For many people looking after an ill, older or disabled relative is “just something you do.”
A family carer can be anybody, of any age, who looks after someone due to illness, mental health difficulties, disability or age related frailty who could not cope day to day without this help.
Becoming a carer for someone is often a gradual process, much like the illness affecting the person being cared for. The work of caring gradually impacts the family carer’s daily life, restricting their ability to get time for themselves more and more. Because of this most people identify themselves as ‘wife/ husband/ daughter/ son/ friend’ rather than as a carer. However, THEY ARE BOTH – not recognising that they are carrying out a separate caring role can be a real barrier to accessing the vital support available to them.
Family carers may provide care in many ways, help with cooking or cleaning (practical), help with washing and dressing (physical) or help managing mental health conditions, complex emotions or fears (emotional).
How can Suffolk Family Carers help?
61% of family carers suffer physical ill health and 72% mental ill health as a result of their caring role. Suffolk Family Carers is here to support all family carers, irrespective of age, caring role or circumstance.
Our Advisers are here to talk with family carers about their caring role and to explore the support available to them. This maybe via a service we provide directly to them, help within their local community, or help from the services and support of our partner organisations.
Early identification as a carer enables the family carer to access appropriate support and can significantly improve their health and wellbeing, prevent potential breakdown as well as having a positive benefit for the person you care for.
For young people the early identification is vital in giving them access to opportunities to have the same life chances as other young people who do not have caring responsibilities.
