Critical Info, a social enterprise that helps people get their affairs in order, is shining a spotlight on Australia’s carer community.
Catherine Ashton, founder of the organisation, which helps people organise and clearly locate key information and end-of-life wishes, says there are more than three million carers across the country quietly providing unpaid support to ageing parents, partners, children, friends and community members.
“Carers are critically important to the people they support, but they are often the last to get their own affairs in order,” Ashton says. “And that can lead to serious problems for the most vulnerable.”
Throughout February, Critical Info is calling on the community to help support 100 Australian carers, inviting Riskinfo readers to “nominate an everyday hero” by selecting a reward, nominating a carer they know, or sponsoring a carer through a donation.
She says most people do not have a back-up plan “…which will likely come as no surprise to financial advisers”.
“A lot of people think about end-of-life planning in the context of ageing parents they may be caring for,” Ashton says. “But what I want to get across is that an accident can happen to any of us — including the carers that families rely on. A serious accident changed my own life and showed me how quickly roles can shift.
If the unthinkable happens, those who rely on a carer can be left in a muddle…
“These are the people who know when the doctor’s appointments are, when the school concert is — all the incidental information that keeps a household running smoothly and that often isn’t written down or shared.”
“If the unthinkable happens, those who rely on a carer can be left in a muddle, sometimes without even knowing the person’s wishes or where to find that information.”
Ashton says the campaign recognises the vital role unpaid carers play in our communities, with funds directed to providing Critical Info planning tools for carers who would otherwise be unable to afford them.
She says fees for using the Critical Info service are $10 a month or $99 a year. However, during this LIFTWomen campaign, any contributions made are tax deductible.
