Almost 6 million people in the UK are ‘carers’ according to census data, and many more people are likely to be hidden carers, or don’t realise they are carers because this is integral to their family and personal relationships. This is everyone’s business – in the course of a lifetime most of us will be carers, and often sequential carers for ageing parents, and other relatives, and later for partners. Despite the prevalence of caring, it is still something that is often out of sight or below the radar of services. At IPC we have ongoing interest in carers’ matters and in understanding ‘what works’ in supporting carers, their choices and their own wellbeing; and in how best to support the ‘dyad’ of the carer and the person they support. We have been focusing recently on some of the key emerging messages and debates highlighted below:
