversations with people,” Carer Gateway support planner Deb Griffin said.
“You’ve got to have that rapport and that connection with them and that’s what we work at creating.”
The Supporting You, Supporting Others – Beyond Caring and Death and Back into Life workshop by Carer Gateway and Preparing The Way will be in Griffith on 23 July, and Wagga on 24 July. For more information or to RSVP, call Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737 and check its Instagram for more dates.
