Carers Week

Save the Date!

Mark your calendars! National Carers Week 2024 is approaching, and we invite you to join us in this important celebration.

Celebrated from Sunday, 13th to Saturday, 19th October 2024, National Carers Week is a time to recognise and celebrate the outstanding contribution unpaid carers make to our nation.

It's an opportunity for us all to show our appreciation and to learn more about the diversity of carers and their caring roles. So, save the date and explore more information about the activities and events we have planned.

To view events, click here.

Carers Week Events

Conference 2024

The Carers WA Conference 2024 is not far away! It is set to be an excellent event, in celebration of National Carers Week. 

When: Thursday, 17th October 2024 
Where: Online | In-Person
Cost: Free

• To attend In-Person: We are currently at capacity for in-person registrations. We have a waitlist for carers who are registered with us, if a space becomes available.
• Online Registrations: We have unlimited capacity for attendance online, ensuring that our conference is accessible to all including across regional WA. Carers do not need to be registered with us to attend online.

This event is proudly supported by Lotterywest and the Department of Communities WA.

To register, click here.

Cups for Carers

Carers WA is excited to introduce our regional initiative, ‘Cups for Carers’. In partnership with 9 local cafes, across regional WA, we are inviting unpaid family carers to take some time out for themselves and enjoy a cuppa on us, with a friend or family member. Carers can register their interest in receiving two free cups of a hot beverage to their liking, redeemable at their local café of choice.

Participating regions this year include:

• Albany
• Bridgetown
• Broome
• Esperance
• Geraldton
• Kalgoorlie
• Lancelin
• Narrogin
• Northam

Vouchers are redeemable during Carers Week and remain valid until Sunday, 27th October. Numbers are limited, allocated across regional WA, and will be generally issued on a first to register, first served basis.

Registrations close on Wednesday, 25th September.

To register, click here.

Hospital Pop-Ups

Are you an unpaid family or friend carer who would like to learn more about Carers WA and Carer Gateway?

Join the Carers WA Prepare to Care hospital team and our community engagement van, Priscilla, to find out more about Carers WA services and supports and how we can help you in your caring role.

The team will be visiting a series of hospitals across Perth, including:

• Armadale Hospital | Monday, 14th October from 10.00am - 1.00pm
• Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital | Tuesday, 15th October from 9.30am - 11.30am
• Osborne Park Hospital | Tuesday, 15th October from 1.00pm - 3.00pm
• Fiona Stanley Hospital | Wednesday, 16th October from 10.00am - 2.00pm
• Bentley Hospital | Friday, 18th October from 10.00am - 2.00pm

To register, click here.

King’s Park Walking Event

Carers WA is partnering with the Heart Foundation to host a walking group event in Kings Park.

When: Tuesday, 15th October | 10:00am – 11:30am
Where: Kings Park | Exact location to be communicated with registered carers.

All carers registered with Carers WA are welcome to join us for a relaxing one-hour walk in Kings Park, followed by a morning tea in the park. Feel free to bring a friend who may not be registered with Carers WA - just stop by the registration table on the day!

Water will be provided prior to the walk. We’ll also have a free raffle with exciting prizes:

• A $200 voucher for Hoyts Gold Class for 2 people.
• A $200 voucher for Flight Club for 4 people.
• Various giveaways from the Heart Foundation.

Raffle tickets will be distributed before the walk and drawn during the morning tea.

Registrations are essential for this event, and places are limited.

To register, click here.

Feel Relaxed with Our Wellbeing Webinars

You are invited to a very special edition of self-care for carers. The pillars of wellness series will take place over three mornings, in the cosiness of your own home, via Zoom. Together we will explore simple ways to work with our own cyclical nature and tips and tricks to keep motivated when life is asking a lot of us. Expect to finish the sessions feeling nurtured and nourished.

You'll need a comfortable space and if possible, privacy so you can really relax. Bring along a tasty drink and something to write with, plus anything else that feels comforting to you.

Health | Monday, 14th October from 10.00am - 11.00am

Sleep | Wednesday, 16th October from 10.00am - 11.00am

Relationships | Friday, 18th October from 10.00am - 11.00am

These sessions are facilitated by Erin Griffin, who combines her lived experience as a carer with her love of connection, community wellbeing, yoga and meditation.

To register, click here.

Perth Metro Events

Young Carer School Holiday Programs

The Carers WA Young Carer team has organised a series of free, fun-filled events just for young carers!

Events include:

• Tuesday, 24th September 2024 – Bowling and Laser Tag (Joondalup)
• Thursday, 26th September 2024 – Movies (Mandurah)
• Monday, 30th September 2024 – Art Workshop (Online)
• Tuesday, 1st October 2024 – Ice Skating (Cockburn)
• Thursday, 3rd October 2024 – Movies (Midland)
• Friday, 4th October 2024 – Family Picnic (Perth)

Spaces are limited so make sure you secure your place by completing an expression of interest in the relevant event. Our Young Carer team will then contact you directly with more information and to confirm your registration.

To find out more, view our Events Calendar.

Carer Representation

Upcoming Workshops for Carer Representatives

Carers WA is hosting a series of workshops this month, with limited spots for Carer Reps to participate.

• Neurodiversity | Tuesday, 17th September 2024
• GLBTI Rights in Ageing Training | Tuesday, 24th September 2024
• Aboriginal Cultural Competence | Wednesday, 26th September 2024

To find out more and register, contact the Carer Representation team at carer.rep@carerswa.asn.au.

EAAA Digital Learning Application on Elder Abuse Consultation Workshops

Elder Abuse Action Australia (EAAA) is developing a digital learning application centred on violence against older people in Australia. They are seeking input from professionals interacting with older community members to ensure the educational material is effective.

Feedback is particularly sought from health workers, in-home care providers, violence support workers, social workers, allied health professionals, NDIS providers, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers, welfare agency workers, LGBTQIA+ support services, and CALD support services.

The goal is to empower frontline workers to support older people experiencing abuse and understand the needs and experiences of these workers.

Perth Workforce Consultation Workforce

When: Thursday, 3rd October 2024 | 9.30am - 12.30pm

Where: TBC

To register, click here. 

For further queries, contact FDSV.education@eaaa.org.au or call 1800 960 026.

Policy And Advocacy

New Regional Reports: Midwest and Wheatbelt

Over the past year, our Policy team, in collaboration with other departments, have been collecting feedback from our regional visits. These visits aimed to engage with carers, community members, and our staff on the ground to collect valuable feedback and pinpoint areas that require enhancement. The primary objectives were to:

1. Identify what was and wasn’t working for carers in the region;
2. Identify unmet needs for carers;
3. Identify short and longer term opportunities for improvement;
4. And collate recommendations from the community to enable these improvements.

This region-specific feedback from each visit has been compiled into reports, with an action plan to back it up, which will act as a launching pad for future involvement in the region. 

 Reports are now available for the following regions:

• Midwest (New)
• Wheatbelt (New)
• Esperance
• Broome
• Albany
• Kalgoorlie

These reports, and a summary version of each report, are now available on our website.

We would like to sincerely thank everyone who offered their time and advice, and look forward to collaboratively working on solutions together.

Get Social With Us

Latest Surveys

Our new survey page on the Carers WA website is now available for your use! This isn't just about data collection, but a significant step towards empowering our community. By participating in these surveys, you're contributing to vital research and assisting systemic advocacy. Your voice can help shape policy alterations that directly affect carers.

Note: Surveys are regularly updated. Carers are urged to occasionally check this page to complete surveys that best suit their interests.

News & Updates

Community Engagement Team's Busy Month on the Expo Circuit

This month the Carers WA Community Engagement team were out and about participating in several expos and events to raise awareness for unpaid carers. The team started at the Ageing Well Expo, held at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre in early August. Shortly after, the team attended the Rural Health West Aboriginal Health Conference in Fremantle where they spoke with healthcare professionals about Carers WA supports and referral pathways.

They then represented Carers WA at the RACEPC Communicate Aged Care Symposium, which focused on the experiences of residents in care facilities. Carers WA participated as exhibitors, contributing to the dialogue about successes and areas for improvement in aged care.

The month concluded in Bunbury at a special service provider event sharing information about relevant support for carers and the process for organisations to become carer-friendly employers.

Cheryl’s Story

For seven years, Cheryl has been a devoted carer to her husband, who lives with young onset dementia and frontal lobe dementia. The path to his diagnosis was a complex one, filled with uncertainty and loneliness. With no nursing background, Cheryl found herself navigating a new world of caring for her husband after a seven-week hospital stay.

Despite hardships, they continue to find joy, and with the support of Carers WA, Cheryl learnt she wasn’t alone.

Cheryl says, “We’ve all got a strength in us, but we don’t always know how to bring that out. And I’ve learnt through Carers WA that that’s what you can do and be a better person.”

To read more, click here.