MEDIA RELEASE
20 October 2011	Embargo: 11.30 am (Canberra time)	128/2011

In 2009, 36% of primary carers reported that their caring role had brought them closer together with the person to whom they provided the most care, according to a new report released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

This report is being released to coincide with National Carers Week, 2011.

For primary carers who were caring for someone other than their partner, 36% reported that the caring role had brought them closer together with their partner. For most primary carers though, relationships with partners, other family members and friends were unaffected.

In 2009 there were 2.6 million carers in Australia providing assistance with core activities either for someone with a disability or for someone aged 60 years and over. Of those carers, 29% were primary carers.

36% of primary carers reported that their physical or emotional well-being had changed due to their caring role, and 50% had interrupted sleep as a result of caring.

There were 98,300 carers who reported a need for respite care but most (64%) of those needing respite had never used respite care services.

Three-quarters of 15-24 year old carers were fully engaged in employment and/or education compared to 82% of 15-24 year olds who were not carers.

Further details are available in Caring in the Community, Australia, 2009 (cat. no. 4436.0), available free of charge on the ABS website.

Media note:

• A primary carer is the person aged 15 years and over who provides the most informal assistance with core activities (communication, mobility and self-care) to a person with a disability or to a person aged 60 years or over.
• Fully engaged are those who are in full-time work, in full-time education or in both part-time employment and part-time education
• When reporting ABS data the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or ABS) must be attributed as the source.