Expressing our gratitude to unpaid carers through the UK
During this week of 7th-13th June, the nation celebrates Carers Week. There are currently around 6.5 million* carers in the UK, looking after their children, parents, siblings, partners, family, friends and even neighbours. At MMCG, we have an enormous amount of respect for these individuals and would like to take a moment to recognise their efforts. So, what is carers week about?
“Carers Week is an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges unpaid carers face and recognise the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK. It also helps people who don't think of themselves as having caring responsibilities to identify as carers and access much-needed support.”*
There are around 3,500 paid carers working at MMCG, looking after those who live in our homes. However, carers week recognises voluntary unpaid carers who often find themselves taking on more responsibility than they may have been prepared for.
The theme for this year’s Carers Week is to help ‘Make Caring Visible and Valued’. This week there are activities taking place up and down the country, from mindfulness walks to coffee mornings. For those young carers, many communities are offering activity days and short breaks too.
We understand that we all need to take a break sometimes and we’re privileged at our homes to offer an opportunity for some rest and relaxation for both carers and their loved ones. Such respite breaks can be beneficial for older people who are looking for fun activities, new friendships, and a bit of time away from everyday life. They are also beneficial for carers, who have peace of mind that the needs of that special person they care for are taken care of. For care givers, letting go of the day-to-day responsibilities enables them to take a much-deserved rest and get back some quality time to reconnect with loved ones.
The role of a carer is so incredibly important, and we’d like to express or gratitude for everything they do. If you have a carer in your life or know of someone who is, why not take extra time this week to let them know how special they are?
For more information about Carers Week, visit https://www.carersweek.org/
Find out more about respite breaks with MMCG: https://www.mmcgcarehomes.co.uk/types-care/respite-breaks