Working Hard For Carers

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AWARENESS

Carer awareness is an issue which we feel to be most important.

AWARENESS AMONGST CARERS

The Carers National Association estimate that 1 in 7 of the population of the UK are carers and that very soon this will increase to 1 in 6.  This means that there are probably around 20,000 carers in the area.

However, whilst we have a good number of carers on our membership and mailing list, we are reaching only a minority.  The majority are what the authorities term "hidden carers", they care for their husband, wife, child, parent, grandparent, brother or sister on a permanent basis without getting or seeking any outside help (in many cases being unaware that help is available).  Many do not realise that they are cares.  Indeed it is not uncommon to hear carers denying that they are carers-they simply do what they do because they love the person they are caring for.

But carers do need help and need to be aware of the help that is available to them and the person they are caring for.  Caring can be very stressful, although they may not admit it, even to themselves, some carers do find it hard to cope alone.  If the person they care for needs constant attention or companionship, how does the carer clean the bedrooms and the bathroom or get the shopping?  Carers can get tired-they willingly forgo sleep at night to care for their loved one, but miss that sleep the following day.  Carers often feel isolated, being unable to have any social life of their own because they cannot leave the person they are caring for alone at home.  This feeling of isolation is often increased for carers in rural areas.  Often talking to another carer-someone who "is in the same boat" will help.

Lonsdale District Cares run frequent awareness campaigns, usually in local supermarkets and shopping centres, where we try to meet as many carers as possible, both to promote our group and to tell them of the help that is available.

AWARENESS AMONGST THE PROFESSIONALS

It is important that the professionals in the Health and Social Services understand the problems and concerns of carers and both recognize carers for who they are, and work in partnership with us to improve the support and services available.

We believe that when a Social Worker is assessing a disabled person that they should be  actively identifying their carers and ascertaining what services can be provided to help them in their caring role.  Also, when a doctor or nurse is seeing a disabled patient that they should not only see the person with them as their husband, wife etc but recognize them as their carer and also pose themselves the question "who is or are my patients carer(s) and how can I equip them so that we can work together for the better care of the patient.

AWARENESS AMONGST THE PUBLIC

We believe that it is important that we bring to the attention of the general public information about carers needs and concerns, this is for two reasons, firstly, anyone can suddenly become a carer, when a loved one becomes disabled or ill.  If they already know where to get help, or to find out where to go to get information about that help, it will ensure that the services they need are provided at the outset.  Secondly, almost everyone knows someone who is a carer, and the information they gain, or the leaflets can be passed on to that carer.