Caring: Paid and Unpaid

define paid care

help for people to live independently and stay well - includes personal care and wider support for community engagement

where does paid care happen?

• home

• day centres

• care homes

how long can paid care be for?

• short term to optimise independence

• long term

who organises paid care?

• local authorities assess needs

• direct employment

who pays for formal care?

personal contribution is expected, assets over certain amount not normally eligible for support

define unpaid care

anyone who looks after someone who needs help and cannot cope without their support, with the care being unpaid

percentage and number of adults in UK who are unpaid carers

9% - 5.8 million or more

percentage of unpaid carers who are female

59%

largest age group of unpaid carers

46-65

portion of carers who are also working

1/7

adults who are cared for

frail elderly and those with chronic conditions

advantages of being called a carer

• identify need for services

• recognition of work/contribution of carers

  • sense of identity

disadvantages of being called a carer

• reductive identity

• locks people into unwanted role

• people may prefer other social definition

• undermines person being cared for

health impact on unpaid carers

• poorer mental and physical health than non-carers

• injuries from manual handling

  • lack of prioritisation for own health eg sleeping

social consequences on unpaid carers

• difficulty accessing holidays and other social activities

• harder to maintain relationships

• few/no breaks from responsibilities

financial impact on unpaid carers

• many struggling to make ends meet

• many give up paid work to care

financial support available for unpaid carers

• carer’s assessment

• carer’s allowance

• carer’s credit

• carer premium

• disability living allowance

local authority’s responsibility regarding unpaid care

• 2014 Care Act makes local authorities responsible to assess carer’s own needs for support

• GP holds register of carers attached to patient record

• social prescribers can bridge services and individuals

non statutory support for unpaid carers

volunteer organisations, both condition-specific and general

definition of young carer

someone under 18 who helps to care for person who cannot cope without their support

definition of young adult carer

aged 16-26

proportion of young people who are carers

up to 1/5

where are young carers likely to come from?

• single parent household

• non-working household

• deprived areas

impact on young people carers

• school absence → lower educational attainment

• bullying/social exclusion

• stress and physical health problems

• poverty

support available for child carers

Young Carers Needs Assessment carried out by social worker via Children and Families Act

how can doctors help unpaid carers?

• consider implications/needs for carers when making decisions

• give information/signpost

• involve social prescribers

• consider and involve carer when planning discharge of patient