What is a carer?
A carer is a person, regardless of age or gender, whose own life is affected by providing care or support to a child or adult who cannot manage daily life because of illness, disability or frailness, without help.
There are an estimated 19,000 carers in the borough of Bury, and 15,400 of these are of working age. The majority of the community care is provided by carers and in many cases, the life of the carer looking after a relative or friend can be greatly affected.
Here are some facts about carers:
- Carers are ordinary people of every age, race and religion.
- Some carers look after someone for a few hours a week while others care 24 hours a day, every day.
- Many care in their own homes, while others support relatives and friends who may live nearby or far away.
- Carers look after people of all ages and may be any age themselves, from young people still at school, to people in their 90s.
- Caring can bring problems for the carer such as exhaustion and stress, financial difficulty, and isolation and loneliness.
- There are organisations which can help carers to cope with these issues, giving them a break when needed, or support and advice.
- Many of these organisations are listed in the Bury Carers Guide, which lists organisations locally, regionally and nationally.
- The Carers Guide can be obtained from Social Services Departments, the Carers Centre and Seedfield Resource Centre.
Services for Carers 2008 - 2009
Further information for carers relating to carers issues/schemes in Bury can be found under the following headings:
Useful links
Carers UK - Carers UK is a voice of carers and is a carer-led organisation working for all carers
ACE Radio page - ACE National is a project led by Carers UK, raising awareness of the barriers facing carers who wish to work, and tests and promotes ways of supporting them
Carersnet Website of Surrey - Information on Carer's Rights
Department of Health (DoH) website
National Health Service (NHS) website
Carers Allowance leaflet (196kb 20 page pdf)
Princess Royal Trust for carers
Princess Royal Trust for young carers
Bury Carers Centre.
Petition for carers getting a carers allowance.
