Caring for a person with any type of disability or chronic condition can be physically, mentally, emotionally and economically demanding, and the burden of caregiving is particularly high for those caring for a person with dementia. Factors influencing the level of caregiving burden include the personal characteristics of carers and care recipients, living arrangements, employment and financial situation, and support systems available from formal services and other family and friends.
This page presents information from the Australian Bureau of Statistics Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) on the impact of caring for a person with dementia on the primary carer’s physical and emotional wellbeing, relationships, employment and financial situation in 2018.
Impacts on carers’ physical and emotional health and wellbeing
Around 3 in 4 primary carers of people with dementia (75%), as well as primary carers of people without dementia (77%) reported they had 1 or more physical or emotional effects due to the caring role (Figure 6.5).
The most commonly reported impact was that the carer felt weary or lacked energy, reported by 41% of primary carers of people with dementia and 35% of primary carers of people without dementia. Another commonly reported effect was frequently feeling worried or depressed, reported by 31% of primary carers of people with dementia and 27% of primary carers of people without dementia.
The proportion of primary carers who frequently felt angry or resentful and who had been diagnosed with a stress related illness was similar among primary carers of people with dementia (13% and 6.7%, respectively) and primary carers of people without dementia (12% and 11%, respectively).