It’s that time of year where communities all around the United Kingdom come together to raise awareness of unpaid and paid carers and the work they do to care for loved ones. Carers Week is an annual campaign that takes place in June every year with support from other charities.
We understand how important a role our staff play in caring for friends or family members, whether that’s providing home care or specialist care services. By providing personalised care plans that suit each individual’s needs, it’ll ensure they get the care that they need.
Since Carers Week 2023 has already taken place from 5-11 June, communities across the UK have been putting on events to recognise and raise awareness of carers. Our Carers Week blog looks at how we can recognise and support carers in the community, as well as things to do for Carers Week 2023.
What is the Theme of Carers Week 2023?
‘Recognising and supporting carers in the community’ is the theme for this year’s Carer’s Week. There are millions around the UK who do unpaid care for friends and family who may have disabilities, illness or need extra help. However, that can come at a significant cost to their health and wellbeing.
According to the Office for National Statistics Census Day 2021 data, there were approximately more than five million unpaid carers caring for loved ones in England and Wales. The percentage of people providing unpaid care in England and Wales was much higher in females than males. In England, 10.3% of females provided unpaid care, compared with males at 7.6%. Whereas in Wales, it was 12% for females, while it was 9% for males.
Future Challenges Facing Carers in the UK
Carers around the UK face major challenges in the future, particularly when it comes to caring for elderly friends or family members.
In Carers UK’s State of Caring survey 2022 report, it found that over half of carers (58%) had said that they were worried about not being able to afford services or get support in the future. Furthermore, 61% of carers were uncertain about what practical support from councils and charities they were able to access.
As the UK has an ever-increasing ageing population, the number of older people is projected to increase to 23% by 2040. This has created major challenges, particularly when it comes to how carers care for older people.
Things to do for Carers Week 2023
There are plenty of things that you can do to get involved with Carers Week 2023. From campaigning for better support for unpaid carers to holding coffee mornings or making a donation to Carers UK, these activities can play a crucial role in supporting the work carers do in the community.
Finding and Accessing Support for Carers
If you are an unpaid carer, caring for a friend or family member, it can be hard to know where to begin when finding and accessing support.
In the UK, there is plenty of support available for carers. The Carers Trust provides lots of excellent information when it comes to financial support, health and wellbeing, caring for a specific condition and much more. The National Health Service (NHS), Mind and Forward Carers also have plenty of resources and information available for carers to access.
Why Choose Sova Healthcare as Your Healthcare Provider for Your Loved One?
Sova Healthcare offers a fresh, modern and compassionate approach to providing healthcare services around England, ensuring that clients get the care they need from our staff. Whether that’s dementia care or live-in care, our team is on hand to care for your family member or friend.
No matter where you are based, whether that’s Bradford, Halifax and Leicester to Birmingham, Redbridge and Harrogate, we’ll make sure that each client gets the highest quality healthcare.
Any questions about the healthcare services we offer or our process of caring for your loved one? Contact one of our regional teams today.