Working across the interface of formal and informal care of older people

This chapter explores working partnerships with carers of older people and particularly carers in full or part-time employment who may have many stresses and conflicting demands in their lives. The legal and social context of caring is traced from The NHS and Community Care Act (DH, 1990) and subsequent care in the community initiatives. Another milestone was The National Strategy for Carers (DH, 1999a), though there has only recently been a government commitment to partnership with carers against very patchy previous provision. Six reasons are advanced for the relative powerlessness of carers compared to service providers. There are 5.2m carers in England and Wales and 1m of these providing over 50 hours of care weekly. There is a brief outline of the caring experience and three individual case studies. The National Strategy for Carers identified four rights for carers in maintaining their own health and lifestyles and how partnerships with service providers might operate, in addition to support services. [...]