As the government expands its offering of information to the disability community, it’s important to ensure resources and assistance are offered to people who support those in our community. That’s where Carer Gateway comes in. It is a website that provides advice and support for carers, designed to help them become happier and healthier versions of themselves.
Here at NDSP Plan Managers, we really love the site structure. It is simple and easy to navigate with clearly labelled sections that offer immediate access to the resources they cover. Speaking of resources, their purposes run deep, from helping carers build skills through to becoming part of an online community for sharing experiences.
Interestingly, the site addresses carers specifically, but we would suggest much of the content is also relevant to paid support workers. Regardless, we’d like to touch on some of what we consider to be highlights from the site and let you explore the rest.
First up, Carer Support.
You’ll quickly notice there’s not just online resources available via the carer support section. It offers the ability to call and connect to a country-wide network of service providers via phone who are available to help you find the services you need in locations that suit you.
“Carer fatigue” isn’t a buzz word or something new, it’s a real issue that people who support others face and this can be serious if left unaddressed. As a carer, it can be difficult to take the time for yourself to overcome fatigue, but Carer Gateway makes phone counselling sessions simple and accessible.
The phone counselling service is available on weekdays from 8am – 6pm while also allowing you to request a call-back at any time.
Being part of a community means having the opportunity to share your experience with others who may be dealing with similar things, which is exactly why the Carer Gateway forum exists. It requires a quick registration and allows members to share stories, swap advice and learn from each other in a closely held, safe place.
Like any other cohort of people, carers come from diverse backgrounds, but unlike others, they may find themselves caring for someone suddenly, without prior experience. Many need new skills and many might be ready to build on the skills they have, which they now can thanks to Carer Gateway skills courses.
From fitting the type of care to the individual being cared for to dealing with stress, social connections and selfcare, there are some great short skill building activities available on the site. The coolest bit about these courses is that they’re easy to access, super engaging, practically sound and fun.
There’s more to the carer support section of Carer Gateway, but you can check those out here.
Tips.
With headings like “Caring Basics,” “Your Circumstances” and “Being Calm and Organised”, you can once again easily access the information you seek as a carer via the Carer Gateway tips.
One of our favourites is First 5 – A checklist for new carers under which are simple sub-headings to check off. We’d suggest these are worthwhile even for the most seasoned of carers:
- Have an Emergency Care Plan.
- Find out if you can get any payments.
- Look into respite care
- Know your legal rights and what powers you might need, and;
- Look after yourself
The tips under each heading cover a broad range of subjects from tips for juggling work and carer obligations through to tips for busting stress. If you’re a carer, we suggest you have a browse with your next cup of tea – there’ll be plenty that’s relevant to you: https://www.carergateway.gov.au/tips?cta
Real-life Stories.
Perhaps our favourite area of the Carer Gateway website is the real-life stories. It features both text-based interviews and profile style videos that shine a light on carer stories as well as the stories of the people they care for.
To give you an idea of some of the selfless, hard-working people featured on Carer Gateway, here’s Courtney’s story …
NDSP Plan Managers is a NDIS-registered provider specialising in NDIS Plan Management. If you are a NDIS Participant looking for the right Plan Manager, CLICK HERE to get in touch with our friendly team today.