Carers Week is over for this year and it’s only right that we acknowledge and appreciate the unpaid care they provide. But let’s not forget all the former carers, individuals like Tommywho once provided care for another person, but who are no longer doing so. People who put their lives on hold, gave up their jobs and worthwhile careers, or struggled to juggle the demands of work with providing unpaid care for a loved one. They continue to deserve our thanks and support too.
Little attention is paid to and little is known about, the experiences of former carers. They don’t hit the headlines in national newspapers on feature on the BBC or Channel 4 news. They are almost completely overlooked by government policy, which rightly focuses on providing support to those who are currently providing care. What we do know is that of the 6.5 million carers in the UK, about 30 - 40% of them stop providing care each year while a similar amount start. These figures suggest that the number of former carers is increasing and will continue to do so as the numbers of unpaid carers rise in response to an increasingly ageing population and fewer support services.
Tommy is a former carer. We all know what he is doing now – he’s on a mission to improve the quality of care and support available to people with dementia and others who find themselves at the mercy of health and social care services. But Tommy is unique. What about the other 2 million individuals who become former carers each year? What are they doing with their lives now? Have they picked up the threads of their lives or gone back to work? Or are they struggling with major changes to their lives yet again? What is the lasting legacy of caregiving? Is there quality of life after caring?
We know very little about what happens to people once they stop being an unpaid carer. Here at the Open University, we have developed a survey to try and find out more about their lives and experiences and what kind of support if any, do former carers need after caregiving comes to an end. So if you are a former carer and if you have some time to answer our questions, we’d be grateful if you complete our survey. Further information about the study, the researchers and the survey are available on the website www.formercarers.co.uk
Joyce Cavaye, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Health and Social Care, The Open University
Email: joyce.cavaye@open.ac.uk
Thank you for your interest in our research on former carers.
Former carers comprise a relatively large group of people in the UK
but their voices are not often heard or listened to.
By former carers we mean, men and woman
who have looked after a spouse, relative, friend or neighbour
and who received no payment or wage for the care they provided.
Our research study has been designed to gather the views
and experiences of former carers in the UK.
Tell me more about the study
Current estimates from the 2011 Census put the number of carers in the UK at 6.5 million. However, this population is constantly changing with 30% to 40% unpaid carers starting to provide care each year and a similar proportion stopping. These figures suggest that the population of former or ex-carers is increasing in size and will continue to do so as numbers of carers are projected to rise in the UK due to an increasing ageing population and a reduction in the availability of formal service provision.
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Why is the study important?
The study is important because it includes carers from different areas of the country, diverse cultures and backgrounds, and varied family types and traditions. This will allow researchers to focus on issues that are important to the diverse UK carer population.
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Who can take part in the study?
Former carers from any ethnic background who feel comfortable with reading and understanding written English as the survey questionnaire are not available in alternative languages.
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Information about the researchers
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