Who Are Carers?

Most carers would still not recognise themselves under the term 'carer'.
They are just people trying to cope as best they can while helping to look after an elderly relative, a partner or a young child with a disability.

They may even be juggling paid work with their unpaid caring responsibilities at home.

In total there are 6.4 million adult carers across the UK, of whom almost one million are looking after somebody for more than 50 hours each week.

The 2001 census indicated that there are 175,000 young carers in the UK - young people under the age of 18 who might be helping to look after a parent, or who may be caring for a brother or sister.

These carers have no training, no holidays, no fixed hours and no fixed salary. For some it can be a 24 hour a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year commitment.

Issues & concerns for carers

• Lack of information & support.
  
• Lack of respite.
  
• Financial worries.
  
• Lack of time for themselves.
  
• Isolation and loneliness.
  
• Who will care when they can not.
  
• Carers own health problems.
  
• Lack of recognition of their role and value.
  

What are the effects of caring on carers?

• They are worse off since becoming carers.
  
• Have to give up work resulting in drop of income.
  
• Level of charges for services has caused further financial hardship.
  
• Carers suffer from tiredness and have difficulty sleeping.
  
• Suffer from back problems.
  
• Suffer with depression.
  
• Suffer from stress.
  
• Cut back on food and essentials.
  
• Can not afford to go on a holiday.
  
• Have cut down on leisure activities and social life.

Carers look after a relative, friend or neighbour who cannot manage without help because of sickness, age or disability. There are over 6.4 million carers in the UK. The support carers provide free of charge saves the state £119 billion every year. It is clear that society to-day owes carers a great debt and yet they can still feel isolated and unsupported. Caring for someone can be physically demanding and emotionally exhausting and often affects carers' own health. Many carers face social exclusion having given up their paid job to care for someone. The support they provide is unpaid, brings no status or contract of employment and can result in financial hardship and poverty.

Four million carers are of working age, 3 million of whom combine care and work, 2 out of 5 people will be carers at some point in their lives. Half of these carers are still caring 5 years later.

Categories of Carers

• Adult Carer : An adult caring for another adult i.e. spouse, partner, friend or relative.
• Parent Carer : An adult who carers for a child who is ill or has a disability.
• Young Carer : a child or young person aged up to 18 who is carrying out significant caring tasks and assuming a level of responsibility for another person, their parent, grandparent or sibling, which would usually be taken on by an adult.

Carers in Hartlepool

Hartlepool Carers has provided help to over 1,200 carers in the past year. We are currently supporting 1200 adult carers and 90 young carers.

At present Hartlepool Carers have 14 paid members of staff and over 120 volunteers offering the following service to carers townwide and throughout the surrounding villages:

One to One Support, Advocacy, Befriending, Computer Access, D.I.Y., Dog Walking, Emotional Support, Employment Advice, Escorts to G.P., Football Activity (coaching for young carers), Gardening, Home Visits, Information, Junior Club, Newsletters, Drop-ins, Shopping, Sitting Service, Social Activities, Social Outings, Support Groups, Therapies, Training, Youth Forum.