Carers Week is an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges carers face and recognise the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK.
Three in four people feel as though their caring role is not understood or valued by their community. This year NHS Milton Keynes Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) are supporting Carers Week, which is happening 12th – 18th June 2017, by focusing on building communities which support carers to look after their loved ones, while recognising that they are individuals with needs of their own.
There are currently 6.5million people caring, unpaid, for an ill, frail or disabled family member or friend. These carers would probably say that they are just being a good partner, son, daughter, friend or a neighbour.
Carers help with personal things including getting someone dressed, turning them in their sleep, administering medication or just generally helping them with their day to day business. They can also help with shopping, laundry, cleaning, cooking or managing finances.
Stephen Archibald, Chief Executive at Carers MK, explained:
“As a society with a rapidly ageing population we cannot afford to ignore carers. Carers Week is a great opportunity to raise awareness of the vital role carers play in our local communities, and we look forward to welcoming people along to our events in Milton Keynes during the week.
“Too often caring comes at a cost to the carer’s own health and wellbeing, and so it is important they receive help and support for themselves as well as the person they care for. To enable carers to get better access to support, we are delighted to have just launched a new carers’ service in the in the new main entrance of Milton Keynes University Hospital.”
Carers MK’s new service for carers is located in the Information, Advice and Support Centre of the new main entrance at the hospital, along with Age UK Milton Keynes.
For more information on events near you during Carers Week 2017: http://www.carersweek.org/get-involved/events-near-you
