I\u2019ve been a family carer \u2013 to my mum through terminal cancer, and at different times as a support for friends and family members experiencing mental ill health. Many people experience times when being a carer feels very rewarding. But it can also be a very demanding role and carers can become exhausted. It\u2019s especially difficult trying to juggle everything in life when you don\u2019t know what the next week will bring as a carer. This is why supportive employers are an absolute boon for working carers, so people can continue to thrive at work and in their role as a carer.<\/p>\n
It often surprises people to realise they are a carer. People generally think they\u2019re just being a helpful relative or friend to someone they know who needs some extra support or care because of a serious illness or disability, or a life-changing injury.<\/p>\n
But realising that being kind has tipped over into playing a caring role is really important if people are to begin to access help, advice and support \u2013 both for the person they\u2019re supporting, and for themselves.<\/p>\n
Caring can involve all sorts of things \u2013 practical help, emotional support, financial aid. There are around 7million carers in the UK. Three out of five of us will take on a caring role at some point in our lives, whether that\u2019s for our partner, our mum, our father-in-law, a sibling, cousin, friend or a neighbour.<\/p>\n
Becoming a carer can come out of nowhere, or it may be something we\u2019ve thought might happen for some time. Either way, every year, for around 2 million people the caring role ends \u2013 and for another 2 million, it begins.<\/p>\n
With such a high number of carers in the UK, even if we\u2019re not in that role at the moment, we will know others who are. We may well be supporting carers.<\/p>\n
Most people who are carers are working age. Many are trying hard to be a carer alongside carrying out their paid work and enjoying other family and social life such as leisure, fitness, studying, volunteering, or travelling.<\/p>\n
Initiatives such as National Carers\u2019 Week \u2013 which takes place this year between 12th<\/sup> and 18th<\/sup> June \u2013 are really important: for current carers; for those who think this might be imminent; and for all of us supporting our friends and family members with those caring roles. It\u2019s a great opportunity to focus on what being a carer means, and what help exists for carers and the person they help support. In the seminars and webinars about being a carer, some of the most commonly asked questions are:<\/p>\n There\u2019s always a lot to say in reply! The sessions are a chance to share tips and point people in the direction of other resources, including ongoing support for carers.<\/p>\n Lorna Easterbrook \u2013 Carer Consultant for Employees Matter<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I\u2019ve been a family carer \u2013 to my mum through terminal cancer, and at different times as a support for friends and family members experiencing mental ill health. Many people experience times when being a carer feels very rewarding. But it can also be a very demanding role and carers can become exhausted. It\u2019s especially […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":408,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n