Carers at risk from health problems

The charity Carers UK reports that carers are at an increased risk of developing personal health problems due to the physical and psychological strain of caring. Those that care for a relative or friend for 15 hours or more every day are twice as likely to suffer from a short or long term illness, which could prevent them from being able to care properly for their dependents. Typical problems include mental health issues such as nervous breakdowns and physical complaints such as back problems, caused by lifting and moving without the correct support or equipment. Emily Holzhausen of Carers UK comments: ‘(Carers are left) with lasting chronic illness and disabilities and yet they still have to continue caring. It's very important that support is put in place early on so they don't end up with these types of health problems which are all preventable.’ Despite the fact that research shows that adequate respite care is essential for carers to maintain their physical and mental wellbeing, a recent report from the charities Princess Royal Trust for Carers and Crossroads for Carers has revealed that £40m (80%) of Government funding that was earmarked for respite care has been redirected by PCTs into other areas.