Caring in later life: reviewing the role of older carers

There has been growing recognition of the important role that carers play in enabling vulnerable adults to remain in the community. Recent legislation has recognised the role of the family carers and encouraged the development of support services. Considerable research has been undertaken to identify the needs and the experiences of the carers in general but little specific attention has focused on older carers. This is despite the fact that they have their own unique needs which may have been hidden in previous research. This review commissioned by Help the Aged brings together exisiting evidence and supplements it with fresh analysis of the General Household Survey 1995 [GHS 1995] to draw out the particular needs of carers over the age of 60.