The question of “what will happen to the people we care for when we can no longer care for them?” has long been an issue of concern for families and other caregivers of people experiencing mental health and/or substance use challenges – and it’s an issue of concern not only for families and other caregivers in Canada, but also for those in Australia. Mental Illness Caregivers Association (MICA) and Arafmi (the peak body for unpaid carers of people experiencing mental ill-health in Queensland, Australia) have embarked on a collaborative effort in order to map out and develop solutions aimed at addressing this pressing concern.

In many cases, the caregiver is the only source of supports and without a plan in place now our most vulnerable are at risk of increased 911 calls, visits to ER, hospitalizations, substance abuse, isolation and loneliness, food insecurity, homelessness, contact with the law, arrest, and incarceration in the future. The challenges are significant: as the current mental illness caregiver community ages, it is becoming increasingly more urgent to plan for “when they are gone”

A plan that ensures a safe place to live and continued mental and physical well-being for those they care for

A caregiver-focused approach including a process in place supported by an organization with the mandate and resources to assist caregivers in the development of a sustainable plan that provides for continued access to safe and secure housing as well as community, personal, legal, financial and property management supports.

It’s also access to services and programs, shared and collective expertise, crisis management and a network of ‘first response’. It’s partnerships, collaboration and integration, along with raising awareness, understanding and empowerment of caregivers

To get things started we have shared one family’s story