Family Carers Ireland hosts ‘National Respite Weekend’

With family carers under increasing pressure to meet the care needs of their loved-ones, Family Carers Ireland’s‘National Respite Weekend’ will take place in Wexford from March 9th to 12th.

One in twenty people in Ireland is a family carer, providing €10bn in unpaid care to the State each year. By 2030, demographic changes predict that one in five people will take on a caring role. Due to funding cuts, staff shortages and bed closures, respite has become almost non-existent and programmes such as the National Respite Weekend are critical to redress this. It is crucial that family carers maintain their own physical health and wellbeing and access to respite is essential to allow them to continue in their caring role.

 “Access to respite is vital to give family carers a break from their caring role, which can be extremely demanding, sometimes providing care 24 hours a day for loved-ones.  We are seeing the physical and mental health of carers compromised due to lack of resources. It is particularly important that family carers’ own care needs are met and that the resources are available to support them to provide care safely in the home.” said Catherine Cox, Head of Communications and Carer Engagement, Family Carers Ireland. She went on to say, “We look forward to welcoming family carers from across the country and also former carers, who provide unparalleled peer support for current carers, particularly those going through difficult times or indeed crisis.”

 Family Carers Ireland provides a range of supports and services for family carers through its 26 resource centres and bases nationwide and advocates fairness for carers. The organisation is currently running its year-long ‘Carers in Crisis’ campaign to highlight a lack in resources available across the country including home care, respite and the ‘postcode lottery’ of necessary community supports to those in a caring role.

 Family Carers Ireland’s ‘National Respite Weekend’ will be held in Wexford’s Clayton Hotel from the 9th March and includes a range of activities to help and support family carers including mindfulness, massage, yoga, excursions and information on their rights and entitlements as family carers. Paula Robinson, the 2017 CarePlus Carer of the Year will be amongst the guests. For more information see www.familycarers.ie or contact your local resource centre.