New report shows carers are close to the brink - Alzheimer’s Society comments
A new briefing published today brings together the views and experiences of 5,447 carers from 27 communities across England.
These stories gathered by Healthwatch over the last two years, paint a stark picture of what it’s like trying to find and access help when taking on carer responsibilities for relatives, friends and neighbours.
Sally Copley, Director of Policy and Campaigns at Alzheimer’s Society, says: “It’s no secret that carers are in crisis, and with one person developing dementia every three minutes in the UK, the situation is only going to get worse.
“From speaking to families up and down the country, we know that caring for a loved one with dementia comes at a financial and emotional price. A quarter of carers told us they feel cut off from society, and three out of five have seen a decline on their own health. What’s worse, underpaid and unsupported professional carers are leaving the sector in droves, leaving families and friends to step in and plug the gaps. We need everyone with dementia to have better access to good care, and at an affordable price. The social care crisis is a dementia crisis - the Government’s plans to overhaul social care system must be designed around its biggest recipients.”
