No respite for carers, warns charity

As the nation’s thoughts turn to summer holidays, disabled people’s charity Revitalise appeals on behalf of unpaid carers during Carers Week.

As the warm weather causes many people to start thinking about taking some time off, this Carers Week the local disabled people’s charity Revitalise is appealing on behalf of the nation’s unpaid carers and has revealed that for them, the luxury of any kind of break may be out of reach.

Revitalise – which runs the Sandpipers centre in Southport, providing respite holidays for disabled people and carers from the North West region and beyond – is urging people to support its appeal, which aims to provide funding for disabled people and carers in hardship to take much-needed breaks with the charity.

In support of its appeal, Revitalise is citing recent research which demonstrates the enormous physical and emotional stresses that the UK’s estimated 6.8 million unpaid carers have to contend with.

Revitalise’s study revealed that almost seven out of 10 carers were always tired (69%) and over six out of 10 were mentally exhausted (63%). Six out of 10 (61%) also said they had trouble sleeping and over a third (35%) said they were in chronic or persistent pain.

Four out of 10 (37%) carers also said they felt lonely, evidence, says Revitalise, of the social isolation that many carers feel.

To make matters worse and despite the known therapeutic value of respite, the majority of carers found themselves unable to take any time off from caring, for a variety of different reasons, a common factor being affordability.

In order to provide a respite lifeline for disabled people and carers living in hardship, Revitalise has launched an appeal to raise funds for its Revitalise Support Fund, which enables people in need to take breaks with the charity. Revitalise is urging supporters to donate to the appeal, which can be found on the charity’s website, www.revitalise.org.uk

Chris Simmonds, Revitalise CEO, said: "These days so many of us take so much for granted, including the ability to fly off on holiday, almost at the drop of a hat. But for disabled people and the loved ones who care for them, this basic freedom becomes a financial and logistical nightmare which is all too often out of reach.

“We know that a disproportionate number of disabled people and carers are living in financial hardship, but we also know from our own research just how vital respite breaks are in sustaining caring relationships.

“We found that 96% of our guests and their carers thought proper breaks away were essential to sustaining good caring relationships, yet nine out of 10 carers were unable to gain access to them. We are determined to do something about this situation.

“Revitalise has been providing respite for disabled people and carers for over 50 years, so we know there really is no substitute for time off. That’s why I’m urging everyone to spare what you can for our appeal - and help us make a real difference to the lives of disabled people and the loved ones who care for them.”

Revitalise is a national charity providing respite holidays for disabled people and carers.