At 74 years of age, Shirley Scoble suffers from Alzheimer’s disease, while husband Owen, 76, contends with multiple conditions, including diabetes, heart disease and depression.

For the past 18 months they have depended on their 54-year-old daughter who has embraced the opportunity to be by their side.

“It’s been the best time of my life,” Ms Scoble said inside the trio’s neat and clean residence.

But as the older members of the household soaked up the sun outdoors, she was keen to emphasise the role Carers NSW had played in making the arrangement work.

Ms Scoble will attend its ‘Don’t Be Careless - Connect with Carers’ luncheon on June 21 at West Dubbo Bowling Club and hopes others will follow her lead.

It will be the final in a statewide series of six luncheons aimed at helping carers connect with each other, service providers and government agencies.

Carers NSW chief executive officer Elena Katrakis is also urging carers in Dubbo and the western region to take advantage of the event.

“It is important for carers to be able to share their experiences with service providers, whilst also gaining an understanding of what services are available to them and how they operate,” she said.

Ms Scoble, who worked in the aged care industry for 15 years, yesterday admitted that becoming a carer had been a learning curve after being “on the other side of the desk” distributing advice about where to go and what to do.

“It’s been hard for me to accept help,” she said.

“But it’s really important to do that.

“It’s not just for you, but for the people you are caring for.”

The devoted daughter to two special people hopes the bowling club will be “packed out because there’s a lot of carers out there that the services know about, but there’s also the hidden carers”.

“They’re the carers who just stay at home day in day out ... and do it tough.”

The free luncheon in Dubbo will run from 11am to 1.30pm.

For further information or to RSVP to the event, visit www.carersnsw.asn.au or contact Dana Nielsen at danan@carersnsw.asn.au