Becoming a carer can happen gradually as a person’s health and independence deteriorate over time, such as when caring for someone with Parkinson’s Disease or Multiple Sclerosis. In other cases, it may occur suddenly due to a health crisis, such as a stroke or traumatic brain injury.
It is not uncommon for carers to feel they have no choice in the matter. Even in large families, providing care often falls to one individual rather than being shared among family members. Many carers feel they must take on this role.
Every situation is different.
Some carers may provide 24-hour care to a family member with high care needs, assisting with daily tasks such as feeding, bathing, dressing, toileting, lifting, and administering medications. Others may only supervise and support more complex activities, such as banking, transportation, shopping, and housekeeping.
Most caregivers offer comfort, encouragement, and reassurance to the person they care for. They monitor the individual’s health and well-being, ensure their safety, and help maintain as much independence as possible.
Our program is designed to support unpaid carers of people living with an acquired brain injury, stroke, or a progressive neurological condition. We support carers throughout Victoria, with active communities across metropolitan Melbourne, the Southern Peninsula, the Hume Region (including Shepparton and Benalla), and Gippsland’s Latrobe Valley.
Complete the registration form online or download the registration form below. Our team can also assist you in completing the form over the phone or via email following an initial conversation.
If you are new to BrainLink, you will need to complete your carer registration before submitting an Expression of Interest for one of our events.
1. Submit your EOI: Choose the activities you wish to attend and email us your EOI.
2. Closing date: Each activity has a specified deadline for EOIs.
3. Fair allocation: Activities are not allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Priority is given to carers who are new to BrainLink or who have not attended an activity in the past six months.
4. Outcome notification: After EOIs close, allocations are finalised, and you will receive an outcome email within a few business days.
- If you are allocated a place, you will receive a confirmation email with full event details.
- If you are not allocated, you will be notified via email if you have been placed on the waiting list. and contacted if a place becomes available.
Important: Please note that expressing interest does not automatically guarantee you a place.
We understand that life as a carer can be unpredictable. However, our events have limited places and are pre-paid. If you accept a place and later cannot attend, please let us know as soon as possible so another carer has the opportunity to participate.
At BrainLink, we believe our events work best when everyone feels respected and valued. We ask carers to treat our staff, facilitators, and fellow carers with kindness and fairness — and we commit to doing the same in return. Together, we can create a welcoming space where carers are supported, and everyone feels comfortable to connect and take part.
We are committed to allocating activities fairly to all carers. To do this, we consider the number of hours of support each carer has received during the financial year. This includes all services such as Carer Morning Teas/Lunches, Theatre Shows, Retreats, Workshops, Day Trips, Overnight Respite, and Individual Support.
We appreciate how much these activities mean, and we hope this process reassures carers that opportunities are shared as evenly as possible.