Carers’ survey reveals financial worries and lack of State support

Many carers are stressed about their financial situation while 10% of respondents to a survey said they did not receive any source of support in their role.

The survey of 250 carers, carried out by Care Alliance Ireland as part of the seventh National Carers Week which began yesterday, shows that the typical carer is a woman aged in her late 40s to mid-50s, or what the Carers Alliance described as the ‘sandwich generation’ — caring for elderly relatives while also dealing with their own children.

The three best things about being a carer were listed as personal satisfaction, closeness and offering protection, while the three worst aspects were being constantly on call, isolation and financial worries.