CARERS - RECIPIENTS OF CARE
The SDAC provides the unique ability to examine carers by the characteristics of the recipients of their care, including the carer-recipient relationship. This allows comparison of the experiences of carers of people with different disabling conditions and characteristics.
Overall, the 2012 SDAC found that primary carers were more likely to be the partner of their main recipient, compared with any other relationship (43%). One in five (20%) primary carers were aged 65 years or more and caring for a partner. Of those primary carers whose main recipient was a parent, most were aged 45 to 64 years (14%), whereas those who were caring for their child were most likely to be aged 25 to 44 years (13%). In addition, female primary carers were four times more likely than their male counterparts to be the parent of their main recipient of care (32.5% and 7.0%, respectively). (Table 39)
Of those primary carers whose main recipient of care did not live with them, most were caring for a parent (67% or around 86,900 primary carers). (Table 39)