Family members and carers can find information and support at www.agedcarer.com.au
People caring for ageing family members have a new source of information and support with the launch of www.agedcarer.com.au.
The new website enables family carers to access articles, videos and discussion forums covering a broad range of issues associated with the caring role.
It was developed by aged care nurse, Emma Hamilton after she noticed that most people felt confused and isolated when they tried to navigate the aged care system.
“I have seen residents coming in who are very frail and vulnerable and have high-level care needs,” said Ms Hamilton.
“I have also seen so many family members who have provided high level care for a long time and this website is for them.
“It’s not just about helping them find services but it’s also about providing assistance with physical care.
“It explains things like what happens when people become frail, why they get pneumonia and what happens when they fall.”
Drawing on her own expertise and by consulting with industry experts and associations, Ms Hamilton has spent the past two years writing articles and filming videos for the site.
“When I was looking for video material, there was not much Australian content and I felt we needed something representative of Australian families,” she said.
“So I went and talked to carers about what they were doing and had discussions with them about their own experiences. It’s a great way to get information and everyone has something to share.”
The site has a number of community tools that list the services available in different council areas. At the moment, they only cover Sydney’s north but Ms Hamilton expects this is an area of the website that will grow.
She hopes that the suite of services available on the site will empower carers and family members.
“All these issues are universal. Once you start talking to people about dementia or caring for an older family member, you realise that there are so many people doing it,” she said.
“But there is nothing about it in the public media and when it is, it’s usually negative. If people start sharing information and if nursing homes start to be a bit more transparent, it will help prepare carers for what is coming up.
“They need more support and they need to feel valued because a lot of the burden of care is falling on them. Otherwise they will just throw their hands up in the air.”
