Patty Kikos interviews Justin Bott from Services Australia, who explains the difference between a Carer Payment and a Carer Allowance. We discuss the Age Pension, the Disability Payment, as well as other financial supplements that carers might be eligible for. Justin also offers tips on how to apply for payments either online, in person or over the phone. GUEST: Justin Bott - https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/ SOCIAL MEDIA: Follow Patty on Instagram Follow The Benevolent Society on Instagram Follow Carer Gateway on Facebook Follow The Benevolent Society on Facebook CREDITS: Host – Patty Kikos Producers – Patty Kikos and John Hresc Sound Engineer – John Hresc GET IN TOUCH: Carer Gateway is proud to offer emotional and practical services and support for carers with the aim of making your life easier. You can call us on 1800 422 737 to find out more about peer support groups, counselling, coaching, online skills courses, tailored support packages, emergency respite, other government supports, as well as tips and information, or visit our online home at www.carergateway.gov.au Got some questions or thoughts for Patty or the team? Email us at [email protected] and put ‘Attention Patty’ in the subject line. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: The Benevolent Society acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Patty Kikos has the pleasure of interviewing Way Ahead CEO, Sharon Grocott, whose daughter Amber, was born with a physical and mild intellectual disability. She was not able to kick or catch a ball or experience feeling on the balls of her feet, but Amber could ride a horse and compete in dressage comps. Despite learning to thrive, Sharon’s family’s lives were turned upside down when Amber was hospitalised at age 22 with psychosis, before being officially diagnosed with schizophrenia. GUEST: Sharon Grocott - https://wayahead.org.au/ SOCIAL MEDIA: Follow Patty on Instagram Follow The Benevolent Society on Instagram Follow Carer Gateway on Facebook Follow The Benevolent Society on Facebook CREDITS: Host – Patty Kikos Producers – Patty Kikos and John Hresc Sound Engineer – John Hresc GET IN TOUCH: Carer Gateway is proud to offer emotional and practical services and support for carers with the aim of making your life easier. You can call us on 1800 422 737 to find out more about peer support groups, counselling, coaching, online skills courses, tailored support packages, emergency respite, other government supports, as well as tips and information, or visit our online home at www.carergateway.gov.au Got some questions or thoughts for Patty or the team? Email us at [email protected] and put ‘Attention Patty’ in the subject line. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: The Benevolent Society acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Patty Kikos interviews Mitch Gibson, who shares her journey of loving, caring and ultimately losing the love of her life to pancreatic cancer. Not only did Mitch sell her yoga school to care for Mark, but 2 years later, Mitch has found a new calling in life, that not only helps her to heal her wounds, but also holds a space for others who are navigating their own grief by becoming a grief counsellor for the Violet Initiative. GUEST: Mitch Gibson - https://www.instagram.com/mitch.gibson.therapies/ Violet Initiative - https://www.violet.org.au/ SOCIAL MEDIA: Follow Patty on Instagram Follow The Benevolent Society on Instagram Follow Carer Gateway on Facebook Follow The Benevolent Society on Facebook CREDITS: Host – Patty Kikos Producers – Patty Kikos and John Hresc Sound Engineer – John Hresc GET IN TOUCH: Carer Gateway is proud to offer emotional and practical services and support for carers with the aim of making your life easier. You can call us on 1800 422 737 to find out more about peer support groups, counselling, coaching, online skills courses, tailored support packages, emergency respite, other government supports, as well as tips and information, or visit our online home at www.carergateway.gov.au Got some questions or thoughts for Patty or the team? Email us at [email protected] and put ‘Attention Patty’ in the subject line. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: The Benevolent Society acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Patty Kikos interviews Sophie Hennessy from Dementia Australia who helps us understand the various types of dementia that people can experience from when they’re as young as in their 30’s. We discuss the wonderful resources you can access from Dementia Australia, including counselling, referrals to service providers and education for carers and staff through easy to access Artificial Intelligence.

This month, Patty Kikos interviews Paul Koury, the founder of the digital (and physical) magazine called The Australian Carers Guide. Paul shares the inspiration behind him creating such an incredible resource for carers when he and his sister needed information while caring for their mum many years ago. He is passionate about carers having as many resources as possible and has generously given our listeners a free link to access his digital magazine. Paul also shares about his own caring needs and how he hasn’t given up on finding love again!

In honour of NAIDOC week, Patty Kikos interviews Sierra, a proud First Nations Wiradjuri woman who lives in the Central West of NSW with her mother. In part 2 of this interview series, Sierra shares the tumultuous journey she faced when she was unable to complete high school and had to work to support her mother and younger brother when her older sister moved out. Her story of triumph had some more bumps along the way, with a surprise diagnosis of her own more recently.

In honour of NAIDOC week, Patty Kikos interviews Sierra, a proud First Nations Wiradjuri woman who lives in the Central West of NSW with her mother, attends university at Charles Sturt University and is studying to become a registered nurse. She became a young carer at 9 when her mother was diagnosed with early dementia, and Sierra had to help look after her mum and her younger brother. Part 1

Patty Kikos interviews sisters Marissa and Lauren who are the co-founders of Careseekers, an online marketplace, connecting people looking for in-home carers, with people looking for work as care or support workers. They combine their skills in law and marketing, along with their passion for this sector, after seeing the gaps in the market when their grandparents needed care. This is a great listen for all care workers, as well as carers who use care workers, or want to become support workers themselves.

This month, Patty Kikos interviews Debbie Atherton, who has worked as an occupational therapist, and in Aged Care assessments. In our chat today, Debbie opens up about one of her 3 beautiful daughters who has a condition called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. Her story highlights Debbie’s resilience, attention to detail and impressive organisational skills when balancing work and her caring role.

This is part 2 of Dr Fiona Aldridge’s interview, where Patty Kikos asks her about a variety of different assessment tools that can be used to help diagnose autism such as the ‘ADR’, which is the ‘Autism Diagnostic Interview Revised’, which is quite a lengthy interview process. Fiona also outlines 2 other tools such as the ‘ADOS’, which is the ‘Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule’, and ‘CARS’ or the ‘Childhood Autism Rating Scale’.