Research focus

Unpaid carers provide critical support for people with health and social care needs. The majority of recipients of unpaid care are older parents or spouses and partners, and changes in the make-up of our population indicate that the number of dependent older people in the UK will increase by 113% by 2051.

Supporting those who provide unpaid care to older people is therefore hugely important, and evidence is needed on how best to do this. The support provided by carers is often physically and emotionally demanding, with consequences for carers’ own health and wellbeing.

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.

End-of-life issues are increasingly central to discussions within medical anthropology, the anthropology of political action, and the study of Buddhist philosophy and practice. Felicity Aulino's Rituals of Care speaks directly to these important anthropological and existential conversations.

Between April 16th and May 5th 2020, the Irish Lung Fibrosis Association commissioned a survey of its stakeholders to gain a deeper understanding of how their daily and healthcare needs were being met during the Covid-19 pandemic. Caregivers were quite concerned about poor levels of awareness and lack of recognition of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) as a serious condition. Several were experiencing stress and they found the support from ILFA very helpful.

This publication relating to “Carers and Social Supports” provides data and insights on Carers in Ireland (who they are, how many hours of caring they provide, etc.) and the extent to which people in Ireland can rely on informal social supports (assistance from neighbours for example). The publication also outlines, for those aged 65 years and older, the extent to which they experience difficulties with certain personal care and household activities.

This House of Commons Library briefing paper provides information about the number of informal carers in the UK and the issues they face. It also explains the rights, benefits and support available to informal carers as well as current and previous Government policy on caring.

Research released for Carers Rights Day 2020 reveals unpaid carers save UK state £530 million every day of the pandemic. Care provided by families valued at £135 billion over course of the pandemic so far.  Carers UK calls on Government to recognise contribution of millions of carers and protect their health and wellbeing.

Purpose: The biopsychosocial ramifications of dysphagia are widespread. However, its influence on informal caregivers and families is often overlooked. Ultimately, the health and well-being of an entire family is central to care provision. This tutorial introduces readers to the current literature on dysphagia-related caregiver burden and third-party disability, illustrates the consequences of such burden on both caregivers and patients, and suggests strategies for better supporting patients' informal caregivers.

The research illuminates the lived experiences of student carers across Scotland’s colleges and universities, including the perspectives of those supporting them. Through an investigation of the challenges student carers face, and the barriers to accessing support, the research makes recommendations and suggestions to improve the studying experience for carers.

Key points

The results of a Carers Trust Scotland survey into the impact of Coronavirus on young carers aged 12 to 17 and young adult carers aged 18 to 25 was published in July 2020. They point to a steep decline in the mental health and wellbeing of thousands of young people across Scotland who provide unpaid care at home for family members or friends.