State of Caring Report

State of Caring Report

Thank you to everyone who completed both our State of Caring survey and our recent respite survey. 1,648 carers completed our surveys. Your united voice has never been more important. By making time to complete these surveys, we have built a nationwide picture about how family / whānau and aiga carers are faring. And it’s a concerning picture. We know that many of you have not had breaks from your caring role for at least six months. You are getting through the pandemic, but without enough respite or help. The report also shows that 59% of carers are struggling to pay their bills, that 70% experience depression or anxiety, that only 21% can work full-time, and that only 7% have been able to look ahead to save for retirement.

The report is from independent analytics company Synergia, and is based on 1,648 survey responses from carers of all ages and ethnicities. Carers spent an hour on average completing the 70 question survey about their wellbeing, finances, and views about available support for their role.

After viewing the survey responses, Carers NZ and Carers Alliance wrote to Ministers Carmel Sepuloni and Andrew Little to suggest steps they and the Ministry of Health and District Health Boards could take to sustain carers through the pandemic.

Download the State of Caring Report as a PDF or Word doc.

Read the full media release here.