We have published our annual report for 2020-21, and it starkly highlights the huge impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on carers and the vital importance of work to support them.
Despite the sudden changes brought by the coronavirus, we responded to meet the needs of carers, reaching 17,500 carers, their families and the people who support them across Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and Norfolk in the year 2020-21.
Stuart Evans, our chair of the trustees, said, “The coronavirus pandemic affected all of us. But for carers their world shrunk even further. It eroded the usual ways in which they could be supported in our communities, increased their caring responsibilities, made it harder for them to have a break and brought new challenges.
“It is overwhelmingly clear the coronavirus crisis has taken its toll and brought carers closer to breaking point than ever before.
“It has been essential for us to respond and adapt how we work to provide carers and the people they care for with the support they need. We are proud of all we have been able to do but we know we need to keep working to support carers. And the help of more people will be essential in helping us do more to support carers.”
Three in five people will become a carer at some point in their life, meaning that any one of us could find ourselves needing the type of support we provide at any time. And many people looking after a family member or friend do not recognise they are a carer and able to get help and support.
Just some of the work we have reported for the year 2020-21 includes:
- 13,484 calls to the carer helpline answered, providing vital information, advice and guidance.
- 4,526 carer cards issued to help carers identify themselves and get support.
- 87 young carers and young adult carers provided with devices so they could keep up with their education and access virtual support.
- 1,385 calls made to 81 carers as part of the listening ear service giving carers the chance to talk to someone who cares about them and their caring role.
- 109 carer groups and workshops held giving 113 carers the opportunity to get together with others.
- 882 emergency plans registered so carers know what to do if something happens meaning they cannot carry out their caring role.
- 342 carers supported when their physical or mental health was at crisis point or they could not attend their own health appointments.
- 64,526 hours of homecare provided, so that carers were able to take a break.
- 503 carers enabled to have their voices heard through surveys, forums and the media.
The impact report and trustees’ annual report for 2020-21, including comments from carers about the difference that the support of Caring Together made to them can be found at can be found at caringtogether.org/about-us/annual-reports
- If you or someone you know is looking after a family member or friend, you can contact us on 0345 241 0954 or by emailing [email protected]
