Whether they be a child looking after an elderly parent, a parent looking after a child with a disability, a husband/wife looking after their frail spouse or even a friend or neighbour helping to look after someone who has difficulty looking after themselves – unpaid carers are the ultimate expression of self-sacrificial love. Informal/unpaid carers play an invaluable role in our community, and their contribution is often under-recognised.
Unfortunately, over time, many carers start to suffer mentally and physically due to the strain that their carer responsibilities place on them. This can lead to a situation where both the carer and the person they care for are prematurely required to seek formal assistance and possibly residential care.
In order to assist carers to maintain their role for longer, the Federal Government has established the Integrated Carer Support Service (ICSS) as a national gateway to provide a uniform system for carers who are in need of help. The role of the ICSS for carers is similar to the role of My Aged Care for over-65s – to assess carers and their needs, to connect them with appropriate services to fulfil those needs, and to relieve some of the financial burden associated with those services.
The ICSS is operated in South Australia by a consortium led by Carer’s SA. The Greek Welfare Centre is proud to be an inaugural member of this consortium to provide carer support services to clients for people in our community, and in particular to those from a Greek and/or Orthodox background.
If you are a carer and in need of support, then please call us on 8212 5100 to discuss.
