Supporting a Friend Who Is Also a Carer

A friend who spends much of their time caring for someone else, a child, a parent, a partner, can be easy to overlook when checking in on people who might be struggling, simply because their role looks like it is about giving rather than needing support themselves.

Asking specifically how they are doing, separate from how the person they care for is doing, can open up a conversation that might not otherwise happen. Offering practical help, even briefly, can also give a carer a rare moment of relief. It is worth remembering that consistency tends to matter more than any single gesture.

Beyond Blue offers information and support for carers on 1300 22 4636, and Lifeline is available at any hour on 13 11 14. This becomes easier with practice, even for people who find it uncomfortable at first. Nobody gets this exactly right every time, and that is completely normal.