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Who is a carer?
Carers are usually family members or friends who provide support to an older person who has a disability, mental illness, chronic condition or is too frail to provide care for themselves. Carers may be partners, brothers, sisters, friends or children of any age.
They may give care for a few hours a week or all day every day, depending on the level of support needed. Some carers are eligible for government benefits, while others are employed or have a private income.
Many carers don’t consider themselves to be carers – they see themselves as just family members. So they may not ask for help, and can sometimes miss out on the wide range of services available today to help carers meet their responsibilities.
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