Carers Week - 11th Jun, 2007

Sian James MP supports Carers Week between 11 June - 17 June.

‘My Life as a Carer’ is the theme for Carers Week, and a survey of 3,500 carers has revealed the immense impact caring can have on every aspect of their life including, health, finances, career and relationships.

Two out of every three carers (66%) admitted that their personal relationships had suffered as a direct result of caring, with 60% revealing they have little quality time together with their partners. Two thirds (67%) admitted to being financially worse off, with a quarter (28%) unable to support their family properly. An alarming three-quarters of carers had not had a break from their caring role in the past 12 months.

Carers Week will highlight the services available to help ease the burden of caring and ensure carers lives’ are changed for the better.

Sian James MP says: “I am delighted to be supporting Carers Week. There are six million carers in the UK, including many in Swansea East. On top of worrying about a loved one’s needs, it must be terrible if carers themselves feel they have nowhere and nobody to turn to.

“I hope that by supporting Carers Week, more of my constituents who are dedicated to looking after someone will find out what services and support are available to them locally.”

Sian James MP has also signed up to a parliamentary Early Day Motion which calls for an updated and improved National Carers Strategy.

A host of well-known faces are supporting Carers Week, including Esther Rantzen, Coleen Nolan and Brenda Blethyn.