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It is thought that in Jersey we have at least 5,000 people fulfilling a ‘carers’ role, of which 500 of those will be children and young people.
It’s probably important to make it clear that when we talk about carers, we are referring to those people who care for someone on an unpaid or informal basis.
Sometimes this will be for a few hours here and there but for many it can be a full-time role which lasts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, sometimes with no break and at times with little support.
Across the UK today 6.5 million people are seen as carers, supporting someone who is older, disabled or has a long term or serious illness. That’s 1 in 8 adults who care, unpaid, for family and friends.
So who are these carers and who are they caring for?
Pictured: In the UK, 8 out of 10 carers are of working age.
The latest detailed UK information came out of the 2011 national census and showed that 8 out of 10 carers are of working age, 1 in every 9 are employees and 1 in 5 people aged 50-64 have caring responsibilities.
Furthermore, it suggested that at that time 58% of carers look after someone with a physical disability, 20% look after someone with a sensory impairment, 13% care for someone with a mental health problem and 10% care for someone with dementia.
As we know we have an ageing population where people are living longer with illness or disability, and more and more of us are looking after them. Whether that’s round-the-clock or for a few hours a week, in our own home or for someone in the next parish. Some people also have the added stress of trying to arrange care or juggle responsibilities for people living elsewhere. Whatever carers offer it can have a huge effect on them, their lives, and plans.
Pictured: 1 in 8 adults care, unpaid, for family and friends.
Caring is such an important part of life. It’s simply part of being human. Carers are holding families together, enabling loved ones to get the most out of life, making an enormous contribution to society and saving the world’s economy billions of pounds.
Yet, many of us are stretched to the limit already – juggling care with work and family life, looking after parents on one hand and grandchildren on the other. All too often we don’t put our own needs in that equation and our own health and relationships can struggle. How must it feel to go from being a husband, wife or lover to ‘just’ being someone’s ‘carer’.
Every day, new people become carers and many don’t know how or where to get help. It can be frightening and very lonely. For some it’s sudden: someone you love is taken ill or has an accident, your child is born with a disability. For others, caring creeps up unnoticed: your parents can’t manage on their own any longer, your partner’s health gets gradually worse.
Looking after someone can be tough, but the good news is that in Jersey we have a growing support network who are here to help you adapt to change and keep doing what you do.
Pictured: Sean Pontin, CEO of Enable Jersey, who is one of the organisations offering advice, support and information to carers.
Enable Jersey is just one of a growing number of organisations offering advice, support and information to anyone living with the challenges of caring for a family member or friend. Some organisations offer support to certain groups based around age or condition and all sit under the umbrella of Carers Jersey (previously The Jersey Association of Carers) who are working tirelessly to ensure that carers of all ages have the support and recognition they need and deserve.
Earlier this year, the rejuvenated Carers Jersey launched a 50-point Carer’s Strategy which set out their vision for the future and a new model for meeting the needs of island carers. It identifies the areas for change needed in Jersey and highlights the need for a growing culture of inclusion and empowerment to meet the needs of carers and the people they support and care for as well as a change to legislation.
This change is driven by a collaborative group of like-minded organisations and charities who work together to respond to presenting issues and to celebrate caring in Jersey. In order to better understand how people are being affected and what support they need and want, the group has recently published a Carers Survey which is available online and in paper format on request.
Further information about the support available to carers in Jersey and the Carers Survey can be found online at www.carersjersey.je or by emailing contact@carersjersey.je.
You can find out more about Express and Connect's charity partner for 2022, Enable Jersey, here.
