While the Otago District Health Board may be concerned it is spending an estimated $900,000 more than it should be on respite care and carer support annually, many people do not get help because they are unaware they qualify, Susan Easterbrook says.
Ms Easterbrook, community worker for the Carers Society Otago, said some people struggled on for years before asking for help.
When they came to the society, which provides support for about 450 carers, they did so as a last resort and were "usually in a bit of strife".
The society had produced a booklet to help people understand what they might be entitled to.
She praised the work of the board's needs assessors who were " really on the ball" recognising that over-65-year-olds needed help once people were referred to them, but many elderly did not know what was available and their needs were never assessed.
The board's planning and funding department, in its recent report on the delivery of community services to the elderly, states that while the use of carer support in both boards has been declining significantly over the past couple of years, it is still above national averages.
To bring it into line with the national rate, the number of people receiving it in Otago would have to drop from the 2007-08 levels of 902 people to 361.
The number of over-65-year-olds receiving respite care would need to drop by 96 from 288.
Ms Easterbrook said any reductions could place a "big burden" on family members.
Regional planning and funding general manager David Chrisp said there would always be arguments about what was the right level of service and whether people were aware of services available.
The board had determined that it had to provide the level of service it could afford.
The latest figures presented to the board show the board is expecting to be under budget in carer support by more than $400,000 this year, but over budget for respite care by more than $100,000.
