Today’s theme for Carers Week is mental health and wellbeing, and we’re talking about how carers can look after their own needs as well as the person they care for. Our Head of Carer Support, Michael Shann, has shared a message about the support that’s available from Carers UK and other organisations, including our regular online sessions – find out more about what’s available and how it can help.
Video transcript:
Hi, my name is Michael and I'm the Head of Carer Support at Carers UK. Today's theme for Carers Week is mental health and wellbeing.
Caring can come with high personal costs. Carers are often providing many different types of care, from clinical tasks to dealing with medication and providing practical and emotional support, juggling many different aspects of care alongside other priorities such as paid employment or childcare can be stressful, particularly if you’re not receiving the support you need.
Many carers also find that their friendships and relationships are impacted, with less time to spend with family and friends. This can lead to loneliness and isolation.
However, there’s lots of support available from Carers UK and local organisations to help you in your caring role. Every week we hold Care for a Cuppa sessions on Zoom where you can connect with other carers, share how you're feeling and support each other with any challenges you may be experiencing. We're really pleased that 8 out of 10 carers tell us they feel better for attending our Care for a Cuppa sessions.
We also run regular Share and Learn sessions focused on maintaining your mental and physical health. We also have lots of information available on our website to help, and you can also connect with other carers on our online forum, Carers Connect.
So this Carers Week we'd really encourage you to explore the range of support that's out there for carers and to take some steps to manage your mental health and wellbeing as well as the pressures involved in your caring role.