CARERS: Many ways to join in event

Some 6.5 million people in the UK look after a loved one with a disability, illness, mental health problem or extra needs as they grow older.

While caring can be hugely rewarding, it can have a huge effect on us, our lives and our plans. Unpaid carers are often unprepared for the impact caring can have and frequently put their own health and wellbeing needs to the back of the queue.

Whoever you are, whatever you do, you can make a difference by helping to make it easier for people to recognise their role as a carer and get support.

From employers introducing ‘carer-friendly’ policies at work to GP practices offering check-ups and flexible appointment times, communities are integral to supporting carers’ health and wellbeing.

There are lots of different ways to get involved. Visit the website www.carersweek.org and pledge your support, or run an activity or event. You can find lots of ideas on the website.

Follow Carers’ Week on Twitter @CarersWeek and use the hashtag #carersweek, and like Carers’ Week on Facebook at www.facebook.com/carersweek

Carers are the mainstay of our communities. Let’s make the most of Carers’ Week to show them just how much we recognise and value the vital contribution they make to our families, communities and wider society.

Heléna Herklots CBE,

Chief Executive Carers UK