Who is a Carer?

At the last census 14,605 people In Camden identified as a carer. We know that the number of carers known to health and social care is less than this. This means that there are people in Camden who maybe missing out on help and support for their caring role. We need to work together to reach and connect with more carers.

Are you an unpaid carer? Do you give up your time for free, and take on additional responsibilities, to support someone you know?

Common definitions of unpaid carers speak of support for people who are disabled, have an illness or long-term condition, including mental health; learning disability and or substance misuse, neurodiversity, or support for people who need extra help as they grow older.

The person you support could be a family member, friend, or neighbour, you have built a relationship with, who would struggle without your help. Sometimes you take on the role of a carer gradually as they need more support with time. You could be supporting more than one person. Or you could be providing support but also receiving care and support yourself.

As a carer you may be providing care with practical tasks such as personal care like helping someone to get washed and dressed; helping with cooking and cleaning; managing medications; speaking with services; advocating for people; finding information and asking for advice; taking people to appointments and to get out and about in the community; helping sort money and bills or providing emotional support.

These definitions are compliant with legal responsibilities (see legal duties to support carers section). However, unpaid carers have said the caring role is broad and tasks vary. No two days are ever the same, and responsibilities vary from person to person. A carer can be providing help anything from a few hours a week to 24-hour care. You may live in the same house as the person you care for, or you may live somewhere else. A caring role can also change over time. As a carer you can be anything and everything to the person you support. But it’s not just about the things you do, it’s also the skills you use every day. Things like problem solving, negotiation, planning, advocating, creativity, and flexibility.

If you think you are a carer, we encourage you to reach out.

Contact details of who you can contact are here.