"Grandparents & Extended Family as Carers"

When we picture a carer, we often think of a parent or partner. But caring frequently runs much wider than that. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and close family friends often play a huge role in supporting someone they love, sometimes as the main carer, sometimes as a vital extra pair of hands.

If you're part of an extended family stepping up to care, this one's for you. Your contribution matters, and so does your wellbeing.

The quiet strength of extended family

Extended family carers bring something special: deep love, history, and often a steadier, calmer presence. Grandparents in particular can offer patience and perspective that comes from a lifetime of experience.

This support can look like:

• Grandparents caring for a grandchild with disability so parents can work
• Aunts and uncles providing regular respite or weekend help
• Cousins and family friends pitching in with outings or appointments
• Older relatives sharing wisdom and emotional support

It all adds up. Every helping hand lightens the load and strengthens the whole family.

Unique challenges worth naming

Caring as extended family can come with its own pressures, ones that don't always get acknowledged.

Grandparent carers, for example, may face:

• Energy and health limits that come with age
• Doing intensive caring later in life than expected
• Navigating a loved one's NDIS plan for the first time
• Balancing their own needs with those of the family

Other relatives might juggle caring alongside their own jobs, kids, and busy lives. Naming these challenges isn't complaining, it's the first step to making sure you get support too.

You count as a carer

Many extended family members don't think of themselves as "carers." They're just helping out family, after all. But if you're regularly supporting someone, you absolutely count, and that means support is available to you as well.

You don't have to do it alone or run yourself ragged. Recognising your role opens the door to:

• Respite and backup care so you can rest
• Practical help with care tasks
• Information and guidance on navigating the NDIS
• Connection with others in similar situations

A grandmother in Five Dock told us she didn't realise support was for her too, until she stopped trying to do everything herself and felt the relief of sharing the load.

Share the load across the family

One of the great strengths of extended family is that there are more people to share the work, if everyone's clear about who does what.

A few things that help:

• Talk openly about who can do what, and how often
• Play to each person's strengths and availability
• Rotate tasks so no single person burns out
• Keep communication flowing with regular check-ins

When the load is shared thoughtfully, caring becomes sustainable, and the whole family feels more like a team. Our wider guides on support for families and carers have more ideas for sharing the load.

Look after your own health

This is especially important for grandparent and older carers. You can't care well if you're running on empty.

Be gentle with yourself by:

• Keeping up your own medical appointments
• Building in real rest and breaks
• Asking for help with the physical or tiring tasks
• Staying connected to friends and your own community

A short walk around Epping, a regular catch-up with a friend, or a quiet afternoon to yourself isn't indulgent, it's what keeps you well enough to keep helping.

Bring in extra support when you need it

Even the most devoted family can't do everything, and shouldn't have to. Support workers can step in to share the care, take on the more demanding tasks, and give extended family carers the rest they deserve.

The best support feels like gaining a trusted teammate, someone who learns your loved one's routines, respects how your family does things, and lightens the parts that have become too heavy. You stay at the heart of it all.

Your love makes a difference

Caring as a grandparent or extended family member is a gift to the whole family, but it shouldn't come at the cost of your own wellbeing. With the right support around you, you can keep offering your love and presence without wearing yourself out.

If you're an extended family carer anywhere across the Inner West, from Five Dock to Epping, we'd love to help you find that support. Take a look at our services to see how we can lighten the load, or enquire about NDIS support for a warm, no-pressure chat. Your care matters, and so do you.