Croydon carer'The world’s going on around me and I’m not able to tap into it.’
No one should have to care alone
Loneliness can affect anyone, but carers are particularly at risk. According to research by the national carers’ charity Carers UK, eight in ten unpaid carers have felt lonely or isolated because of their caring role.
If left unchecked, loneliness can be devastating. Research shows that lacking meaningful social connections is as damaging to our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day (Holt-Lunstad, 2015).
Carer who uses the Carers Support Centre‘A sympathetic ear does wonders on the ability to cope when tired and alone.’
Our research
As part of the Carers Week 2018 campaign to help carers get Healthy and Connected, we surveyed 124 carers and conducted nine in-depth on caring and loneliness in Croydon.
Our research found:
- 64% of carers said that caring stopped them from socialising as much as they wanted to for most or all of the time.
- 45% felt lonely or isolated because of their caring role most or all of the time.
- 78% of carers who used the Carers Support Centre said it helped them feel less lonely and isolated.
- 53% said that increased access to respite breaks from caring would reduce their loneliness; followed by support for the person being cared for (52%); increased disability and carer awareness from professionals (44%); and the general public (37%).
Read our full report: No one should have to care alone: caring and loneliness in Croydon
