Caring In Later Life

A new report commissioned by Help the Aged reveals that over one million older carers face the brunt of caring responsibilities with no regular support from health, social services or home care agencies.

The 'Caring in Later Life' report by University of Kent exposes the human cost of care. The portrait of the UK's two million older carers is a bleak one: many older carers are putting in long hours of intensive caring, on very low incomes, while suffering from a serious health condition themselves. The key points identified by the report are:

Lack of support

• One third of all carers over the age of 75 are providing 50 hours of care a week
• Three quarters of older people who live with the person they care for receive no regular visits from health or social services
• Only one in 10 older carers who live with the person they look after receive home care
• Carers aged over 75 are more likely to be providing intensive care than those aged between 60 and 74.

  Poverty

• One in five older carers has difficulties paying for essential services such as fuel bills
• Three quarters of carers over 70 are paying for services out of their savings.

  Health

• One third of carers said they had not had a break since they had started caring
• Well over half of older carers report a long standing illness or disability.

Help the Aged Policy Officer Gail Elkington said:

"Older people who need care are increasingly being looked after by other older people - their husbands, wives, brothers and sisters.

The NHS Plan is planning for 50,000 more people to stay in their own homes, instead of residential care. But this must not be at the price of the health and wellbeing of their carers. Support for older people and their carers needs to be radically improved, and local authorities need to make sure that older couples get the help they need without delay."

The effects of a decade of underfunded community care are acutely reflected in older carers experiences of poverty, ill health and lack of support. The report shows that over the last 10 years older carers have become more involved in delivering personal care and administering medicines. This coincides with a consistent reduction in community nursing services targeted towards carers and a short supply of respite care.

As community services are directed towards older people living alone, many older carers find they cannot access home care, day care or meals on wheels services.

The author of the report Alisoun Milne at the University of Kent's Tizard Centre said:

"It's clear from the review that there are many older carers, particularly spouses, caring in the most stressful and challenging circumstances with little or no support. It is time that services found ways to offer support to this very dedicated group of carers in a way that takes into account the specific circumstances of older couples, enabling the carer to provide care without placing themselves or their health at risk."

While the Department of Health has pledged some funding via the Carers Act and NHS National Plan, it is by no means enough to cover the improvements in flexible care and respite services older people so desperately need.

Help the Aged wants to see the Government undertake a fundamental review of social care. In particular the Charity is calling for:

• Greater range of flexible support and respite services for older carers
• Improving access to welfare benefits, information and advice
• Increasing the Basic State Pension

Bookmark with:

• Delicious
• Digg
• reddit
• StumbleUpon

Don’t know what this is?

Read the 50connect Guide To Social Bookmarking.