Study highlights carers’ voices and experiences

Silverchain and Carers Victoria are inviting people who care for older Australians living with mental health conditions to share their experiences through a new research project, ‘Carer Voices.’

Led by Silverchain Research Fellow, Dr Asmita Manchha, the project aims to uncover the realities of caring for older people living with complex mental health conditions, raise public awareness, and advocate for greater support.

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

“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.”

“By sharing these lived experiences, we want to challenge stereotypes and encourage consideration of carers’ needs in government-funded aged care programs.”

The 'Carer Voices’ project will involve in-depth interviews with family and informal carers across Australia, followed by co-design workshops with carers and older people. The stories and insights gathered will be captured in a digital storytelling gallery, launching later this year, featuring videos, audio, written stories, and photos.

“We want to shine a light on how stigma influences everyday life,” Dr Manchha said. “It’s an important part of Silverchain’s ongoing work to better understand and address the pressures on carers.”

“Many carers tell us they undertake the caring journey in a challenging system with often little support or recognition,” said Carers Victoria Senior Manager, Policy and Insights, Lorraine Langley.

“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.”

The Carer Voices project is a partnership with Carers Victoria and is proudly funded through Melbourne Ageing Research Collaboration’s 2026 Seed Funding Program. 

Learn more and register your interest in Silverchain’s Carer Voices project through our online registration form.