| In Austria between 75 and 80 % of all people in need of care are cared for and tended to by family members. Almost 4/5 of these family members are women, mostly wives or life-partners, daughters or daughters-in-law. Caring for and attending to loved ones and relatives is an enormous challenge – both physically and psychologically. The responsibility (always to be there), the changing relationships between the family members (children caring for parents) or the personality changes (in the case of dementia patients) are often reasons enough for those involved to feel at the end of their nerves. After the obvious backache, such problems are second in list of stress and strains. |
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Since carers have various needs and requirements the Caritas Vienna offers a wide range of help. They help the family members in filling in the complicated application forms and give them practical tips for day-to-day life living with people in need of care. To make it easier for the family members to accept this help, counselling can be carried out at home or somewhere else. For people who prefer to remain anonymous in getting help, a help-line has been set up. There are also group meetings where the people concerned can exchange their experience and feelings. The Auerbach Foundation makes the Carer Counselling accessible for even more people affected.
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