Post by Banjo on Oct 12, 2015 19:20:27 GMT 7
Carers struggle with technology demands, low incomes: survey
A carers' support group has warned against relying too heavily on technology to deliver aged care, disability and mental health services.
Carers SA said a range of changes at both state and federal levels could be making it harder rather than easier for people to get the support services they needed.
Carers chief executive officer Rosemary Warmington said the demand for carers was higher than ever but extra layers of complexity, such as a planned national carers digital gateway, might be unnecessary hurdles in what could already be a complex and stressful system to navigate.
"Carers have indicated that they want to access services from people and providers they trust and are familiar with," she said.
The organisation said its recent annual survey showed nearly three-quarters of eligible carers did not have confidence in the development and management of care plans through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
It said 77 per cent of people caring for the elderly reported they had not used the My Aged Care website.
Ms Warmington said it was the first time the issue of the NDIS's effectiveness had been added to the annual survey of carers.
"We found 77 per cent were not confident in negotiating a care plan," she said.
"This is because it's a new system of course ... I think there is a lot of work to be done there to ensure that families really can negotiate the system.
"Governments, at federal and state levels, are making changes to systems to make it easier but in doing so it can become more complicated for some of the families in working out how to negotiate it."
Carers often struggle to look after themselves
Ms Warmington said the survey highlighted what carers often gave up to help meet the needs of others.
"They provide an enormous amount of informal care to people who are elderly, have a disability or who may have mental illness," she said.
"Really this survey showed that carers are continuing to struggle emotionally and financially with the caring role. It's very important that we provide ways of caring for them."
She said some key survey findings were:
89 per cent of carers put the needs of those they were caring for before their own
30 per cent said their health was worse than the year before
67 per cent said they never, or just occasionally, could afford a night away from their caring role
24 per cent of carers said they sometimes went without meals
Ms Warmington said many carers survived on low household incomes and often the bulk of money was from welfare benefits, the annual survey revealed.
More than half the respondents said their household income was less than $40,000 annually, and nearly half said their main income was from government support
27 per cent of respondents said their financial situation was worse than in than the year before
64 per cent said it was hard to live within their current budget and meet the demands of caring
"They find that they are unable to work and to care at the same time," Ms Warmington said.
"They give up work to care for people in the home, for their family members.
"There can be extra costs associated with caring, the costs can be quite large."
www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-12/carers-struggle-with-technology-demands-low-incomes-survey-finds/6845752
A carers' support group has warned against relying too heavily on technology to deliver aged care, disability and mental health services.
Carers SA said a range of changes at both state and federal levels could be making it harder rather than easier for people to get the support services they needed.
Carers chief executive officer Rosemary Warmington said the demand for carers was higher than ever but extra layers of complexity, such as a planned national carers digital gateway, might be unnecessary hurdles in what could already be a complex and stressful system to navigate.
"Carers have indicated that they want to access services from people and providers they trust and are familiar with," she said.
The organisation said its recent annual survey showed nearly three-quarters of eligible carers did not have confidence in the development and management of care plans through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
It said 77 per cent of people caring for the elderly reported they had not used the My Aged Care website.
Ms Warmington said it was the first time the issue of the NDIS's effectiveness had been added to the annual survey of carers.
"We found 77 per cent were not confident in negotiating a care plan," she said.
"This is because it's a new system of course ... I think there is a lot of work to be done there to ensure that families really can negotiate the system.
"Governments, at federal and state levels, are making changes to systems to make it easier but in doing so it can become more complicated for some of the families in working out how to negotiate it."
Carers often struggle to look after themselves
Ms Warmington said the survey highlighted what carers often gave up to help meet the needs of others.
"They provide an enormous amount of informal care to people who are elderly, have a disability or who may have mental illness," she said.
"Really this survey showed that carers are continuing to struggle emotionally and financially with the caring role. It's very important that we provide ways of caring for them."
She said some key survey findings were:
89 per cent of carers put the needs of those they were caring for before their own
30 per cent said their health was worse than the year before
67 per cent said they never, or just occasionally, could afford a night away from their caring role
24 per cent of carers said they sometimes went without meals
Ms Warmington said many carers survived on low household incomes and often the bulk of money was from welfare benefits, the annual survey revealed.
More than half the respondents said their household income was less than $40,000 annually, and nearly half said their main income was from government support
27 per cent of respondents said their financial situation was worse than in than the year before
64 per cent said it was hard to live within their current budget and meet the demands of caring
"They find that they are unable to work and to care at the same time," Ms Warmington said.
"They give up work to care for people in the home, for their family members.
"There can be extra costs associated with caring, the costs can be quite large."
www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-12/carers-struggle-with-technology-demands-low-incomes-survey-finds/6845752