A “carer” can be anyone, a child, a parent, a friend or a relative and can also be any age, from the very young to the more mature in our community.
Jersey’s 2016 Health and Life Opportunities Survey found that one in ten households include a self-identified ‘carer’ and that 1% of households have a young carer who is under the age of 19.
One of the challenges we face is getting people to acknowledge that they are, themselves, carers. People will often say ‘I’m not a carer, she’s my mum, I just pop in to see her a few times a week, do a bit of cleaning and bring her dinner.
Caring may for some, be a 24/7 full-time responsibility.
Many people describe the cultural stigma and perception of carers as a long-standing issue. Our 2021 awareness campaign will tackle and hopefully change these perceptions whilst reaching out to Islanders who are carers to ensure they are aware of the help that is available.
As our population ages we will see more and more people “just” looking after their family and friends which is why we have launched our ‘Just Looking After’ campaign to raise awareness of the vital work of carers in Jersey and reach out to anyone who may not even realise they are a ‘carer’ to get help and support.
It is estimated one in ten households in Jersey include a self-identified ‘carer’ and that many families include a young carer under the age of 19. Due to people not considering themselves officially as ‘carers’ we believe this number is much higher. This percentage is only likely to increase as a consequence of an aging population not to mention the global pandemic.
Many carers that have been identified say they get satisfaction from their caring role, however 51% say it increases their stress levels and many say caring can make them feel isolated, worn out and exhausted.
Government stats can be found on the Jersey Annual Social Survey 2016 the 2013 report, The 2021 census was conducted in March which should provide more up to date figures.
The Carers Jersey strategy has seen politicians and government representatives working alongside the voluntary and community sector and carers themselves. There is currently no carer support law in Jersey which is seen as a real weakness in the current system and one of the opportunities we have to make the biggest impact.
Please get in touch if you think you can help us or want to join.