12 Jun 2018

About Carers Week 2018

Carers Week will take place from 11-17 June 2018, across the UK.

Carers Week is an annual awareness campaign which takes place to celebrate and recognise the vital contribution made by the UK’s 6.5 million carers. It is also a time of intensive local activity with hundreds of events planned for carers across the UK.

Website:     www.carersweek.org

Twitter:     @CarersWeek  #carersweek

Facebook:    www.facebook.com/CarersWeek

YouTube:     www.youtube.com/user/CarersWeek

What is a carer?

A carer is someone who provides unpaid care and support to a family member or friend who has a disability, illness, mental health problem or who needs extra help as they grow older.

For some, taking on a caring role can be sudden: someone in your family has an accident or your child is born with a disability. For others, caring responsibilities can grow gradually over time: your parents can’t manage on their own any longer or your partner’s health gradually worsens.

The amount and type of support that carers provide varies considerably. It can range from a few hours a week, such as picking up prescriptions and preparing meals, to providing care day and night.

Caring will touch each and every one of us in our lifetime, whether we become a carer or need care ourselves. Whilst caring can be a rewarding experience, it can also have a damaging impact on a person’s health, finances and relationships.

To find out how you can get support in your caring role, visit: www.carersweek.org/

Facts about carer health and wellbeing

• 7 in 10 carers (69%) said they find it difficult to get a good night’s sleep, over half (54%) reported that they have reduced the amount of exercise, and nearly half (45%) reported that they have found it difficult to maintain a balanced diet[1].
• 2 in 5 carers said they had not received any training or information to help them keep well[2]
• 3 in 5 carers have a long term health condition, this compares with half of non-carers. This pattern is even more pronounced for younger adults providing care – 40% of carers aged 18-24 have a long term health condition compared with 29% of non-carers in the same age group[3].

• Half (50%) of carers said their mental health has got worse as a result of caring

• 8 out of 10 people (78%) said they feel more stressed because of their caring role, and 7 out of 10 (72%) said caring has made them feel more anxious.
• A third of carers (35%) reported that they have physically injured themselves through caring  and half (51%) of carers reported that the have left a health problem go untreated
• Young adult carers (aged 18-24) are significantly more likely to report a long term health condition than their non-caring peers (40% compared with 29% respectively). 45% of carers aged 18-24 suffer anxiety and depression, compared with 31% of non-carers of the same age[4].