Carers’ roles made harder by social care’s failure to recognise their needs, finds survey

Carers’ roles are being made more difficult by the failure of social care services to meet their needs, a survey to mark the start of Carers Week has found.

Twenty three per cent of carers said care and support services were the least carer friendly of all services they came into contact with, a higher percentage than any of the other services carers were questioned about.

Of those carers who said social care services were the least carer friendly, 62% said this made their caring role more difficult, 77% said it affected their health and 49% said it had had a financial impact.

The charities behind Carers Week polled almost 4935 people on their experience of of services to inform their campaign this year to make communities much inclusive of carers and responsive to their needs. Of these, 2894 gave their views on the carer friendliness of care and support services. Of this group, half said care and support services were carer friendly while 28% said they were not.

Hard to have a life

“Not knowing a care service is there to back them up makes it hard for carers to have a life alongside caring, maintain friendships, stay in employment and look after their own health and wellbeing,” said Diana Walles, Carers Week manager.

“By involving carers in the support being provided, recognising their expertise and helping them to care for their loved one safely, carer-friendly care services can improve the care they give to older and disabled people as well as caring for their carers.”

Carers Week runs until 14 June. The charities behind the initiative are Age UK, Carers Trust, Carers UK, Independent Age, Macmillan Cancer Support and the MS Society.