Support for families, carers and significant others of people with psychoses including schizophrenia

Families, carers and significant others play a central role in the treatment of people with psychoses including schizophrenia by providing social and emotional support, financial assistance and a stable, secure living environment.

It is essential for the patient and their family members, carers or significant others to engage in a psychoeducation program to promote a working understanding of the disorder; this can reduce the patient’s risk of relapse.

Family therapy assists with the pressures of caring for a person with a psychotic disorder, which can cause considerable dysfunction, hostility and conflict within families. It can help family members understand and cope with their relative’s disorder, decrease hostility and conflict, and develop better ways of dealing with the effects of the disorder. Family therapy usually includes psychoeducation, a behavioural approach to changing problematic behaviours, problem solving and relapse prevention planning, and is provided either to a single family or in multifamily groups.

Families, carers and significant others need assistance and support from mental health services, carer support groups and health care professionals. Carer assistance programs can provide support, education and respite care. Useful resources include:

• the Australian Government website—provides information about benefits and payments for carers
• Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres—provides information on local carer support, disability and community services. Telephone 1800 052 222 (business hours) or 1800 059 059 (emergency after-hours respite support)
• Carers Australia—a national peak body representing Australia’s unpaid carers. Telephone 1800 242 636
• Carer Gateway—provides a carer support and advisory service in different languages. Telephone 1800 422 737
• Head to health
• SANE Australia.