An ageing population: Caring for carers

It seems it is time to extend that adage “who will police the police?” to “who will care for the carers?”

New figures show that there are more than 15,000 carers aged 65 and over in the country.

Three of those carers are almost 100.

As the population ages, and as an ever-larger proportion of the population is made up of older people, these figures, and this predictable dependency, will grow.

As our ageing population begins to feel the full brunt of inadequate or unrealised pension provision, it would be unwise not to consider these pressing human issues.

Family Carers Ireland has called for better planning around the circumstances needed for a secure and comfortable old age and the roles carers play in that vital process.

They also want better supports for older carers.

After all, it seems almost inhuman to expect someone struggling with their own age issues to be able to care for someone less able.

A budget looms and we will measure its success or otherwise on how it improves our income.

Figures like these suggest it is time we applied very different criteria.