More Help Needed for Carers
Sinn Fein Assembly candidate Martina Anderson has called for a better support
system for carers and financial packages to be put in place to support the
work they do.
Ms Anderson said
"Carers play a vital
role in supporting family members who need help. Many
people who are
caring for someone do not necessarily see themselves as
"carers."
Rather they are mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, partners,
husbands,
wives or neighbours. However, being identified as a carer can be
important
in helping them get the right support they need to look after the
person
they care for.
"With the growing emphasis on home-based care,
informal care by family,
friends and neighbours is increasingly being
recognised as an important
source of support to people of all ages.
It's important for carers to get as
much information, practical help
and emotional support as they can.
"Carers provide informal
voluntary care crucial to the primary care system.
Their work saves the
British and Irish Government millions. Yet carers
continue to be denied
sufficient recognition for their contribution or
support. We want to
see improved financial and other practical support for
full-time carers
which recognises the real value of their work.
"The extra costs
of disability and charges for various services make carers
financially
worse off. The lack of alternative care provision results in
many
carers being forced to give up their work. Carer's own health can
suffer
because they are forced to carry on caring without the right back up
from
services. This cannot be allowed to continue.
"I would appeal to
anyone who is caring for a family member or friend to
seek advice on
whether they are entitled to any additional financial
assistance or
help from the voluntary sector. There are many advice centres,
community
and voluntary groups throughout the north doing great work in this
field
and have helped countless numbers of people.
"The last Executive
involving locally accountable Ministers identified
family carers as a
priority group requiring support. There is much more
that needs
to be done to support all of our carers, particularly in relation
to
meeting accommodation and needs for adaptations and also crucially in
providing
respite care." ENDS