A lifetime of caring

Carers Week 2012 runs from 14th-20th October. Read the inspiring Indigenous carers stories on Indigenous.gov.au this week and help recognise and celebrate the contribution made by unpaid carers to the people they care for and their communities.

Margaret Marlingar’s life is centred on caring for family members.

She is one of many aged Aboriginal carers, who are the backbone of many families living with disabilities.

The Australian Government recognises the important contribution carers like Margaret make and supports their efforts through organisations like Carers Australia, which has carers associations in each state and territory.

Living in Darwin, Margaret cares for her 77-year-old husband Frank, who has dementia, and her 22-year-old wheelchair-bound grandson Fairan.

Fairan has intellectual and learning problems and severe physical restrictions following an adverse reaction to medication prescribed to him as a baby.

“I’ve always looked after Fairan, since he was a baby,” Margaret said.

“At night, he calls out ‘Nanna, can you turn me the other way?’ I lift him up and roll him over, even when I’m very sleepy.”

 Margaret gets vital support from organisations like Carers NT and said she is lucky because her family also helps.

“Sometimes my daughter looks after Fairan or my grandson Jeremy comes over to care for his brother and help me clean the house.”