Who Cares for the Carers? Building Mental Wealth Through Compassion Fatigue Awareness
This week is National Carers Week, and it’s a time to pause and honour the millions of Australians who provide unpaid care for a loved one, whether it’s an ageing parent, a partner with chronic illness, a child with disability, or a friend navigating mental health challenges.
Behind every person receiving care stands someone quietly holding the weight. And too often, that weight goes unseen.
The invisible load
Carers are the heartbeat of compassion in our communities. But they’re also among the most at risk of exhaustion and burnout. The Australian Bureau of Statistics estimates that around 2.65 million Australians provide unpaid care and of those, nearly half experience high levels of psychological distress.
The constant giving, the interrupted sleep, the endless appointments and advocacy, all of it takes a toll. Carers are extraordinary, but they’re not invincible. And that’s where our national conversation needs to shift: from praising resilience to prioritising rest.
Compassion fatigue: when care costs too much
Compassion fatigue is the emotional and physical exhaustion that comes from caring deeply for others over long periods. It’s not weakness, it’s a natural response to chronic empathy. The symptoms often sneak up quietly: irritability, numbness, difficulty concentrating, or guilt for needing time off.
In my work as a therapist, I see this often. Carers come to me not because they’ve stopped caring, but because they’ve stopped feeling. They’re so depleted that their capacity to connect has eroded and that breaks their heart more than anyone else’s.
We need to start normalising the idea that self-care isn’t selfish; it’s survival.
Building mental wealth for those who give so much
Carers contribute billions of dollars in unpaid labour to the Australian economy every year. But their wellbeing is an economic and ethical investment, too. When carers thrive, families and communities thrive.
Here are three ways to help carers build what I call Mental Wealth, emotional reserves that sustain wellbeing and connection:
Micro-moments of recovery. Encourage carers to take short, meaningful breaks rather than waiting for a mythical “day off.” A 10-minute walk, a quiet coffee, or simply stepping outside can reset the nervous system.
Connection without comparison. Many carers feel isolated because “no one else gets it.” Peer groups, online communities, or local support circles remind them they’re not alone and that shared understanding is healing.
Professional check-ins. Access to counselling, supervision, or respite care should be normalised, not stigmatised. Carers need permission and pathways to get help early.
Building mental wealth means creating structures that protect energy before it runs out, like emotional superannuation for life’s harder seasons.
From silent service to shared responsibility
As a country, we often celebrate carers for their strength. But strength shouldn’t mean doing it all alone. Real support means funding respite services, improving workplace flexibility, and acknowledging carers as essential partners in health, not afterthoughts.
If you know a carer, reach out this week. Ask them how they’re coping and then listen. Offer a meal, run an errand, or simply sit beside them. Sometimes the most powerful gift is permission to rest.
A final thought
Caring is one of the most beautiful expressions of love, but love needs replenishment. During National Carers Week, let’s not just say thank you. Let’s back that gratitude with action, by checking in, showing up, and making sure those who give so much are not left empty-handed.
Because when we care for the carers, we build a stronger, kinder, and more mentally wealthy community for everyone.
