Friend struggling to survive in a family in ongoing crisis

[BluFriend]

My friend lives with a husband & 13 year old child, each with serious mental health & physical conditions. She too, has her own significant health issues including chronic fatigue which is exacerbated by the family situation. She is constantly blamed by the husband & child for the family crisis, including being harassed for being 'lazy' despite her still being responsible for the others and keeping house. The family is also dependent on her for income. Is there a way she can get respite?

[romantic_thi3f]

Hi BluFriend,

Welcome to the forums! I'm really glad that you reached out and it sounds like you care deeply for your friend; I'm sorry that she's in this situation-

Carer's Australia offer support and respite programs, but they are specific to each state. I'll link to the site below but it might be worth looking into Carer Gateway which offer free assistance and referrals

https://www.carersaustralia.com.au/

Ask Izzy is an online database with different organisations that might be able to help, whether that's for finances, food, or mental health services.

They also list the nearby Centrelink offices, which might be worth looking into if she hasn't already in case she's eligible for payments.

https://askizzy.org.au/

I hope this is helpful and on the right track! You can also try ringing Beyond Blue directly on 1300 22 4636 to see what else they can offer. All of these services are free and anonymous.

rt