Family carers need more recognition

[Posted: Wed 02/06/2010 by Deborah Condon www.irishhealth.com]

Much more recognition is needed for the mammoth work carried out by full-time family carers who look after their dying relatives, the Irish Hospice Foundation (IHF) has said.

According to the foundation, carers and those they are caring for who are approaching the end of their life have particular needs which are not always being met. These needs include:

-Access to sufficient income support at the end of life.
-Automatic entitlement to a medical card at the end of life.
-Compassionate care leave benefit, which would allow a carer to take six weeks leave with pay-related support to care for a gravely ill family member.
-Palliative and primary care (GP) support for all regardless of geographic location or illness type, to allow the person to be cared for in their own home.
-Assistance for carers to deal with the associated emotional and practical difficulties of caring for a family member.
-Professional and accessible bereavement services for the relatives of those who have died.

The IHF also called for more value to be put on the crucial contributions family carers make at the end of life.

"Caring for someone with a life-limiting illness can be both a difficult and fulfilling experience. The availability of timely and relevant information and support for carers is essential to ensure that patients' end-of-life plans can be realised and this will also assist family members and carers in their bereavement," explained Marie Lynch, IHF programme development manager.

According to the foundation, there are 161,000 family carers in Ireland, with more than 45,000 of these classed as full-time. Figures recently released indicate that full-time carers work more than three times longer than the average employed worker, providing over 5,700 hours of care annualy to their family members.

The contribution by family carers will be highlighted during the fourth annual National Carers' Week, which will run from Monday, June 14, to Sunday, June 20.

The week is organised by Care Alliance Ireland in partnership with nine leading Irish charities/NGOs, including the IHF, the Alzheimer Society of Ireland, the Carers Association and the Disability Federation of Ireland.

gigi  Posted: 05/06/2010 17:25

As a family carer myself there is no information available which tells you if someone with Downs can make a will or what happens to your estate if you die before them. I have asked a few solicitors and they have all said "it is not their field", so what do you do? Saw the programme a couple of Mondays ago and I have to agree with the audience after the showing, the Minister Aine Brady should really resign as all she kept saying when asked a question "it is in hand". The HSE should really be ashamed of themselves for the way they treat our older citizens who worked so hard for this country and now have to lower their dignity by asking for things they are entitled to. Regards

Anonymous  Posted: 10/06/2010 09:15

It is true, carers realy are the 'poor relation' of the health service. They do phenomenal work for no reward and save the system a fortune by caring for loved ones in their own home.

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