Carers
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Saga calls on nation to care for carers
Everyone has a role to play in helping Britain's carers, Saga says, as it launches the CareforCarers campaign, calling on people to give up a little time to support those caring for loved ones
Emma Soames, editor-at-large of Saga, said: "We are calling on people to stand up and offer help to carers thereby showing them that they’re not alone."
The call comes during Carers Week, which aims to shine the spotlight on the role Britain’s six million unpaid carers play in society - at a potential cost to the taxpayer of £87 billion a year.
The CareforCarers campaign encourages family members, friends and neighbours to support carers by giving up a little time to help in their daily lives.
The top five ways in which people can help are by cooking a family meal for the carer, helping with the gardening, giving the carer a break by watching over their dependant(s), helping with shopping and with household chores.
Populus poll figures for Saga show that around one in six of the over-50s have caring responsibilities, while one in four admit to never having taken a holiday away from their caring responsibilities and nearly a third of long term carers have never taken a holiday away from their care duties.
Emma Soames adds, "Offering some time would help a carer do something that the rest of us take for granted. As a nation we raise millions of pounds each year for worthwhile causes. Today’s campaign shows that help doesn’t have to be financial, it can be just as worthwhile to give your time."
Saga is also calling on the government to provide one week’s respite to carers each year. The call comes ahead of the government’s green paper on social care which is expected to be published later this month.
Saga’s Respite for Carers Trust, launched in 2008, covers the cost of holidays for carers. Each year the Trust enables around 50 carers to take a well-earned break from their caring responsibilities.
Information on this site is for interest only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should consult your own doctor about any specific health concerns.
