1. How comfortable are you with the term carer?
I think of the term more in relation to medical communication and am very comfortable with it and generally only use it in that context, it denotes that you are the person who provides dedicated care to the person in treatment.
It is also the official term used in Govt services, carer gateway /centrelink.
2. Do you think calling the forum here 'Carer Forum' comes with challenges?
Not at all, we are here because we care.
3. What other term do you identify or connect with? Why
This depends on the situation. I would only use the term 'responsible person' or 'enduring guardian' should the need arise if involuntary treatment papers are given. In day to day life I think of my husband as my partner/lover as I am his.
The terms family, carers (caregivers) and to a lesser extent support people is used in scholarly articles and it is an accepted term across jurisdictions. To my mind, support people tends to denote those who are paid to provide care such as a social worker in a group home.
4. What do you think about the term ‘Family & Friends’ or “Family, Friends & Carer’ (including the name Family & Friends Forum)?
Not sure, it seems to me though that few friends seem to post, the majority of carer forumites being parents, partners or siblings. Depending on the level of care required, often one person in the family is the designated care giver. Using both families and carers denotes a separation which may not reflect that most carers are family members, although not all family members provide dedicated care.