Research focus

In the United States, approximately 20 percent of all children have a special health care need. Additionally, mothers of a child with a special health care need have worse overall well-being, mental and physical health compared to mothers of typically developing children. Physical activity may improve depressive symptoms and overall health in these mothers; however, little is known about the acceptability of physical activity interventions for mothers of a child with a special health care need.

This report reviews the support available to informal carers of people with dementia, with specific attention being given to carers’ assessments (or “check ins”) and the provision of short breaks for carers. Evidence for this research was collected from a range of sources, including via desk-based research, a survey of directors of adult social care, a request to local authorities for data, interviews with senior leaders and commissioners in adult social care, a survey of professionals, a survey of carers, and workshops held in England and Wales with people living with dementia and carers.

The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent local, regional, and national lockdowns have led to significant disruption to health and social care services. For people with dementia and their family carers this is problematic. People with dementia rely upon timely and responsive services to live well. The abrupt closure and reduction of many health and community support services arising from the pandemic is of concern. Our two studies explored the impact of COVID-19 on the life quality of people with dementia and their carers.

This briefing looks at Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) young carers and their specific and unique needs. BAME young carers have long been recognised as particularly vulnerable. The term BAME is inclusive of those who may have vastly different issues and vulnerabilities including within their own communities. For example, there are differences within Black, Minority Ethnic and many Asian families and communities. Asian communities themselves vary drastically also depending on their country of origin and time spent in the UK.

First conducted in 1997 by the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, Caregiving in the U.S. 2020 update presents a portrait of unpaid family caregivers. Family and friends comprise the most basic unit of any society. For individuals who take on the responsibility of caring for another person through sickness or disability, it can often be challenging to see beyond the individual experience. As individuals, families, and communities continue to confront the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), we are reminded how much we need our family and close friends to keep going. As the U.S.

When a carer’s loved one is at the end of life, the carer’s needs can often be overlooked despite this being a distressing time. Walking the Walk is an initiative first developed to learn how to better meet the needs of carers in the acute hospital setting; this article describes a pilot adapting it for use in care homes, GP practices and community hospitals. The project has received overwhelmingly positive evaluation responses, with participants reporting a renewed motivation to better support and cater to the needs of carers.

Fewer than one in five (14%) exhausted unpaid carers are confident that the support they receive with caring will continue following the COVID-19 pandemic. After an extraordinarily challenging year providing many more hours of care for loved ones during the pandemic - coping with reduced support from health and care services as well as limited help from family and friends - unpaid carers are seriously worried about the support they will have to help them care in the future.

The Final Report of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety was tabled in Parliament on 1 March 2021. In their Report, titled Care, Dignity and Respect, Royal Commissioners Tony Pagone QC and Lynelle Briggs AO call for fundamental reform of the aged care system.  The report is issued in 5 volumes.

Extract from Executive summary: Australians who care for people with a disability, illness, or a broader need often embody many of the qualities sought by universities. In providing unpaid labour to support family members and friends, carers typically demonstrate resilience, selflessness, and a commitment to societal health, wellbeing, and cohesion. Provision of this critical support is often required while simultaneously managing high demands on time and limited financial resources (ABS 2018a, 2018b).

Embracing CarersTM created the Carer Well-Being Index to determine the current and residual impacts of COVID-19 on unpaid carers, including its impact on their economic, physical and psychological well-being. While carers weren’t alone in experiencing 2020 as a highly emotional and unstable period, they faced unique pressures, demands and time commitments often overlooked by society.