Caring for the caring
MORE than 2,000 people across Guernsey and Alderney receive some form of long-term care at any one time.
Many live at home and are cared for by their family and friends.
The level of care varies. It might be help with providing meals. It might mean helping people out of bed in the morning. It might just mean providing company, assurance and a cup of tea.
Without such care, many people – whether physically or mentally disabled, elderly, or with chronic health issues – would be unable to cope. They might have to be placed into a residential home or other institution, at great cost to society and often when they would rather live at home.
The unpaid support and devotion of informal carers is a huge sunken asset for the island, without which already rising healthcare costs would be stretched to breaking point.
As part of the Supported Living and Ageing Well Strategy, approved by the States two years ago, an action plan is being drawn up to learn how it can make the lives of thousands of carers better.
Outside of the carer’s allowance and some short-term accommodation, the disjointed nature of support for both carers and the cared-for is something that has needed attention for many years.
It is no surprise that part of the driver for the States finally getting to grips with this issue is money. Formal long-term care currently costs the island £50m. a year. As the population ages and more people are in need of care those costs are projected to double over two decades.
But it is also clearly a good thing for islanders. We all know someone elderly, disabled or with health issues – or who is just struggling to cope. Perhaps we are that person and our care is often provided by our wife, husband, sister, best friend or neighbour.
Over time that care can take a toll. Whether it is financial because of working fewer hours, physical because carers neglect their own needs or mental because of the stress of caring.
If there are ways of making life as a carer feel easier, society has a duty to explore them. It will not always be a case of extra money, it might just need better understanding and co-ordination.