Carers' unmet needs

It is vital that informal carers are provided with appropriate support to ensure they can provide adequate care and to reduce carer burden and stress. This page presents information on the unmet needs of carers in 2022, from the Australian Bureau of Statistics Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC).

Just under half of primary carers of people with dementia reported they need assistance or need further assistance with the caring role (48%). This was higher than what was reported by primary carers of people without dementia (32%) (Table S6.18).

Among primary carers of people with dementia who required more support, the main unmet needs were as follows:

  • 24% reported they needed more respite care – this was higher than what was reported by primary carers of people without dementia (7%).
  • 22% reported that they needed support with their own health as a carer – this was higher than what was reported by primary carers of people without dementia (8%) (Figure 6.10; Table S6.19).

Figure 6.10: Primary carers of people with and without dementia who required more support in 2022: estimated percentage, by main unmet source of support

Figure 6.10 is a bar graph showing the estimated percentage of primary carers of people with dementia and primary carers of people without dementia who required more support in 2022 by the main unmet need for support. The main unmet needs among primary carers of people with dementia were that they needed more respite care, followed an improvement to their own health. Needing more respite care was reported more frequently by primary carers of people with dementia than primary carers of people without dementia. Primary carers of people with dementia were more likely to report they needed other areas of support which can include more financial assistance, more physical assistance and more emotional support.

Figure 6.10 is a bar graph showing the estimated percentage of primary carers of people with dementia and primary carers of people without dementia who required more support in 2022 by the main unmet need for support. The main unmet needs among primary carers of people with dementia were that they needed more respite care, followed an improvement to their own health. Needing more respite care was reported more frequently by primary carers of people with dementia than primary carers of people without dementia. Primary carers of people with dementia were more likely to report they needed other areas of support which can include more financial assistance, more physical assistance and more emotional support.

Notes:

  1. Analysis restricted to primary carers who reported that they needed more support.
  2. 'Other areas of support' includes the following responses: 'more financial assistance', 'more physical assistance',  'more emotional support', 'an improvement in carers own health', 'more courses available on how to care for persons with particular disabilities', 'more training on correct use of equipment', 'more training on correct methods of lifting to prevent injury' and 'none of the above'.
  3. Estimates for primary carers of people with dementia whose unmet needs include: 'more respite care', 'other areas of support' and 'an improvement in carer's own health' have a relative standard error between 25% and 50% and should be used with caution.
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