Carer & Family Wellbeing:
Support for family members, friends & others providing unpaid care or support.
Who is a carer?
A carer is someone who provides unpaid support to a family member, friend or other person who needs help because of illness, disability, frailty or changing health needs.
Caring can include practical help, emotional support, advocacy, coordinating appointments or simply being the person who is there.
Caring for someone with serious illness or complex needs can affect every part of life. Alongside the practical responsibilities, there can be uncertainty, tiredness, changing roles, difficult decisions and the emotional weight of watching someone you care about become unwell.
Looking after your own wellbeing is not separate from caring. Having support, information and space to talk can make it easier to keep going and to recognise when you may need more help.
Things that may help:
sharing caring responsibilities where possible
accepting practical help from family, friends or community services
talking openly about how caring is affecting you
taking breaks and making space for rest
staying connected with people and activities that support your own wellbeing
recognising signs of stress, exhaustion or caregiver burnout
asking the healthcare team what support is available for carers and families
Support and information:
Explore trusted information, practical guidance and services that can support carers and families.
External resources:
Links to external websites are provided for information and convenience. The Caring Conversations Project is not affiliated with or responsible for the content, services or availability of these external sites. Please refer to the original provider for the most current information.
Carers NZ
Carers NZ provides information, practical resources and advocacy for people supporting family members, friends or others with ongoing health, disability or care needs. Their resources cover topics such as carer wellbeing, navigating services, taking breaks, planning ahead and finding support in your community.
Hospice New Zealand – Support for carers:
Hospice New Zealand provides information and guidance for family members and friends caring for someone with a life-limiting illness, including practical support, wellbeing and what help may be available through hospice services.
Caring Conversations Project resources:
Coming soon: practical resources exploring caregiver wellbeing, recognising burnout, preparing for difficult conversations and navigating the emotional and practical impact of caring.
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