Carer Service
Carer Health and Wellbeing Service
A novel co-designed service to support older carers of older people
Further project information can be found at the National Centre for Healthy Ageing.
Overview
Older carers of older individuals at home often face their own health and wellbeing challenges. Launched in 2024, the Carer Health and Wellbeing Service aims to support informal carers (50+ years) of older people (65+ years) with improving their health and wellbeing needs, while continuing to care for loved ones. This Victorian-based Service is currently undergoing evaluation using various research methods to evaluate its effectiveness (including cost-effectiveness). The goal is to provide an ongoing service – and is currently seeking additional funding – to support informal carers Australia-wide in maintaining their own health, wellbeing and caregiving role long-term.
Our impact
- An Australian-first Carer Health and Wellbeing Service assisting carers (aged 50+ years) of older adults (65+ years) with managing their own health and wellbeing needs.
- Operating two days a week at Peninsula Health’s Mornington Community Health Centre, the interdisciplinary service offers psychology, occupational therapy, social work, and physiotherapy.
- Multi-modal service delivery, offering in-person (individual and group-based), telehealth and telephone appointments.
- Researchers are evaluating this service model to assess its impact in helping carers to address their prioritised health and wellbeing needs while sustaining their caring role longer term.
Watch a short video and learn more about the experience of a carer who attended the Carer Health and Wellbeing Service.
The research team
Lead Chief Investigator:
Other chief investigators:
Professor Keith Hill (RAIL Research Centre, Monash University), Associate Professor Susan Slatyer (Murdoch University), Associate Professor Elissa Burton (Curtin University), Associate Professor Christina Bryant (The University of Melbourne), Dr Déborah Oliveira (Universidad Andrés Bello, Chile), Dr Anjali Khushu (Peninsula Health), Associate Professor Natasha Brusco, (RAIL Research Centre, Monash University), Associate Professor Natasha Layton (RAIL Research Centre, Monash University), Dr Angel Lee (RAIL Research Centre, Monash University), Associate Professor Belinda Cash (Charles Sturt University), Dr Jacqui Allen (Monash Nursing and Midwifery), Ms Lisa Licciardi (RAIL Research Centre, Monash University)
Key stakeholders at the official launch of the Carer Health and Wellbeing Service. (L-R: Professor Wayne Hodgson, Professor Velandai Srikanth, Iain Edwards, Hon. Jodie Belyea, Ivan Freer, Helen Cooper, Professor Natasha Brusco, Dr Aislinn Lalor, Professor Keith Hill, Professor Terry Haines). Photo credit: Adrienne Bizzarri Photography
More information about the Service
Publications that have contributed to the development of this model of care
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Media that capture the implementation of the Carer Health and Wellbeing Service
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Funding
Commonwealth Government of Australia through the Community Health and Hospitals Program Grant Scheme (through the National Centre for Healthy Ageing), October 2022 - June 2025
Contact
Email: Dr Aislinn Lalor at aislinn.lalor@monash.edu