New project spotlights carers of older Australians with mental illness

A new national research project is calling on Australians who care for older people living with mental health conditions to share their stories, in an effort to challenge stigma and advocate for stronger support.

Silverchain and Carers Victoria launched Carer Voices earlier this month, a digital-storytelling initiative designed to give carers a platform to speak openly about the realities of supporting older adults living with mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety.

The project is led by Silverchain Research Fellow Dr Asmita Manchha, who said carers’ experiences too often go unnoticed.

“Carers play a critical role in supporting older people living at home, yet their experiences, particularly when mental health is involved, are often overlooked,” Dr Manchha said.

“The project responds to a growing and urgent gap in understanding the carer experience. More older adults are living with mental health conditions and carers are often left to navigate complex systems with little recognition or support.”

Silverchain researchers found more than 60 per cent of older Australians receiving in‑home aged care report symptoms of depression or anxiety, a figure Dr Manchha described as “huge”, yet widely underestimated.

Carers supporting this group often face emotional strain, burnout, financial pressure, and social isolation.

“[Carers] are in a complex situation where they face multiple stigmas,” she said.

“It relates more to how society views older people, especially those with mental health conditions.

“Some carers can internalise these negative views, and this can have an impact on how they see themselves.”

There are also financial challenges associated with caring for a loved one at home. In 2022 there were almost three million Australians caring for a friend or family member living with disability, illness, chronic conditions, or age-related frailty, providing services equating to billions in value ($77.9 billion in 2020).

The Carer Voices project will involve in‑depth interviews with carers across Australia, followed by co‑design workshops where carers and older people will help shape the solutions they need.

Their stories will be showcased later this year in a public digital gallery featuring videos, audio, written narratives and photos – a deliberate creative approach which Dr Manchha said is designed to make traditional research methods more accessible.

“Carer Voices is a great opportunity for carers to share their voices and their authentic stories. It's coming straight from them, and the carers have a choice of what type of stories they would like the public to know,” she said.

“The gallery is a starting point. It’s just the beginning of a bigger conversation around challenging these stigmas and strengthening carer support.”

Dr Manchha hopes the project will influence policy and spark broader reform, creating opportunities for respite, as well as support services focusing on carer mental health and wellbeing.

“The aged care system is highly complex. There are many different processes that carers, as well as older people and the community, have to navigate. And because carers in particular may have limited time and may be juggling quite a lot, it is extra tricky to navigate what is the best way to receive care and support,” she said.

Carers Victoria senior manager of policy and insights Lorraine Langley agreed that unpaid carers are often left to manage these challenges alone.

“Many carers tell us they undertake the caring journey in a challenging system with little support or recognition,” she said.

“We encourage unpaid carers to join this project and amplify the issues they face in caring for older Victorians and the practical changes they would like to see to improve supports.”

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The Carer Voices project is funded through the Melbourne Ageing Research Collaboration’s 2026 Seed Funding Program. Register your interest here.