Older carers are being ‘forgotten’ by authorities

Age UK has reported that more than one million carers aged 70 or over have been negatively affected by the coronavirus crisis due to a reduction in care services.

70 per cent of unpaid carers said the negative impacts of caring on physical and mental health was one of the biggest challenges faced by unpaid carers as a group.

Warning that they had been ‘forgotten’ by authorities, the charity reports that home care packages of support have been cancelled for many older carer since coronavirus broke out and lockdown was enforced, forcing too many to take on more caring responsibilities. This, Age UK stresses, has left them feeling forgotten and at breaking point.

Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said: “It’s essential that the government prioritises our care services for PPE and tests, and provides essential funding so that unpaid carers can at least get a break, through the good offices of day centres and other community services, once it’s safe for these to reopen. It’s time now for government to finally refinance and reform social care. The prime minister has promised to fix care and now he needs to follow through, with no more excuses or delays - surely it’s the least our brilliant older carers deserve.’

Ian Hudspeth, chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, said: “Every part of the care and support sector is under intense pressure due to the current crisis and councils are doing all they can to support carers and those they care for through this. Our care system could not survive without the contribution of unpaid carers, including those aged 70 and over, who provide vital support for thousands of people every day. Councils fully recognise their crucial role and they supported or assessed more than 345,000 unpaid carers in 2018/19.

“Unpaid caring can be extremely rewarding but we know it can also be a real strain – emotionally, physically and financially, especially during this pandemic, which is why councils are committed to doing all they can to support them. Pressures just to maintain existing standards of care and support continue to rise and this is why we need a long-term, sustainable solution for adult social care as soon as possible.”