Welfare Wednesday: Carers Week!

Last week was Volunteering Week and this week continues to celebrate the work of so many, with Carers Week. The national celebrations for this year's Carers Week are a collective celebration between six key charities: Carers UK, Age UK, Carers Trust, Motor Neurone Disease UK, Oxfam UK and Rethink Mental Illness. Plus, plus organisations and individuals across the UK are coming together with the aim of “Making Caring Visible”. With many friends and relatives shielding due to the pandemic, the awareness into Carers Week couldn’t be more vital.

A carer is someone who provides unpaid care and support to a family member or friend who has a disability, mental or physical illness or who needs extra help as they grow older. The amount and type of support that carers provide varies considerably. It can range from a few hours a week, such as picking up prescriptions and preparing meals, to providing emotional or personal care day and night.

Carers help with personal things like getting someone dressed, turning them in their sleep, helping them to the loo, helping them move about or administering their medication. They also help with things like shopping, laundry, cleaning, cooking, filling in forms or managing money. It can be a rich source of satisfaction in people's lives and help deepen or strengthen relationships. It will also help individuals develop a variety of key skills which can then be transferred to other tasks.

Caring is something that will affect each and every one of us in our lifetime, whether we become a carer or need care ourselves. Today, I would like to thank all the formal and informal carers in the UK as well as globally. Thank you.