Carers are people who provide regular, unpaid help to someone close to them due to physical or mental illness, frailty, addiction or disability. A carer might be a Mum looking after her daughter who has a physical disability, a teenager looking out for his Nan who is frail or a wife helping her husband who is addicted to alcohol.
Not to be confused with a paid care worker whose job is to provide set care for someone, carers often help with washing, bathing, dressing, feeding, medication, cooking, shopping, housework and giving emotional support without receiving any payment for it.
Many carers do not recognise themselves as carers.
Carers can be any age; They are parents, grandparents, children, partners, friends or neighbours doing what needs to be done to maintain the quality of life for someone close to them.
Often, carers do not realise that support is available to help them.
Carers Week, taking place between the 10th and 16th June, is an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring, highlighting the challenges unpaid carers face and recognising the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK.
The week also helps people who don’t think of themselves as having caring responsibilities to identify as carers and access much-needed support.
York Carers Centre have a range of information events and activities planned to mark the week, enabling carers to get the support they deserve and get connected to their communities.
They have a range of information, advice and events on, including on Monday 10 June at York Railway Station where a team will be answering questions about caring and support available for unpaid carers and later in the week two drop-ins at Haxby & Wiggington Health Centre and Poppleton Old Forge Surgery.
On Thursday 13th June Crombie Wilkinson Solicitors are offering free 30 minute slots to carers to advise on wills, probate and power of attorney, booked through the Carers Centre.
Find out all that is going on here
Find out more about national Carers Week on www.carersweek.org
