Defence and Veteran Carers
You can get support here as well as through Defence and DVA.
In Defence and veteran families, looking after one another can simply feel like part of family life. You may be supporting a current-serving Defence member, veteran or former-serving member, or you may have served yourself and now care for a partner, child, parent, sibling, relative or friend.
Your caring role may involve supporting someone living with physical injury, disability, a chronic health condition, mental illness, or someone who is frail and aged. It can include practical and emotional support, helping with appointments and everyday activities, or simply being the person they rely on.
Around one in eight current or former ADF personnel have a partner, parent, sibling or child providing care because of disability, a long-term health condition or age, a higher rate than the general Australian population (based on 2019 ADF Families Survey).
Some Carers in the Defence community believe that because Defence and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs provide some support, they cannot access anything else. That is not the case. Carer Gateway support is separate, and you can use both.
Carers SA support can be accessed alongside Defence, Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) and other veteran services you or the person you care for may already receive.
Free support, whatever your connection to Defence.
Support is free and includes counselling, one on one support through coaching, peer support with other Carers, planned and Emergency Respite, in-home support and Tailored Support Packages are available at no cost. You do not need a referral, and you do not need to be receiving a Carer Payment or Carer Allowance.
We understand that caring in a Defence family can mean moving often, managing long absences, and supporting someone through injury or illness connected to their service. If you are new to South Australia, we can help you connect with local supports and services. We can do the same for Carers who have been here a long time and are not sure what is available.
Whether you care for a current-serving Defence member, veteran or former-serving member, or you have served yourself and care for someone else, our focus is on you as a Carer and the support you need.
Defence and Veteran Carers, in their own words.
Below are some personal stories from Carers within the ADF community, offering a glimpse into the varied experiences of Carers within the Australian Defence Force (ADF) community.
Ian
A 28-year Army veteran suffering from PTSD, Ian is the primary Carer for his son Angus, who has level 3 Autism.
Kerry
Kerry cares for her husband Tim, a decorated Defence veteran, who has undergone 14 surgeries and retired early from the ADF.
Services for the Defence community
Open Arms, Veterans and Families Counselling provides free counselling to current and former ADF members and their families, including Carers, at any time on 1800 011 046. Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling
The Department of Veterans’ Affairs provides support to veterans and their families, including household services and respite care where eligible. What we help with | Department of Veterans’ Affairs