Objective: To examine differences between women family carers of people with chronic illnesses or disabilities and a group of women ‘non‐carers’ in self‐reported physical health, psychological well‐being, life satisfaction, social support and feelings of overload.

Objective. To identify unmet need for services among family carers and their frail or disabled relatives and to facilitate links to services. Design. Intervention study with a subgroup of carer dyads from a random statewide survey of family carers, followed by telephone 2 months post intervention. Setting. Carer dyads in general community; urban and rural Victoria. Participants. All 186 identified carers were approached. One‐third of the dyads were ineligible; of the remainder, 67 (53%) participated, matching refusals on sociodemographic characteristics. Carers were typically married, middle‐aged women looking after parents or spouses. Almost half of the care recipients were aged ≥80; most had multiple disorders and impairments. Follow‐up rate was 94%. Intervention. One off, multidisciplinary home‐based assessment of dyad by research team and regional aged care assessment service (ACAT). Main outcome measures. ‘Unmet need’: % dyads recommended new services; number services per dyad via ACAT; increases in service range; extension of pre‐existing services. Service linkage: % dyads linked to new services; perceived usefulness of linkages. Main results. Dyads recommended a new service (93%); increased range (73%); extensions (41%). Average two services requiring ACAT implementation; commonly respite care, aids and paramedical services. Recommendations related to impairment severity and carer stress. ACAT implemented recommendations (90% relevant dyads); links rated useful (75% relevant dyads). Three‐quarters of the carers rated intervention as helpful. Conclusion. A preventative programme of needs assessment for carer dyads has considerable potential; (a) identifying needs and engaging new services; (b) providing emotional support. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

As part of a wider study of family caregiving, a sample of 297 women caring for an ageing parent were identified through a random statewide telephone survey involving over 26,000 households in Victoria, Australia. In addition to elder care, half these women were in paid employment and a third had dependent children. Overload was highest for carers with multiple roles, particularly those of parent or worker. Resentment in the caring role was highest for those who had fewer roles apart from elder care, particularly those who had quit work, and those without a partner. Life satisfaction was higher for partnered and working carers. These findings highlight the need for structures to support carers to maintain multiple roles, including greater flexibility in the workplace and encouragement of greater reliance on informal networks and formal services, both of which require increased societal acknowledgment of the elder care role.