09 May 2019
Butterfly turns the spotlight on the two million carers in Australia who support people living with an eating disorder
Since launching in 2016 the MAYDAYS campaign has played a crucial role in providing advocacy for treatment and health system reform and raising awareness of the serious consequences that people with a lived experience of an eating disorder are experiencing every day.
This year the focus, Carers Need Care Too, is on the desperate needs of many carers and the need to expand Butterfly’s Carers Support Groups to reach more Australians in crisis.
Carers play a crucial role in the care, support, and recovery of people with eating disorders. There are an increasing number of cases where Australians caring for people with an eating disorder are overlooking their basic needs of care and wellbeing.
Butterfly Foundation CEO, Kevin Barrow, said the launch of MAYDAYS - Carers Need Care Too is a crucial step in providing improved and effective support for the carers of people with an eating disorder.
“When an eating disorder enters a home, it impacts every aspect of a carer’s life whether it be financial, social or emotional – it consumes their every waking moment,” Mr Barrow said.
Not surprisingly, Butterfly’s Raising the Alarm: Carers Need Care Too survey report found that more than 40% of carers have never sought support, despite a staggering 83% of respondents highlighting the impact on their mental health.
Other key report findings include:
- 64% of carers acknowledged that they would benefit from psychological support
- 78% lost work or their ability to study to be able to provide the support needed
- Others said it impacted on sleep (76%), relationships (76%) and social life (71%)
- 100% of carers reported that they thought their support in caring for someone with an eating disorder was more important than most of the other things they would like to achieve
- 81% of carers reported they were confident about their learned skills to support a loved one.