This report is part of a three-year project run by Healthwatch Norfolk for Norfolk County Council Adult Social Care. The project looks at services for older people and their carers and the experiences of those over the age of 65.
The report outlines the findings in our second year of this project and focuses on family involvement in caring for older relatives.
We found that the burden of caring responsibilities is falling overwhelmingly on female relatives, with many providing more than 50 hours’ support a week.
Most people who took part in our research were women over the age of 55, many of whom were caring for a partner or spouse, or their parents. A large number said they were not regularly receiving help from other family members, and when help was given it was usually other female relatives who stepped up, rather than male members of the family. Even when family members were able to help out, carers often felt the support was not enough.
Based on our findings we have made a series of recommendations to Norfolk County Council’s Adult Social Care department, including making respite services more widely available so carers can take essential breaks and offering guidance on how family members can contribute to care from a distance, allowing the burden to be shared more effectively.
