Nominate a carer for some “me time”
National aged care and disabilities services provider, Just Better Care, is running a competition to support carers in their local communities, to recognise the many hours of unpaid work they provide.
Just Better Care Chief operations officer Trish Noakes says there are 2.7 million unpaid carers in Australia – or one in ten people.
“Carers are amazing people who provide support for a friend or family member, who due to illness, disability, age or mental health issues cannot cope without their support. They are unpaid and often unrecognised, but are the backbone of our communities,” Mrs Noakes says.
The competition asks people to nominate a carer they know and enter their name and postcode on the Just Better Care website to enter a drawer to win one of 30, four hour respite packages, worth over $5000.
“Carers can be full-time, part-time, juggling other jobs or be a friend or relative. But the common bond is their determination to help someone they care about,” Mrs Noakes says.
“Carers often talk of the isolation of their roles, and the importance of taking the time to relax and do things they enjoy. That is why respite for the person they are caring for is so important – getting someone else to look after that person and making time available for the carer to relax or unwind.”
Mrs Noakes says with the aged population set to skyrocket in the coming years, the role of carers would be increasingly significant: “Carers save the taxpayer billions of dollars each year – so it is important to recognise their important role in our local communities and celebrate their dedication and determination.”
“I encourage you to nominate a carer for this prize and help them have some extra me time or time out for themselves,” Mrs Noakes says.
To enter, visit the website at justbettercare.com/carers. The competition closes on June 30 2015.
