MEMBERS

IACO MEMBERS

Forming Alliances – Building a Legacy

IACO is building a strong and vital network of carer organizations to establish a global understanding and recognition of the essential role of carers with respect to care recipients, health and social care systems and society.

IACO members work together and independently to raise awareness of family carers, identify and disseminate best practices and enhance carer well-being. Members of IACO work collectively to:

Promote the sharing of best practices in caregiving programs between countries.
Encourage and provide assistance to countries interested in developing family carer organizations.
Facilitate international advocacy to advance programs, policies, and legislation that support caregiver well-being.
Increase awareness of the role and value of the Alliance.
Increase visibility of family caregiving across the lifespan as an international issue.

AUSTRALIA

Carers Australia (established in 1993) is the national peak body representing Australia’s carers, advocating on behalf of Australia’s carers to influence policies and services at a national level. It works collaboratively with partners and its member organisations, the network of state and territory Carers Associations, to deliver a range of essential national carer services.

CANADA

Carers Canada (established in 2000) is a virtual alliance of diverse partner organizations that work collectively, and autonomously, to identify and respond to the needs of caregivers in Canada. Carers Canada provides leadership in advocacy, engagement and collaboration and building awareness of the role and value of family caregivers.

DENMARK

Carers Denmark (est. 2014) advocates for carers to influence policy and practice in the health and social services. We work alone and with other national organisations to raise awareness of carers’ issues and strive for the best possible quality of life for carers during and after their caring commitment.

Estimated number of carers: cca. 750,000

Denmark has the world’s highest workplace participation of women, so all essentially carers under retirement age would be in employment (or seeking employment, studying etc.).

FINLAND

Carers Finland (Omaishoitajaliitto ry) is a support and advocacy association for carers and persons receiving care. The association specializes in improving the carers’ social status and offers different kinds of support for people living in care situations. With seventy local associations, which have more than 12 500 individual members, the association makes legislative initiatives, gives statements, participates in planning and decision-making related to informal care at the national level, and monitors the realization and quality of support activities for carers. In addition, Carers Finland gives counselling and organizes couching with its member associations. There are also special projects in the association such as the Young Carers project and the project dealing with preventing alcohol abuse either of a family carer or a cared one.

FRANCE

The French Association of Caregivers (formed in 2003) advocates on behalf of the more than 8 million carers in France. Our mission is to advocate for the recognition of the role of carers, working with public authorities and representative bodies to address carer-related issues, directly support carers and promote carer spaces, train family and paid carers, and promote the best practices in caregiving.

HONG KONG

Carers Hong Kong is a non-profit and non-governmental organization, established on 20th March 2018. Advised by carers and patients groups, cross sectoral professional bodies and NGOs, we promote better policies and quality services for recognition of carers’ selfless contribution.

The meaning behind the Chinese name of CARERS HONG KONG: 嵐光

嵐Mountain fog: Making the path difficult and unpredictable

光Light in the dark: Like the unconditional love and perseverance from the CARERS. Thus, our vision is to restore carers’ dignity and hope.

INDIA / NEPAL

Carers Worldwide, a registered charity, was set up in 2012 to address the issues facing carers in developing countries. Based in the UK, Carers Worldwide works internationally, in partnership with well-established organisations and local governments, to bring about improved quality of life for carers and those for whom they care. Currently, Carers Worldwide works with nine partner organisations across India, Nepal and Bangladesh, transforming the lives of over 38,000 carers and family members to date, and is entering into alliances with other international NGOs in South Asia to increase its reach and continue promoting sustainable support services and long lasting policy change.

IRELAND

Care Alliance Ireland (established in 1995) is the National Network of Voluntary Organizations supporting family carers. Its vision is that the role of family carers is fully recognised and valued by society in Ireland. The organization exists to enhance the quality of life for family carers. It aims to achieve this by supporting its 95 member organisations in their direct work with family carers through the provision of information, developing research and policy, sharing resources and instigating opportunities for collaboration.

ISRAEL

Caregivers Israel is a non-profit organization (established in 2014) that is committed to raising public awareness to the caregiving issue; to recognizing and supporting Israel’s family caregivers, as being fundamental to strong families that create stable communities. Family caregivers in Israel are valued, capable, and resourceful and Caregivers Israel supports them through education, effective advocacy, quality programs and community awareness activities.

JAPAN

Carers Japan was established in 2010 by carers and carer advocates with the purpose of raising public awareness of family carer issues, recognizing the needs and burdens of carers, offering services and support to ease the stress and burden of carers, and advocate policy changes and schemes to support carers. Our mission is to support family carers and envision a society which care-recipients and their carers can live their own lives without struggling. Carers Japan does advocacy, research and studies, policy recommendations, enlightenment, and provision of information and advice to carers.

NEW ZEALAND

Carers New Zealand (established in the early 1990’s) is the national peak body supporting family, whanau, and aiga carers. A national registered charity, Cares NZ provides information, advice, learning and support for families with health and disability needs

SWEDEN

Carers Sweden (Anhörigas Riksförbund) (established in 1996) is a non-profit national carer organisation consisting of over sixty local associations together with other supporting organisations and individual members that supports all carers irrespective of the age, gender and diagnosis of the person they are caring for. It provides information and advice and lobbies to influence and inspire the development of support for carers. A key event is the annual national carer conference which attracts over 800 people from all major stakeholder groups. Carers Sweden is a key partner within the Swedish Family Care Competence Centre (Nationellt kompetenscentrum anhöriga), a national centre of excellence in the field of informal care.

TAIWAN

The Taiwan Association of Family Caregivers (established in 1996) is the first public welfare association to establish the rights of family caregivers in Taiwan. With regard to the long time ignorance and indifference to family caregivers, a group of scholars, experts and professionals caring about family caregivers came together to form TAFC. The association consists of individuals and communities that care for family caregivers including: scholars, nursing specialists, medical doctors, occupational therapeutics, social workers, family caregivers and others that come from every corner of Taiwan. Together the association focuses on increasing public awareness of issues related to caregiving, advocacy for caregiver’s rights in government affairs, research and development plans to aid family caregivers, and promote the communication and cooperation among the relevant communities.

UNITED KINGDOM

Carers UK (established in the early 1960’s) supports carers and provides information and advice about caring, influence policy through research based on carers’ real life experiences and campaign to make life better for carers.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

National Alliance for Caregiving (established in 1996 in the USA) is a non-profit coalition of national organizations focusing on advancing family caregiving through research, innovation and advocacy. The Alliance conducts research, does policy analysis, develops national best-practice programs, and works to increase public awareness of family caregiving issues.