Family member/carer resources for people with an intellectual disability

The demands of being a carer can sometimes become overwhelming. Carers may experience:

  • burnout
  • depression
  • anxiety
  • social phobias
  • poor sleep
  • loss of motivation
  • increased or decreased appetite
  • other emotional changes.

Financial stressors have also been found to impact the mental health of carers due to either not being able to be employed or having to juggle employment with providing care.
If you are an unpaid carer, you can get help and support from the government and other organisations.

Support for me

Carer Gateway

The Carer Gateway is a free Australian Government service which provides a range of information and services including:

  • carer skills courses
  • phone counselling
  • self-guided coaching
  • respite
  • financial Help
  • carer tips
  • COVID-19 vaccine information for carers.

To find out more, you can contact the Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737 or visit their website.

Carer’s SA

Carers SA, along with their partners Dementia Australia, Skylight, Life Without Barriers and Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantatjara Yankunytjatjara Women’s Council, provide Carer Gateway services to carers in South Australia. These services help carers to manage their daily challenges, reduce stress and plan for the future. These services focus on providing carers with access to early-intervention, preventative and skill building supports, to improve well-being and long-term outcomes. Carers SA are able to provide support through a range of services, including:

  • carer support planning
  • emergency respite
  • peer groups
  • counselling
  • facilitated coaching
  • carer directed support (including financial assistance).

You can find out more about Carer’s SA Services by calling them on 1800 422 737 or visit their website.

National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)

In addition to the government-funded programs available to support carers, an NDIS participant (someone who has an NDIS plan) may use funding in their plan to pay for respite.
Respite supports participants and their carers by giving carers short breaks from their caring responsibilities. It also gives participants time away from their families. For a participant, this might mean:

  • joining a new community group
  • having a short stay out of home to try new things, make new friends or develop new skills
  • temporary periods of extra personal supports so that the participant can remain at home when families and/or carers are not available
  • support to take part in community activities, resulting in a break for carers.

For carers, taking some time off can help them better manage their own health and improve their wellbeing.

If the person you care for is an NDIS participant, you can find out more about how the NDIS can help by contacting the Local Area Coordinator or planner listed on the front of the participant’s NDIS plan. If the person you care for is not an NDIS participant and you have their permission, you can contact the NDIS directly using the details below:

South Australian Council on Intellectual Disability (SACID)

The South Australian Council on Intellectual Disability (SACID) works towards achieving a community in which people with intellectual disability are involved and accepted as equal participating members. SACID offers a free information service with easy to understand information for people with intellectual disability, family members, mainstream services and interested community members. They also run a future proofing workshop for family members and caregivers of people with intellectual disability aimed to help them plan and prepare for the future.

You can find out more by visiting the SACID website or calling SACID on (08) 8352 4416 (Monday to Friday).

Support to help the person I care for

There are a range of resources available to support people with intellectual disability: