Continence Health Australia (formally the Continence Foundation of Australia) is proud to announce nominations are now open for the Carer of the Year award, which is to be presented at the 33rd National Conference on Incontinence in Hobart.
About the award
The Carer of the Year Award acknowledges the important – but often overlooked – role of the 3 million at-home carers across Australia. Many of these carers are responsible for the complex role of providing bladder and bowel care.
"Unpaid carers are the silent backbone of our society, offering unwavering support to loved ones with immense dedication. Continence Health Australia's Carer of the Year Award highlights their extraordinary contributions and serves as a reminder of the compassion and resilience that define these everyday heroes."
- Jim Cooper, CEO of Continence Health Australia
If you are a carer, or if you know a carer that deserves to be recognised, please submit your nominations for the Carer of the Year award before Friday 7 March 2025.
How to enter
This award is open to unpaid carers from all around Australia and nominations are invited from family, friends, health professionals or the person being cared for.
The winner of the Carer of the Year award will receive a prize of $1,000, which will be announced at the 33rd National Conference on Incontinence at the Hotel Grand Chancellor, Hobart, 7-10 May 2025.
To nominate a carer for the award, please submit a nomination form by Friday 7 March 2025.
The following questions are included in the application form:
- How long has the person been a carer?
- What challenges has the carer faced in being a carer?
- What does the carer do to help maintain the dignity and quality of life of the person being cared for?
Frequently Asked Questions
All unpaid carers are eligible to apply for the award. Previous Carer of the Year winners are ineligible to apply.
For the nomination to be considered, the nominator must confirm that:
- The carer provides continence care
- The carer has been notified before making the nomination
- The carer is happy for their story to be published on continence.org.au and in Bridge Magazine
Anyone can nominate a carer. This includes the carer themselves, a family member, friend, a health professional or the person who receives care. Nominators must notify the carer before making a nomination.
The winner will receive a cash prize of $1,000.
Please click here to complete the nomination form. The form must be submitted before 7 March 2025 to go into the running.
The winner will be announced at the 33rd National Conference on Incontinence 7-10 May 2025. They will be notified by email on the 17 March 2025 and their details will be published on continence.org.au and in Bridge Magazine.
Carer of the Year Award Winner 2024
The winner of the Carer of the Year 2024 is Maria Erceg, from Western Australia.
Maria Erceg has cared for someone almost her whole life. Starting with her mother who had mental illness, her father who suffered from dementia and now her loving husband who is in the late stages of Parkinson’s disease. This caring role has involved a full-time workload of hospital visits, doctors’ appointments, and chemist pick-ups, along with ongoing emotional and physical support.
Maria has taken on these roles in earnest, drawing on support from her family throughout her carer’s journey.
As quoted by Maria’s daughter, who nominated her for the award, “Despite her challenges, Maria continues to provide kindness, compassion and love to everyone around her. People often say that she is one of the friendliest and kindest people that they have ever met, and it is second nature for her to make sure everyone around her is okay.”
Congratulations Maria, the winner of the Carer of the Year Award 2024.