Report shows unpaid carers increasingly sacrificing own mental and physical health

Independent MLA Claire Sugden has said a new report into unpaid carers shows a massive and increasing group of people that are sacrificing their own health, wellbeing and quality of life to make sure their loved one gets the support they require.

Around one in eight people – more than 220,000 – care for a friend, family member or neighbour, the Carers NI report said. Most were older, female and nearly half provided more than 90 hours care a week. Ms Sugden said findings of how the role of unpaid carers was affecting them was “completely unsustainable” and pushing carers right to edge of what they could endure.

“Some unpaid carers are finding it absolutely brutal, with a 24 hours a day, seven days a week role, with no respite or support,” said the East Londonderry MLA. “For many, having a job and your own family to provide for on top of this is next to impossible, especially if they have children, but they find a way by sacrificing their own wellbeing.

“Many deal with people with serious, often multiple, conditions that need, not just round the clock care, but an element of training or experience.

“Most unpaid carers are simply exhausted. They get no time to themselves, live an extremely lonely life and put others’ mental and physical health ahead of their own. Some can’t take the time to go to their own medical appointments or keep themselves healthy. One in four described their mental health as “bad” or “very bad”.

“There quite simply has to be more support for unpaid carers to ensure their mental and physical health – far greater respite so they have time to look after themselves. We have a number of strategies that need to be implemented as soon as possible and others to be created by a fully functioning Stormont.

“An overhaul of social services is needed, the Mental Health Strategy needs implemented and funded and the long-awaited Loneliness Strategy needs to be created.

“We are, and have been, held back by the absence of a functioning government for the majority of the past six or seven years. These problems, meanwhile, are growing and people are suffering.”