Women are bearing the brunt of the Government's inaction on social care with 'sandwich carers' especially badly hit
On International Women’s Day 2019 Age UK warns that women are generally being hurt the most by the lack of care and support. Alzheimer’s Society comments:
Sally Copley, Director of Policy and Campaigns at Alzheimer’s Society, said: “This latest data reinforces the extent to which hundreds of thousands of people, predominantly women, are propping up a broken care system. People with dementia are the biggest recipients of social care, so they are disproportionately affected. Two thirds of carers are women, and we know they are more likely to have depression or to give up work too.
“Through our Fix Dementia Care Campaign, we have heard from many who have been worn down emotionally, physically and financially trying to juggle the extra pressures of being a sandwich carer. One woman looking after two autistic children and her mother with dementia told us she had to be signed off sick because she was experiencing mental health issues as a result.
“People with dementia and their loved ones are struggling needlessly. We need the Government to make bold reform and place significant investment in social care. Otherwise people with dementia and their carers will continue to shoulder the catastrophic cost.”
