Shifting the balance of care for unpaid Carers Not the burden of care Patrick J Begley

Carers provide unpaid care by looking after an ill, frail or disabled family member, friend or partner. Definition

Who are carers Ordinary people from every background and social class - partners, spouses, parents, children, relatives, friends. Doing extraordinary things - caring from a few hours to 24/7 care 365 days of the year YOU and Me

660,000 carers – 1 in 8 Every day 500 people become carers 3 in 5 of us will be carers by million carers in Scotland 110,000 care for 50 hours or more 250,000 carers juggle work and care by million people of pensionable age, 2/3 with at least one long term condition Carers save Scotland £7.6 billion p.a Carers save UK £87 billion p.a. About Carers in Scotland

Carers are a third more likely to be in poor health than non-carers Suffer physically, emotionally, socially, financially 1 in 4 frequently unable to cope with day to day caring due to physical and emotional stresses 2 in 3 carers often unable to visit their GP due to time constraints and a general lack of flexibility 95% regularly hide the fact that their health is suffering 1 in 5 have to give up work to care – leading to poverty and disadvantage In Carers Week survey 2009, 77% of carers say they have reached breaking point IMPACT of Caring on Health Finances Opportunity

Shifting the imbalance? Change the view Recognise carers as equal and expert partners in design, development and review of services shift view of carers as drain to net resource Recognise that we are a Dependent society Encourage and promote caring in our society Shift resources from acute services to community services Prevent rather than manage crises Empowerment choice personalisation

 Participation partnership self care and self management personalisation and choice  Integrated planning and services – Housing, health, social care, transport  Be creative and imaginative  Embrace new technology – telecare, telehealth  Adequately reward and resource the largest unpaid workforce in the country Saving £87 pa in UK Saving £7.6 in Scotland Earning £1.51 per hour Break the mould

ACTION  Provide practical flexible services Information and recognition in workplace  Government Statutory agencies Employers  Hospitals and primary care  Recognise pivotal role of GP’s Carers assessments –gateway to  Resources including respite care, telecare, training, flexible work, continuing education, regular health checks

Social Contract Political Concordat Concordat Cross party Political concordat that recognises the significant and unique role of unpaid carers and commits to implement new Carers StrategyEvery day 500 people become carers Debate value of caring in society Establish a “new social contract between government,publicly funded agencies, employers, families and individuals, based on the recognition that all parts of society have mutual obligations and expectations about providing and receiving care, and that these are central to the humanity of every citizen.” Professor Sue Yeandle, University of Leeds

For further information Please contact Carers Scotland The Cottage 21 Pearce Street Glasgow G51 3UT Telephone Number: Web:

Caring costs - financial 79% of carers struggle to pay utility bills Half are cutting back on heating and food 75% live in fuel poverty Half of carers are in debt A third owe more than £10,000 A third are struggling to pay their rent or mortgage

Carers Allowance Lowest benefit of its kind £53.10 for a minimum of 35 hours per week Equivalent to £1.51 per hour National Minimum Wage is £5.73 per hour