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Care2Prepare

Care2Prepare is a project delivered by Carers NSW in partnership with the Physical Disability Council of NSW (PDCN) and GoCo, aimed at improving household and community resilience and preparedness and reducing the impact of flood and bushfire.

It will focus on increasing the integration and inclusivity of natural disaster responses for people with disability, older people and family and friend carers in the Central Coast, Shoalhaven and Gunnedah.

Care2Prepare received grant funding through the Australian Government Preparing Australian Communities - Local Stream grant and will be delivered from June 2022 to March 2025.

Why this project is needed

People with disability, older people and carers share many common challenges in preparing for and responding to emergencies. For example, they may:

  • Require access to essential medication, equipment, treatment and support that can be cut off during natural disasters
  • Experience mobility, cognitive or behavioural challenges that affect timely evacuation or safe access to evacuation and recovery centres
  • Experience greater challenges with recovery and re-integration due to socio-economic disadvantage and reliance on formal services
  • Require tailored support to plan for, and navigate, evacuation and recovery
  • Be overlooked in natural disaster planning and emergency responses

Disaster planning resources

Following the 2019-20 bushfires, Carers NSW consulted with carers and stakeholders to better understand how disasters impact carers and what tools and supports were needed. The resulting suite of disaster planning resources is available to download here.

Carers NSW also recommends the following resources designed specifically to support people with disability and older people:

  • The Person-Centred Emergency Preparedness Toolkit developed by Collaborating4Inclusion - find out more here
  • The "I'm Ok" toolkit developed by PDCN - find out more here
  • The ACT! Emergency readiness discussion tool developed by NSW Meals on Wheels - find out more here

Consultation opportunity

As part of our co-designed, evidence-based approach, the Care2Prepare team is consulting with people with disability, older people and their carers from across NSW to gain insights into their experiences of recent natural disasters.

If you or the person you care for has been impacted by a natural disaster, we would like to hear from you. If you are willing to share your experiences, please register for an interview by visiting www.surveymonkey.com/r/naturaldisasterinterview or contact the Care2Prepare team.

Steering Group participation

The Care2Prepare Steering Group provides expert advisory and planning support the design and delivery of the program. We are currently seeking Expressions of Interest for three lived experience positions to ensure that the experiences of older people, people with disability and carers are incorporated throughout the project. To express your interest, please contact the Care2Prepare team.

Find out more

For more information, please email care2prepare@carersnsw.org.au or phone Carers NSW on 02 9280 4744.