Could you lend a hand during Carers Week?
One in eight adults in the UK are carers. Carers Week (9th-15th June) celebrates and recognises the contribution of the UK’s 6.5 million unpaid carers who, through providing unpaid care, save the Government £119 billion a year.
Carers Week aims to improve the lives of carers and the people they care for. Hundreds of organisations such as Carers UK, Macmillan Cancer Support, and Age UK as well as individuals will be taking part in activities at a national, regional and local level to raise awareness of carers and the invaluable work they do.
Over 12,000 events and activities are planned throughout the UK during Carers Week including stunts, roadshows, sponsored walks, tea parties and information displays. You can find out more about events happening near you during Carers Week here.
One in eight are currently carers looking after an ill, frail or disabled family member or friend. Often, carers struggle to balance a number of priorities such as careers and the needs of other relatives or friends.
Why Carers Week matters
Research by the charity Carers UK shows that:
- Every day 6,000 people take on new caring responsibilities
- Every year two million people take on new caring responsibilities
- Most carers (5.7 million) are aged over 18 and the peak age for caring is 50 to 59
- 1.5 million carers are aged over the age of 60
- There are 175,000 young people under the age of 18 who provide care, 13,000 of these provide care for 50 hours or more per week
- One in nine workers in the UK combine work with caring responsibilities for a disabled, ill or frail relative or friend
Without a network of support, the right help, and advice and information on the services available then carers can quickly become cut off from their own health needs, work and finances. Carers UK found that:
- 45% of carers have given up work to become a carer
- 61% have faced depression because of their role as a carer
- 49% are struggling financially because their role as a carer does not allow them to work
This research is supported by recent findings from Dementia Friends which found that over 50,000 carers will quit their jobs this year to care for a loved one with dementia. You can read more about our thoughts on the Dementia Friends research here.
Prestige Nursing + Care celebrates Carers Week
In order to celebrate Carers Week we will be offering a number of our clients, who act as informal carers, two free hours of care for their loved one. Research shows that those caring for a loved one can often neglect their own needs and might not always make time for themselves. Therefore from 9th-15th June we will arrange for one of our care workers to step-in for two hours so that a select number of our clients can enjoy a small break, with peace of mind, and enjoy some well-deserved time of their own. We want to offer this token of our appreciation to demonstrate our support and appreciation for the invaluable contribution informal carers make to our local community.
Darren Housden, UK Business Development Manager, Prestige Nursing + Care, said:
“The research from Carers UK highlights how thousands of employees are struggling to juggle work commitments, family life and their health with their role as a carer. Carers can find it extremely stressful to balance a number of responsibilities and too often they ignore their own needs. We’re delighted that from 9th-15th June Prestige Nursing + Care will be celebrating the dedication and commitment of local informal carers here in Worthing. Informal carers contribute so much to our society and Carers Week is the perfect opportunity for us to show how we value and support the unsung heroes in our community.”
If you’re interested in supporting Carers Week, or are already organising an event or activity, you can pledge your support by signing up to the pledge wall.
