It’s Carers Week and there’s plenty going on across Kent

It’s National Carers week, a perfect time to highlight the plight and celebrate the people who make amazing personal sacrifices every day to care for those who need help. But the physical and mental strain of caring “jeopardising” unpaid carers’ ability to care in the future, warn national charities.

Eight national charities have come together to call for urgent support for unpaid carers to be Healthy and Connected as new research released at the start of Carers Week reveals the toll that caring can take on many carers’ own health and wellbeing.

Lack of sleep, performing care tasks and the impact on their finances named as top stressors by unpaid carers.

Almost three quarters (72%) of carers in the UK said they had suffered mental ill health as a result of caring, while well over half (61%) said their physical health had worsened.

Unless more support is provided, national charities are warning that the UK’s carers won’t be healthy enough to care for loved ones in the future.

Carers worry about coping in the future

The research shows:

• Over half of carers in the UK said they expect their physical (58%) and mental (57%) health and well-being to get worse in the next two years.
• Two in five (43%) carers said that they expect to be able to provide less care or no care in the future because of poor physical health.  One third of carers (35%) felt that poor mental health would mean they will be able to provide less or no care in the future.
• Older people, especially those over 75 years old, were most likely to say they expected to be able to provide less or no care in the future because of poor physical health (54% of over 65s and 59% of over 75s).

 

Main stressors for carers

Carers were most likely to say that the impact of stress and anxiety on their own health was their main worry about the impact of caring on their own health and wellbeing.

Carers named the main stressors contributing most to their stress and anxiety as not getting enough sleep, providing hands on care for the person they care for, and managing financially.

 

You can read the full report here.

 

Heléna Herklots CBE, Chief Executive of Carers UK, on behalf of Carers Week, said:

“This new research is a stark reminder that the enormous contribution made by the UK’s 6.5 million unpaid carers must not be taken for granted. Without the unpaid care provided every year by family and friends, our health and care services would collapse. Yet the physical and mental strain of caring, without enough support, is jeopardising carers’ ability to care in the future.

Caring for a loved one too often means carers neglect their own mental and physical health; finding the time and space to be healthy, get enough sleep  and maintain relationships with others are all huge challenges identified by carers.  Being left unprepared for carrying out care tasks and  battling with a complex health, benefits and care system are piling yet more stress onto carers.

We can all act to ensure carers know about and access help and support as early as possible in their caring journey.

There is a key role for Government too. The forthcoming Green Paper on social care funding provides a must take opportunity for the Government to put in pace sustainable funding for social care and to improve the support available for carers.”

 

This year the Carers Week charities are calling on communities, health care professionals, employers, and the wider public to support carers to get connected to health and wellbeing services and support. The week-long celebration of the enormous contribution that unpaid carers make to our communities is also a time of intensive local activity, with hundreds of awareness-raising events taking place right across the UK.

Carers Week 2018 is made possible by Carers UK working together with Age UK, Carers Trust, Independent Age, Macmillan Cancer Support, Motor Neurone Disease Association, MS Society and Which? Elderly Care, and kindly supported by Nutricia Advanced Medical Nutrition.

Events for Carers week across Kent:

Here’s just a few of the thirty exciting events taking place across Kent this week:

This Carers Week we are looking at all the ways we can support carers to stay Healthy and Connected. Building communities which support carers to look after their loved ones well, while recognising that they are individuals with health and wellbeing needs of their own. Find out how we can help carers to become Healthy and Connected.

 

Windmill Project: taster session. Margate, 14th June

Carers’ Support – Canterbury, Dover & Thanet are inviting Carers to join them for a taster session at the Windmill Project on Thursday 14th June from 2pm until 4pm, where there will be gardening, fruit tasting and a craft activity.

 

 Zest Riverside Age uk, 14th June

Zest is a fun, muliti-activity creative session, for people living with early to middle stages of dementia, and their families, friends and carers. Dover Zest is at The Riverside Age UK on the Thursday 14th June 10am – 12noon and runs every fortnight. New participants are welcome to try a FREE Taster session! 5 per session for 2-hour activities and refreshments – carer attends free. Zest communities’ sessions also run in Hawkinge (Folkestone), Herne Bay, Sittingbourne, Faversham and Ramsgate. Call Mandy on 01227 467 197 for more information or email [email protected]

 

Pilgrims Hospice: various sites & days

We are hosting a Carer Health & Wellbeing day on each of our 3 hospice sites based in Canterbury, Ashford and Margate. The theme is “Supporting Carers to Stay Healthy & Connected” and the day will consist of the following “bite size” sessions – Food & Mood – looking at the links between nutrition and wellbeing with tasty healthy treats to try such as avocado chocolate brownies made by our kitchen staff Back Awareness – presented by our occupational therapists looking at moving and handling techniques Carer Rights – presented by our social workers looking at carers rights & entitlements, respite options and how to access We will also have presentations & stands by Crossroads Carers Support and One You (NHS) Healthy Living Promotions Lunch is provided free of charge followed by an afternoon relaxation session using guided visualisation. Carers of all hospice patients have been invited to attend.

 

Carers Support, Maison Dieu Dover, 15th June

Carers’ Support – Canterbury, Dover & Thanet are holding a Six Ways to Well-being Event on Friday 15th June at Maison Dieu House, Dover from 10am until 4pm. Sessions to include:- Introduction to Six Ways to Well-being Be Active- Chair Yoga ,Wheel of Yoga 11am-12pm Keep Learning-Pottery and Art, Dover Smart Project 1pm-2pm Connect- Lunch 2pm-3pm-Take Notice-Smart Phone Photography 3pm-4pm Care for the Planet Planet- Up-cycling.

 

Ashford One You health check, Ashford, 15th June

Pop along to the ‘One You’ shop in Ashford’s Park Mall shopping center to check in with your physical health and find out more about Carers Support. We appreciate that looking after your own heath can be a struggle when you are caring for someone. This drop in event will offer you health checks as well as lots of easy hint and tips to keep on top of your own health and well being. Cost: Free – We are able to help out with transport and put some respite in place to allow you to attend (free of charge), please note you will need to be registered with us in order for us to do this, feel free to give us a call on 01233 664393 if you live in Ashford, Shepway or Swale and would like to register with us.

 

Carers first Picnic in the Park: 15th / Carers First Crafternoon

Friday 15th Sevenoaks Carers FIRST support Family and Friend Carers across SW & NW Kent. Please join us at our ‘Picnic in the Park’ Carer Social Event promoting Health & Wellbeing. We will be setting up our picnic opposite the Tea Rooms Courtyard entrance from 11am until 3pm. Carers can come on their own or with their Cared for person. Attendees to bring their own picnic and refreshments. Relax and enjoy the historic Knole House and Grounds. Optional activities include gentle walks, garden games, Speakers on promoting Carer breaks and respite, Knole House History, volunteering, mindfulness. You may just want to set up your picnic and enjoy a read of that book you have wanting to start, or chat and make new friends. Entrance to the house is an extra charge unless you already have National Trust membership. Carers FIRST staff and Volunteers will be there to answer Carer questions, give 1 to 1 Carer support and promote your enjoyment of the day. Cost to Current Carers & Cared fors – £5 Former Carers – £10 Transport available from designated train stations for Carers unable to drive Car Parking costs for those without National Trust membership is £4 per car for the day. See the flyer for more info: https://www.carersfirst.org.uk/portal/saascm/UserFiles/SysDocs/bb_cf_content_images/10000/123/CF%20A5%20Carers%20Week%20-%20SWK.pdf

 

Westwood Cross Sainsburys, Ct12 5FJ Dementia Support: 16th June

Age uk in Cliftonville Margate will be in Sainsbury’s Thanet Westwood Cross to let carers know the services and support and social events they provide to the community..Information about services and support and events and coffee mornings that the East Kent Independent Dementia Support provide for carers.

 

For more information on events going on across Kent and help for carers across kent, please see the website: https://www.kentcarersmatter.co.uk/carers-week-2018/

 

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