Family Carers and Continence

1
Family Carers and Continence

• Progress through partnership

2
Caring in NZ

• Census 2006 counted about 420,000 family carers
• A majority are women, but men are catching up
• A majority are of workforce age (15 to 64)
• 8 of 15 to 24 year olds are carers

3
Caring and Continence

• Many families have continence needs
• There is a need for ongoing information, advice,
  learning and support that is freely available to
  families
• They need ongoing information about how NZs
  system works for services and continence aids,
  and where to buy aids if they do not receive
  enough through the system
• They need easy, free learning so they know how to
  manage continence needs at home.

4
Progress for NZ Carers

• In 2004 Carers NZ established the Carers
  Alliance, a coalition of 47 national non-profits
  for which it acts as Secretariat. The Alliances
  first objective was to achieve a Carers Strategy
  for New Zealand. The Strategy was launched this
  year with a five year Action Plan.
• Recently we welcomed the NZ Continence
  Association to the Alliance
• Carers NZ and the Association have worked
  together for some time to develop free
  information and learning resources for carers
  (Family Care magazine, Family Care Radio, etc)
• We are collaborating to promote the Continence
  Helpline to families, and to ensuring that
  information and learning is available free to all
  who need it

5
Future Development for Carers

• Carers NZ and many of its Alliance partners hope
  to achieve greater flexibility and choice for
  families with health and disability needs
• The current continence system lacks flexibility
  and is inconsistent in what it delivers across
  the country. We think NZ needs a national
  continence Strategy to make it fair and efficient
  for families.
• We like Australias Continence Aids Assistance
  Scheme, which gives families an annual budget
  they control to purchase continence supplies and
  aids (with support from continence assessors),
  topping this up with other public or private
  funding as needed
• We look forward to being part of a lobbying
  coalition to ensure that families with continence
  needs get the information, advice, learning,
  support AND ADEQUATE SUPPLIES that best meet
  their needs

6
Collaboration for Carers

• Carers NZ recognises the NZ Continence
  Association for ensuring the voice of families is
  heard in its own strategic planning
• We look forward to discussing how the Carers
  Alliance can support a united call for strategic
  improvements for continence in our country
• In the meantime, we encourage DHBs, health
  professionals, NGOs, and support groups to make
  families aware of current free help
• The Continence Helpline
• Family Care magazine and the twice yearly Older
  Family Care
• Family Care Radio www.familycareradio.net.nz,
  which includes continence listen and learn
  features from September 08
• A new carer learning and wellbeing programme, a
  Carers Strategy Action Plan outcome that is
  being developed by ACC and other agencies

7
Accessing Our Carer Resources

• Copies of the magazine are available at the
  conference, our contact details are in the front
  of the book
• NZCA and Carers NZ have also developed a free
  information sheet for families with continence
  needs please distribute this to the families
  you support or work with
• Feedback and input is welcome!
• Thank you!