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NikNikSenior Contributor
For some, the term 'carer' can feel uncomfortable - they are a mother, husband, friend or sibling, whose loved one happens to have a mental illness.
For others, the term 'carer' resonates with them
How does the label of 'carer' sit with you?
Join us from 7pm AEDT to share your opinion.
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In response to: Topic Tuesday // Does the label 'Carers' make you feel uncomfortable // Tues 27 March, 7pm AEDT
HenryCasual Contributor
I think that the term carer is used to describe a lot of different roles, paid and unpaid, and feel that takes away some significance of the word for me and what I do if that makes sence?
In response to: Topic Tuesday // Does the label 'Carers' make you feel uncomfortable // Tues 27 March, 7pm AEDT
Shaz51Senior Contributor
how does the term 'carer' as a title resonate?--- ammmm @NikNik,
my Husband always says " I am not his Carer ", I am his wife that he can not do without
My mum sometimes says I am her carer but the family says " she is doing what a daughter should do , she is your daughter
In response to: Topic Tuesday // Does the label 'Carers' make you feel uncomfortable // Tues 27 March, 7pm AEDT
Unknown userMember
In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday // Does the label 'Carers' make you feel uncomfortable // Tues 27 March, 7pm AEDT
NikNikSenior Contributor
In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday // Does the label 'Carers' make you feel uncomfortable // Tues 27 March, 7pm AEDT
Shaz51Senior Contributor
mostly mine is wife / Daughter @NikNik
hello @Susana
In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday // Does the label 'Carers' make you feel uncomfortable // Tues 27 March, 7pm AEDT
DeterminedSenior Contributor
@Former-Memberwrote:
I have mixed feelings in relation to the term carer.
...
I usually only refer to myself as Mr D's carer in medical circles (would do with Centrelink if required) but I prefer to think of myself as his wife.
I am in a similar frame of mind, I prefer to think of and refer to my darling as my wife,
even here on the forums I have made a consious shift from 'caring for' to 'supporting my wife'
I have difficulty seperating 'caring' responsibilities from my responsibilities as a husband, it is only in recent time that it was pointed out to me that what I was doing was over and above the role of a husband and that I was in fact in a 'carer' role.
In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday // Does the label 'Carers' make you feel uncomfortable // Tues 27 March, 7pm AEDT
DeterminedSenior Contributor
very much so @NikNik.
In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday // Does the label 'Carers' make you feel uncomfortable // Tues 27 March, 7pm AEDT
Shaz51Senior Contributor
yes same here @NikNik 
Hello @Bella1978
In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday // Does the label 'Carers' make you feel uncomfortable // Tues 27 March, 7pm AEDT
HenryCasual Contributor
I've often found myself having to explain what I do as a carer for a family member and people will usually still think it's the same as paid care workers.
In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday // Does the label 'Carers' make you feel uncomfortable // Tues 27 March, 7pm AEDT
NikNikSenior Contributor
I'm not sure if any of your saw on our Facebook page we advertised a survey asking a couple of questions about the term carer.
This is what we found:
1. What word do you use to describe a person who provides unpaid, ongoing support to someone for their health or mental health needs?
What I found really interesting was the next question. In the above question we asked for a 'definition' but when we asked level of comfort for each term, 51% said they felt 'very comfortable' with family terms (husband, brother, son etc), but only 28% felt 'very comfortable' with the term 'Carer'.
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Help us push aside the stigma and discrimination surrounding complex mental health and change the way people talk about, and care for, mental illness.
SANE acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures; and to Elders past and present.
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