Hmmm, one wonders where all the carers are? I have been trying to generate some action on carershaven but Australian carers seem to be very apathetic - a similar USA site for carers is very active.

Carers need to communicate to prevent the isolation and depression so many suffer from.

I was a carer for many years--I am now--free of that--but yes it is a VERY hard road--I might visit the forum anyway as I might be able to help in some way--and you never know whn you will maybe be a carer again.

Thanks PlanB - any input gratefully received. It is difficult for carers to get information - for example, my parent is able to walk, eat,toilet himself with a minimum of supervision - but should his system break down and he becomes unable to walk etc,I have no idea what to do.Hospitals don't "hold" geriatrics like they used to while waiting for a nursing home placement. I can't persuade him to have an aged care assessment,he won't consider going into care - but I would be physically unable to lift him. If you are on a repat pension you can get temporary care in the repat hospital but he is not repat.

I struggle to care for his minor ailments.I am not trained as a nurse, I have to google all these things like wound care.I can only get a doctor to come once a month, from several suburbs away, to renew scripts and take his blood pressure.Then he is out the door a fast as he can go!

So any shared information would be a godsend.

Yes it is a very hard road and it was the hardest time in my life when I had to get my Mother into a nursing home in the end --and not long b4 she died--but I was in the end very ill myself and had NO choice--however I think that it did give me more understanding and strengh when I had to nurse my Husband--and then a couple of friends

I have reg' in the Carers forum--and I am under the name of Jane

Care Search as suggested by Seniors here, looks great also.

Hi PlanB alias Jane - hope to hear more from you!