Search results for ‘Subject term:"older people"’ Sort:
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Carers and physical activity: a study of the barriers, motivations and experiences of unpaid carers aged 55 and over in England
- Author:
- CARERS UK
- Publisher:
- Carers UK
- Publication year:
- 2021
- Pagination:
- 32
- Place of publication:
- London
This report looks at ways to support carers over the age of 55 in England to take part in more physical activity, to both reduce loneliness and improve their wellbeing. The research examines the barriers for carers in being active, and shares best practice examples and recommendations to make physical activity more accessible to reduce the health inequalities carers face. This mixed methods research project included a quantitative phase consisting of analysis of over 2,000 responses to the State of Caring 2019 survey as well as a qualitative phase including focus groups and interviews with 37 participants. This was followed by a pilot project, testing the ideas from the research with 27 participants. Key findings include: carers aged over 55 are less active than other adults aged over 55; three quarters (76%) of carers aged over 55 do not feel that they are able to do as much physical exercise as they’d like to do; carers are more likely to be inactive (46% of carers compared with 33% of all adults); carers are much less likely to be active (14% of carers compared with 54% of all adults); carers are much less likely to be active. The biggest barriers to physical activity are: not having the time to take part in physical activity (88%); not being motivated (71%); not being able to afford the costs (67%); not having anyone to go with (59%). For active carers, a pattern of being active leads to an increase in life satisfaction, happiness, feelings of worthwhile; and to a decrease in anxiety. (Edited publisher abstract)
Older carers in the UK
- Authors:
- SHEFFIELD HALLAM UNIVERSITY, CARERS UK
- Publisher:
- Carers UK
- Publication year:
- 2007
- Pagination:
- 25p.
- Place of publication:
- London
This publication details demographic, employment, and health and well-being data for older carers, as well as estimates of the number of carers claiming public support benefits. The report highlights the need for older carers to have supportive jobs and an adequate income to help meet the costs and time of caregiving.
Caring and pensioner poverty: a report on older carers, employment and benefits
- Author:
- CARERS UK
- Publisher:
- Carers UK
- Publication year:
- 2005
- Pagination:
- 17p.
- Place of publication:
- London
Provides evidence that one in ten older carers is having to cut-back on food to make ends meet, and nearly seven out of ten (68%) are having to cut back on other essentials such as clothes and heating.
Enabling carers to support eating and drinking well for a healthy life
- Authors:
- CARERS UK, DESIGNABILITY
- Publication year:
- 2018
- Pagination:
- 49
- Place of publication:
- London
Drawing on the findings from focus groups and an online survey, this research highlights the challenges that carers face when supporting older and disabled family and friends to stay well-nourished and hydrated. A total of 265 carers responded to the online survey and 16 participants took part in focus groups. Interviews were also carried out with seven professionals. Issues raised by carers included: difficulty with swallowing, risks of choking, challenges of monitoring whether someone is drinking enough, and motivating the person they care for to eat and drink enough by providing appealing and appetising food. This report highlights the complexity of helping another person to eat and drink. It concludes that there is an opportunity to work with carers to co-design better products to support nutrition and hydration. It identifies potential areas that could be developed into products or services, including: access to information, advice and resources; support with the multiple aspects of co-ordinating nutrition for another person; facilitating drinking and monitoring hydration; ways of enabling choice, matching needs and preferences and creating appealing meals for those on restrictive or special diet; and designs to support posture to improve the experience of eating and drinking in an armchair or in bed. (Edited publisher abstract)
Walking the tightrope: the challenges of combining work and care in later life
- Authors:
- AGE UK, CARERS UK
- Publishers:
- Age UK, Carers UK
- Publication year:
- 2016
- Pagination:
- 48
- Place of publication:
- London
Drawing on an analysis of the literature and available data, and discussions with carers aged 50 and over, this report looks at the challenges older people face when combining work and caring. It highlights the barriers they face in the workplace and the compromises they have to make in their own working lives, such as turning down promotion. It also examines the negative impact on carers' forced to leave the labour market due to their caring responsibilities. This can include financial disadvantage and poorer health and wellbeing. It estimates that caring as little as five hours a week can have a significant impact on employment prospects, with those caring for more than 10 hours a week at marked risk of leaving the labour market altogether. The report then presents some possible solutions to help retain older carers in the workplace, and includes practice examples from a range of organisations. Case studies and quotations from focus groups and discussions held with carers are also included throughout. The report then sets out a series of recommendations for employers, Government and others to help carers remain in the workplace. These include: improving access to flexible working; increasing awareness of the challenges carers face within the workplace, particularly among managers; supporting carers through times of transition and in emergencies; improving access to care services; and improving financial support for carers. (Edited publisher abstract)
Building carer friendly communities: research report for Carers Week 2016
- Author:
- CARERS UK
- Publisher:
- Carers UK
- Publication year:
- 2016
- Pagination:
- 28
- Place of publication:
- London
Drawing on results from the Carers UK annual State of Caring Survey, this report presents key findings on carer friendly communities across five themes: community; health, employment; education, and older carers'. A total of 6,149 carers and former carers responded to the survey, which was carried out between March and April 2016. Responses from 5,682 responses were included in this analysis. The report looks at how their caring role is understood by the community; the challenges carers face in looking after their own health and wellbeing; the barriers carers face in balancing care with work; challenges in accessing and continuing education, relevant to both young carers and other carers pursuing education or training in later life; and the impact of caring on older carers' wellbeing. Each theme includes direct quotations from the survey and examples of good practice initiatives. Key findings reported include, that: 3 in 4 carers don't feel their caring role is understood and valued by their community and a third of carers said their employer doesn't have policies in place to support them. The report makes recommendations for the creation of carer friendly communities for each of the five themes. (Edited publisher abstract)
Caring into later life: the growing pressures on older carers
- Authors:
- CARERS UK, AGE UK
- Publisher:
- Carers UK
- Publication year:
- 2015
- Pagination:
- 28
- Place of publication:
- London
Draws together and analyses evidence from national data sources and older carers themselves to set out key facts about older carers and identify what steps should be taken to better support them. Information is provided on the numbers of older carers, older carers demographics, the hours and type of support older carers provide, health and wellbeing, and access to NHS and social care services. Quotations from older carers are also included, drawn from Carers UK’s State of Caring Survey 2014. The report found that there are 1.2 million carers aged 65 and over in England, with a growing number of older carers aged over 85 years. Of those carers over 85 years: over half are caring for 50 or more hours each week; 59% are men (whereas only 42% of all carers are men); and 48% of carers aged 85 and over who are providing 20 or more hours of care a week say that they feel anxious or depressed. The report makes a number of recommendations, including: using the new duties of the Care Act to develop advice and information that is accessible to older carers; involving older carers in co-producing and commissioning support services; the provision of good quality care services to support carers who wish to continue working, and for national and local government to address older carers' emotional health and wellbeing. Data sources used for the report include Carers UK’s State of Caring Survey 2014, the 2001 and 2011 Census, and GP Patient Survey. (Edited publisher abstract)
Potential for change: transforming public awareness and demand for health and care technology
- Authors:
- CARERS UK, TUNSTALL
- Publisher:
- Carers UK
- Publication year:
- 2013
- Pagination:
- 12
- Place of publication:
- London
In July 2013, Carers UK, supported by Tunstall Healthcare (UK), commissioned a national opinion poll exploring attitudes towards health and care technologies, including telecare. Fieldwork was undertaken by YouGov between 26th July and 29th July 2013 as part of an online omnibus survey. The total sample size was 2069 adults, representative of all UK adults (aged 18+). The research found a lack of public awareness of health and care technology, even in families using technology in most other aspects of their lives. Carers UK seeks a step-change in public and professional awareness of health and care technologies, so that use and purchase of technology to support caring becomes a normal part of life and of professional practice. Also required is cross-government action to identify and realise the potential of health and care technologies to support health and wellbeing, that will lead to a health and care technologies market that is focused on consumers, and is capable of providing attractive and affordable products and services. (Edited publisher abstract)
Carers and telecare
- Authors:
- CARERS UK, TUNSTALL
- Publisher:
- Carers UK
- Publication year:
- 2012
- Pagination:
- 16p.
- Place of publication:
- London
Drawing on data from the State of Caring survey of 4,282 carers to assess the impact of caring on carers' lives, this report looks at carers' perceptions and experiences of telecare and telehealth and explores opportunities offered by telecare and assistive technology and barriers to greater take-up. It describes the research methodology and presents the findings, with examples from the survey and brief case studies. It discusses carer usage of telecare and key outcomes, such as reducing stress and tiredness and enabling carers to have a life outside caring and to balance work and care. It also looks at challenges for users and carers' perceptions of telecare. It concludes that telecare has the potential to change the lives of older and disabled people and carers but that the technology is not delivering all it can due to lack of awareness and barriers to access. It argues that use of assistive technology should be embedded in professional practice, calls for the creation of a Health and Care Technology Task Force, and makes recommendations for local authorities, advice agencies, and providers.