For carers of older people
A carer is any individual who provides care and support to a family member or friend who lives with a disability, mental illness, alcohol or drug dependency, chronic condition, terminal illness or who is frail due to age.
This page contains general information about aged care services and carer supports for family members and friends caring for a person aged 65 years and over (or 50 years and over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people).
What's on this page?
About My Aged Care
My Aged Care is the starting point to access government-funded aged care services in Australia. It provides a range of support services to help people aged 65 years and over (or 50 years and over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) stay at home longer. Find out more below.
For more information, you can connect with the following services:
My Aged Care – Access to a range of supports and services for older Australians.
1800 200 422 (Monday to Friday, 8.00am to 8.00pm, Saturdays 10.00am to 2.00pm)
Care finders – A free service to support vulnerable people to access aged care services and other local community supports.
Aged Care Specialist Officers – In-person or telephone support including general information about aged care, help to talk to the My Aged Care contact centre, and use the website.
1800 227 475 (Monday to Friday, 8.00am to 5.00pm)
www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/aged-care-specialist-officer-my-aged-care-face-to-face-services
Visit Services Australia – findus.servicesaustralia.gov.au
Support and services for carers
If you need information and support in your caring role, there are a number of services available. Caring can be challenging and stressful at times. Download our infographic to identify possible signs of carer stress in your life.
Click on the links below to access resources developed by Carers NSW to help you navigate My Aged Care and find practical supports for your caring role.
Other carer resources and supports you can connect with include:
Carer Gateway – Practical support for all carers (including counselling, peer support, respite and more).
1800 422 737 (Monday to Friday, 8.00am to 5.00pm local time)
Dementia Support Australia – Resources and practical supports for carers providing care for a family member or friend with dementia.
1800 699 799 (24-hour helpline)
Dementia Helpline – Access to information and advice for carers providing care for someone with dementia.
1800 100 500 (Monday to Friday, 24-hour helpline)
www.dementia.org.au/get-support/national-dementia-helpline
Continence Foundation of Australia – Free, confidential information, support, and continence-related resources and referrals to local services.
1800 33 00 66
Planning for the future
If you are finding it challenging to plan for the future, Carers NSW has developed information and educational resources to help you and the person or people you care for manage changes and challenges more effectively.
If you have questions about Enduring Power of Attorney, Enduring Guardianship, advance care planning or emergency planning, there several resources you can access for more information:
NSW Trustee and Guardian – Substitute financial management services for people with decision making disabilities, tools for navigating decision making processes, and a Guardian Support Unit.
1300 109 290 (Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 5.00pm local time)
NSW Civil & Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) – A one stop shop for specialist tribunal services in NSW.
1300 006 228 (Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 4.30pm local time)
NSW Health Advance Care Planning – Information and resources on using advance care directives and end of life care.
www.health.nsw.gov.au/patients/acp
CareSearch – Information for carers and the people they care for on planning for the future when living with a serious illness.
Compass – A national website navigating elder abuse in Australia, including information and resources about being a guardian.
What to do if you have concerns about aged care
If you have a concern or complaint about aged care services, it is important that you raise it. There are several resources that can help you better stand up for yourself and the person you care for if a problem arises.
The Carer Rights & Complaints Network (a working group made up of complaints agencies and peak organisations, led by Carers NSW) has developed a series of ‘Know your rights’ fact sheets that explain the rights carers have across a range of different service systems, and how these rights can be upheld through making a formal complaint. The aged care fact sheet can be downloaded below.
How to raise a complaint with your aged care service
There are several steps you can take to raise a complaint with your aged care service; watch the video below to find out more.
If you are concerned about the quality or safety of paid or volunteer aged care services, you can contact:
Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission – The Commission investigates reports and concerns about aged care services.
1800 951 822 (Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 5.00pm)
www.agedcarequality.gov.au/contact-us
If you are concerned that an older person is being abused, neglected, or exploited within the home or community by a family member, friend or acquaintance, you can contact:
NSW Ageing and Disability Commission – Investigates reports or concerns about abuse or neglect perpetrated by family members or friends in the home and community.
1800 628 221 (Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 4.00pm)
ageingdisabilitycommission.nsw.gov.au
For support and assistance with making complaints or accessing aged care services, you can contact:
Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) – Assistance for older people to understand the aged care system, register and resolve aged care issues.
1800 700 600 (Monday to Friday 8.00am to 8.00pm, Saturday 10.00am to 4.00pm)
Seniors Rights Service – Free and confidential telephone advice, aged care advocacy and support, legal advice, and rights-based education forums for older people, their family members, and carers.
1800 424 079 or 02 9281 3600 (9.00am to 5.00pm)
Support with finding information online
If you find accessing online information and services overwhelming, there are resources that can help you build your digital literacy so that you and the person you care for can access digital services confidently and safely.
Develop your digital literacy via Be Connected, an Australian government initiative assisting older Australians build their confidence, online safety, and learn digital skills:
Carers NSW is also developing resources for carers of older people to build their confidence, digital literacy, and online safety, which will be added as they become available.
Employment in the aged care sector
Career Pathways for Carers (CP4C) Project
Career Pathways for Carers (CP4C) is a two-year project proudly funded by the NSW Government that will support women carers to overcome enduring and complex barriers to entering or re-entering employment.
The project, delivered with a grant from Women NSW under the Return to Work Pathways Program, provides person-centred career guidance and support to assist women carers identify, work towards and obtain paid employment in roles and industries that align with their skills and interests.
Find out more about the Career Pathways for Carers project below.
For carers who want to explore jobs in the aged care sector, please complete this short contact form.
The Aged Care Workforce Project
Carers NSW is working with a number of partner organisations to create resources that support family and friend carers to obtain employment within the aged care sector.
The following resources have been developed as part of the Aged Care Workforce Project, and may assist carers who are interested in pursuing employment in aged care.
Benefits and challenges of working in aged care for carers – A resource to help carers understand the benefits and challenges of employment in the aged care sector.
Matching caring skills and interests to aged care roles – A resource to help carers understand how their skills and interests may align with career pathways in the aged care sector.
5 things carers should know about working in aged care – A resource to help carers learn more about employment in aged care.
Short term vs. long term employment in aged care – A resource to help carers understand the short-term and long-term benefits of a job in aged care.
Pathways to employment in aged care – A resource identifying the ways carers may enter employment in aged care.
Staying up to date with changes to aged care
You can stay up to date with the latest changes and upcoming planned reforms to aged care by subscribing to Carers NSW monthly eNews, which includes a quarterly aged care update.
You can also visit the Aged Care Engagement Hub or subscribe to the Department of Health and Aged Care’s EngAged eNewsletter for regular updates and opportunities to have your say on reforms.
Sharing your experiences of aged care
You can raise issues or concerns about an experience you have had with aged care by filling out the Carers NSW Policy Advice Form below.
This information is used to inform our policy work, including writing submissions and providing feedback to governments on key issues affecting carers.