Over 1 million people in the UK supporting a terminally ill loved one this Christmas time
Press release published
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More than one million people in the UK are expected to be supporting a family member who has a terminal illness this Christmas, according to an Ipsos MORI survey commissioned by the charity Marie Curie1. The charity’s Hidden Costs of Caring report2, which looks at the contribution carers of people with a terminal illness make and the impact it has on their own wellbeing, has for the first time identified the number of people providing informal, unpaid care or support who will be supporting a relative for what could be their last Christmas. Many unpaid carers won’t see themselves as carers, which can result in them missing out on support. They will think of what they do as simply being a caring husband, wife, daughter or son, yet more than eight out of ten say that their role has a negative effect on their health, and over half say their role has contributed to depression3. Marie Curie’s report highlights that not all carers are being provided with support when caring for someone at the end of life and after their death. Carers take on a lot of the costs of caring. Many of them are doing this without having their own needs recognised and without the proper level of support that should be available to them. Director of Policy and Public Affairs, Simon Jones, at Marie Curie said: “With over one million people saying that they are supporting a loved one with a terminal illness - which is a population roughly the size of Birmingham - it’s impossible to imagine how health and social care providers would cope if there wasn’t this huge amount of unpaid support for loved ones at home. “Often people don’t see themselves as carers, they are just supporting a loved one in every way they can. Our report highlights the impact caring for a loved one can have on physical, emotional and financial wellbeing. Their support should not be taken for granted and we must make supporting these carers a priority.” Research findings, also in the report, warn that with an ageing population, there will be more people with a care need in the years to come but fewer unpaid carers able to meet that need. This will result in a greater demand for state-funded end of life care and could lead to more people with a care need missing out. The Marie Curie Support Line provides free, confidential support and practical information on all aspects of terminal illness for patients and their families. If carers need support this Christmas then they can contact Marie Curie on 0800 090 2309 (The Support Line will be open 9am-5pm every day, including weekends from Christmas Eve to January 3). -ends- |
Notes to editors
References
1 Ipsos MORI online survey of 6,136 UK adults aged 16-75, October 2014.
To the question ‘Have you supported or cared for a family member, friend or neighbour who was, or is, terminally ill in the last 3 years?’ 3.33% selected either or both of
- Yes, I am currently supporting or caring for a member of my immediate family (for example a spouse, partner, parent or child) who is terminally ill
- Yes, I am currently supporting or caring for a member of my extended family (for example a grandparent, aunt or cousin) who is terminally ill.
This was an online survey. Ipsos MORI calculates the online UK population of 16-75 year olds at approximately 44,250,000 based on Eurostat 2014 population estimates.
Interviews took place between across the UK using i:Omnibus, Ipsos MORI’s online omnibus between 3rd and 29th October 2014. Data are weighted by age, gender, region, working status and social grade to match the profile of the target audience.
2 The Hidden Costs of Caring report – Marie Curie, 2015
- Unpaid carers to people with terminal cancer provide health and social care worth £219million each year
Marie Curie’s report has identified principles that should underpin the support available to carers:
- People who provide care for someone who is approaching the end of their life have specific needs, which should be assessed as a matter of priority
- Information for carers should be available and accessible in a form that is most useful to them
- Carers are not trained professionals, and they should not be treated as such - carers should be treated sensitively by professionals and, where appropriate, provided with training and support to help them look after their loved one and themselves
- No one providing care to a loved one with a terminal illness should suffer financial hardship as a result of their caring role
- Health and social care professionals need to be ready and able to help carers identify themselves in this role and to plan for their future - this must include a sensitive explanation of what supporting a death at home entails, and a recognition that carers’ needs will often continue after bereavement.
- Grief and bereavement are complex, and everyone experiences them differently - services supporting carers must be flexible enough to meet their needs based on what suits the individual, not what suits the system.
3 State of Caring 2015 – Carers UK, 2015
- More than eight out of ten carers in the UK say caring has a negative effect on their health (82%), 72% say they feel more anxious as a result of their role
- Carers who provide more than 50 hours of care each week are three times more likely to report that their health is not good compared to non-carers
- Over half (55%) of carers in the UK say that their caring role has contributed to depression
About Marie Curie
Marie Curie is the UK’s leading charity for people with any terminal illness. The charity helps people living with a terminal illness and their families make the most of the time they have together by delivering expert hands-on care, emotional support, research and guidance.
Marie Curie employs more than 2,700 nurses, doctors and other healthcare professionals, and with its nine hospices around the UK, is the largest provider of hospice beds outside the NHS.
For more information visit www.mariecurie.org.uk
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