news
Carer Gateway opens Australia-wide
Information, help and support now a phone
call or website away for millions.
CARER FACTS
By Patrick Avenell
T
he Australian Government has
launched a new hotline and website
dedicated to supporting carers. The
initiative, called Carer Gateway, is intended to
provide support, advice and information to
the 2.7 million Australians caring for friends
and family in the community.
The free call telephone line,
1800 422 737, is reachable between 8am
and 6pm Monday to Friday, and the website
is carergateway.gov.au
Users can also request a call back.
The main objectives of the gateway are
to provide practical tips on how to care
for particular conditions and explain how
to access respite services, to provide the
availability of support groups and to explain
how to cope when caring changes or
comes to an end.
Ann Nicholas is the clinical lead of
Carer Gateway. She said every effort had
been made to tailor this service to the
different types of carers – young and
old, Australian-born and originally from
overseas, Indigenous or otherwise – for
the broadest possible inclusivity.
“People become carers in many
different ways and for many different
reasons,” Nicholas said. “They can be
parents, children, siblings, grandparents
or neighbours. They can come from any
background. They can live in the city or the
bush. They can be any age. Every situation
is different.
10 agedcareinsite.com.au
“What’s important is that if you are a carer,
you know support is available to help you
in your caring role. With so many ‘hidden
carers’ in Australia, people could be missing
out on accessing important support and
services that are available to them.”
A hidden care