Carers Week 2021 – Carers Week is an annual awareness campaign that celebrates and recognises the vital contribution of the UK’s unpaid carers – supporting family members and friends who are older, have a disability, mental or physical illness or need extra help as they grow older.
During Carers Week 2021 One You Merton is inviting health and care services, schools, employers and businesses across the community to recognise the vital contribution made by unpaid carers in Merton.
Are you a carer?
A carer is someone who provides unpaid care and support to a family member or friend who has a disability, mental or physical illness, substance misuse issue, or who needs extra help as they grow older.
For some, taking on a caring role can be sudden: someone in your family has an accident or your child is born with a disability. For others, caring responsibilities can grow gradually over time: your parents can’t manage on their own any longer or your partner’s mental or physical health gradually worsens.
The amount and type of support that carers provide varies considerably. It can range from a few hours a week, such as picking up prescriptions and preparing meals, to providing emotional support or personal care day and night.
Caring will touch each and every one of us in our lifetime, whether we become a carer or need care ourselves. Whilst caring can be a rewarding experience, it can also have a huge impact on a person’s health, finances and relationships.
Making Caring Visible and Valued
For Carers Week 2021 charity Carers UK is joining forces with Age UK, Carers Trust, Motor Neurone Disease Association, Oxfam GB and Rethink Mental Illness to help raise awareness of caring around the country.
The six charities driving Carers Week 2021 are calling on individuals, services and organisations to do their part in Making Caring Visible and Valued – recognising the contribution made by carers and helping them get the practical, financial and emotional support they need to care for a loved one.
Events in Merton for Carers Week
Merton Council have organised a number of events for Carers Week this year from coffee mornings to quizzes to seminars, strolls and mindfulness sessions. Take a look at all the events planned for Carers Week 2021
Local support to a healthier you
If you would like to contact One You Merton about how you can make changes towards a healthier lifestyle then you can either register on our website, e-mail us: oneyou.merton@nhs.net or you can call us: 020 8973 3545
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