Can you help an unpaid Carer in the South Lakes to get a much-needed break by donating to our ‘Give Carers a Break’ appeal? You’ll be helping Carers to get a little me-time to do the everyday things most people take for granted. The Appeal aims to raise £20,000 in 2022.
Please donate what you can
Businesses
Donate your services
Individuals
Fundraising Activity
If you’d like to do a fundraising activity with friends, family or work colleagues to raise money for our Give Carers A Break Appeal, we’ve got plenty of ideas in our fundraising pack to get you started.
Let us know what you’re planning and we’ll support you along the way.
Everybody
Donate money
Donate money to the Give Carers A Break Appeal. We aim to raise £20,000 in 2022.
We are here to make a difference to unpaid Carers of all ages. Our youngest Carer is 5 years old and the oldest is 95
Why are we running the ‘Give Carers a Break’ Appeal?
Carers are at breaking point
Being a Carer can be rewarding, but it can be challenging at times too. The pandemic has significantly increased the impact on Carers and many find they don’t have time to look after their own health and social needs.
It is vital that together we raise awareness of unpaid carers and give them the opportunity to take a break from their caring role.
Breaks from caring responsibilities can be a lifeline, but many Carers struggle to get time away. 64% of Carers had no breaks at all during the pandemic and 78% say they don’t get the breaks they need.
What the funds will do for Carers
Carers take on a great deal of work to look after their loved ones, and this Appeal will enable us to help Carers by giving them a break. Whether that is a one-night stay at a hotel, or afternoon tea, or maybe a day out in the Lakes, any break will offer some respite and a chance to recharge their batteries.
We take things for granted that we can just pop out and get our hair cut, get a coffee or go shopping. Carers just often can’t do that. Having a break is so important, that they can just get away on their own and have some time for themselves.
Thank you! Honestly one night away felt like a week, the chance for my husband and I to have some quality time away together was fantastic, the ability to be adults and have a conversation that wasn’t about doctors and hospital appointments and managing diaries and meds.
Being able to completely switch off for 24 hours was amazing and I really can’t thank the hotel and Carer Support South Lakes for giving me the opportunity.
The support I get from Carer Support South Lakes really does have such a positive impact on myself but also on my husband and son, we really appreciate the amazing work you do in supporting carers and their families.
Thank you again.
Caring for others – the facts
- 1 in 5 of us will be a Carer in our lifetime
- Every day another 6,000 people take on a caring responsibility – that equals over 2 million people each year
- 58% of carers are women and 42% are men
- 1.3 million people provide over 50 hours of care per week
- Over 1 million people care for more than one person
- As of 2020, Carers UK estimates there are around 13.6 million people caring through the pandemic.
Why support Carer Support South Lakes?
Getting a break from being a Carer is impossible
Eileen is 74 and lives in the South Lakes. Since she retired, she has been a full-time Carer for her husband who has Parkinson’s with dementia. Eileen has received a Carer’s Needs Assessment from Carers Support South Lakes and pre-Covid used to attend some of our support groups.
“I have to do everything for my husband and keep an eye on him all the time. As his dementia has got worse and particularly when he is tired, he can be very destructive, ripping things up and pulling wires out. Because of his Parkinson’s I need to be with him when he’s walking about in case he falls. I shave and wash him, put him to bed and make sure he has his medication. For safety, we need to have all our doors locked.
Getting a break is something I need but don’t get enough of. I do have a Carer come in to shower him most mornings and get some help with cleaning as I suffer from arthritis. Going out with him is very difficult because he uses a wheelchair, so we need to find somewhere accessible. If I leave him alone in the car for any amount of time it’s not really safe. Once a month we access Carer Support South Lakes Sitting Service, which give me 3 hours a month to get out on my own. I’d like to go for long walks then but there’s not enough time and often I end up just doing the shopping. I’d really like more holidays but in the past when he has stayed in a care home it hasn’t worked out so I’m reluctant to do this. He refuses to go to any day care centres.
The last 2 years have been particularly challenging because he’s getting worse and because of Covid I couldn’t see my family who live abroad. I’m pretty worn out and don’t get enough sleep. I’m on the go all day and hardly get a chance to sit down. My garden has been very therapeutic for me during this time and has helped my mental health.
Carer Support South Lakes are very supportive and caring. When I go to the support groups it’s lovely to get out of my house and do something different to the usual 24/7. I miss meeting and chatting with other Carers and hope sessions will be able to start again soon.”