A person (usually within the
family environment) who maintains personal assistance to another who
may suffer from, but is not limited to: a physical disability, mental illness, intellectual disability, or drug and/or alcohol dependency. There are no boundaries to the notion of 'caring' in this context as a
large number of 'Carers' can be found throughout the globe in many different environments. Caring roles are often demanding and some services exist primarily for Carers, allowing them to 'have a
break'. Support for Carers appears to be on the increase however a particular difficulty in the Human Service sector is reaching out to
people who are 'unidentified carers'- those who maintain a caring role however are not aware that there is appropriate support available.
John has an acquired brain injury and is unable to perform a lot of
daily personal tasks. His wife (Primary Carer)
Julie assists him with tasks such as
showering, grooming, and mobility.