What’s it really like caring for a loved one?
Dear Editor,
More than 214,000 people in Northern Ireland are caring unpaid for a loved one who is older, disabled, or seriously ill. Whether it is round-the-clock or for a few hours a week, in their own home or for someone at the other end of a motorway – caring can have a huge impact on people’s lives.
Unpaid carers are holding families together and enabling loved ones to get the most out of life. They make an enormous contribution to society and together save the NI economy £4.6 billion a year. Yet many find themselves stretched to the limit, often financially, without access to support or unable to take a break.
Carers in Northern Ireland deserve to have their say on what affects them and their ability to care – what is working well and what needs to change. By filling in Carers UK’s State of Caring survey (at: https://www.carersuk.org/news-and-campaigns/state-of-caring-survey-2019 ) they can help inform the UK’s most comprehensive research into experiences of looking after a loved one.
The survey answers will help the charity make life better for carers – giving us the evidence to push carers up the agenda for policy makers and campaign for support and change.
It has never been more important for unpaid carers to share their experiences.
Yours sincerely,
Clare-Anne Magee
Head of Carers NI.
