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Carers UK briefing on adult social care white paper 'People at the heart of care: adult social care reform'
- Author:
- CARERS UK
- Publisher:
- Carers UK
- Publication year:
- 2021
- Pagination:
- 14
- Place of publication:
- London
This briefing sets out the important measures in the 'People at the Heart of Care: adult social care reform' white paper with regard to unpaid carers. The white paper has carers threaded throughout, including in the aspiration, vision and strategic objectives. There is also a separate section on carers specifically. There are a series of “I” statements, including statements for carers, which we believe the success of the white paper should be measured against. Sections of the briefing include: core aims of the white paper and funding streams; 10 year vision for adult social care; empowering those who draw on care, unpaid carers and families; providing the right care in the right place at the right time; strategy for workforce; supporting local authorities to deliver reform. (Edited publisher abstract)
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)
Virtual wards: Carers UK policy briefing
- Author:
- CARERS UK
- Publisher:
- Carers UK
- Publication year:
- 2022
- Pagination:
- 4
- Place of publication:
- London
This briefing document provides an initial overview of virtual wards - including what they are, why they are being established, the level of funding virtual wards will be afforded and what they mean for carers and local carer organisations in England. A virtual ward is an alternative to NHS bedded care that is enabled by technology. Virtual wards support patients who would otherwise be in hospital to receive the acute (i.e. short-term) care, monitoring and treatment they need in their own home. This includes either preventing avoidable admissions into hospital or supporting early discharge out of hospital. The briefing examines why virtual wards are being established; how much government funding virtual wards have; what virtual wards mean for carers and local carer organisations. (Edited publisher abstract)
Carers and physical activity: briefing for professionals
- Author:
- CARERS UK
- Publisher:
- Carers UK
- Publication year:
- 2020
- Pagination:
- 6
- Place of publication:
- London
A policy briefing for professionals which looks at the experiences of carers when it comes to taking part in physical activity, including the motivations and barriers. It reports the initial findings of a project being carried out by Carers UK, in partnership with Sport England, which is looking at ways to support carers in England over the age of 55 to take part in more physical activity as a way to reduce loneliness and improve their well-being. (Edited publisher abstract)
Future care: growing the care market: turning a demographic challenge into an economic opportunity
- Author:
- CARERS UK
- Publisher:
- Carers UK
- Publication year:
- 2012
- Pagination:
- 24p.
- Place of publication:
- London
As the UK population ages, and people live longer with serious disability and long-term conditions, rising care needs are putting increasing pressure on families and health and social care services. However, social care funding has not kept pace with rapidly growing demand, and social care services often fail to deliver the support families need. Existing services struggle to match the way families live and work, and so often do not provide the help vital to managing competing priorities including childcare, work, social lives and care for older and disabled relatives. This document examines the reform of social care through an economic lens - exploring the economic costs to families and business of a lack of support forcing carers to give up work to care, but also the economic opportunities of stimulating growth in the care market. Looking to international evidence, and exploring the barriers and stimulants to growth, it calls for a new National Care Strategy in partnership with the business community. Specifically, it calls for: incentivising the care market; identifying the benefits of growing the care sector across different areas of government; building a coherent evidence base across different areas of interest and different government departments; promoting the business case for growing the care sector; recognising the potential of technology to transform services; and promoting new jobs and new skills.
Choice or chore?: carers' experiences of direct payments
- Author:
- CARERS UK
- Publisher:
- Carers UK
- Publication year:
- 2008
- Pagination:
- 10p.
- Place of publication:
- London
Direct payments, part of the government’s ‘Personalisation Agenda’ - a major programme to change the way social care is delivered to disabled people, older people and carers – gives cash directly to families to pay for their own care arrangements. But the cash brings new responsibilities, such as organising payroll and these often fall to the carer. More than half of those carers questioned (53%) reported their overall experience of the scheme was positive, with almost three quarters (73%) stating that the care they are able to purchase is better at meeting their family’s needs than the previous service. One carer said "Before we had direct payments I had no life. I was a dog’s body and I was invisible. Now six years down the line we have seven personal assistants and we all have a wonderful life.” However, nearly one in ten reported a negative experience of the scheme. Key for many was the lack of support available to help them manage the money, causing added stress, worry and feelings of being overwhelmed. Indeed, a worrying 21% say they have less free time since taking on a direct payment because of the time needed every week to deal with insurance, tax, NI, training and all the other aspects of employing someone. Another respondent to the survey told us "Direct payments just gave me more work. I'm doing Social Services job for them. Life is hard enough as it is without added responsibility and work." Carers UK’s research highlights how the success of direct payments is heavily reliant on local authorities and their ability to support carers. Indeed, local councils can ‘make or break’ direct payments, according to the charity. The amount of paperwork involved can be highly ‘off-putting’ for carers and more than three quarters of those surveyed (79%) have no contingency plans in place should something go wrong. In addition, in some areas there simply aren’t suitable services available for carers to purchase with direct payments.
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)