Program to care for the carers

THE Leopold Community & Learning Centre is recognising the tremendous work that carers do in our community by offering them a free program of activities.

The centre is acknowledging the contribution carers make by providing community lunches, informative workshops and access to support services such as technical support, financial advice and legal advice.

Carers on the Bellarine Peninsula who care for a relative or close friend are invited to participate in the “Caring for Carers” program, which aims to enrich the daily life of carers.

The program is funded through the state government’s Supporting Carers Locally Grants Program via Bellarine MP Lisa Neville.

Giving carers the support they need is a key priority of Labor’s Victorian Carer Strategy 2018-22 – the first whole-of-government strategy recognising carers.

Across Victoria, more than 736,000 carers give their time and effort to look after a family member or friend who needs them.

Unpaid carers support people with different care needs including people with chronic disease, mental illness, people with a disability, older people with care needs and those receiving end-of-life or palliative care.

The recent Mental Health Royal Commission final report identified the importance of supporting the mental health of carers as a key focus.

The final report of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System identified the importance of the role of carers and of involving and supporting them.

Caring for Carers was officially launched at the Leopold Community & Learning Centre, 31-39 Kensington Road, Leopold, on November 10 with a talk by Australian Carers Guide publisher Paul Koury, and will hold its first lunch on December 8 at noon.

To find out more about these activities or to register for events, phone the centre on 5250 1301 or email [email protected]