Hearing the carer ’ s voice

As an occupational therapy learner , Lisa Waight went on placement to a carers centre . Here she reflects on the challenges for healthcare professionals to identify and support informal carers , and offers some suggestions to overcome them .

B eing a carer happens to you . You don ’ t really choose it . These are the words of a carer attending the carer peer support group I facilitated during my final year placement .

Anyone can become an informal carer , at any time , and at pretty much any age . An informal carer is someone who cares for others and is not paid by a local authority or a company ( Carers UK 2024 ).

They can be a parent , partner , neighbour , co-worker , student , friend , sibling or child , who looks after an individual with a disability , long-term illness , mental health disorder , or drug or alcohol misuse .

Caring can involve different tasks , such as washing , dressing , toileting and giving medication , making sure bills are paid , or providing emotional support .

In 2022 to 2023 , it was estimated that 8 % of UK residents ( 5.1 million people ) were informal carers . This is a 1 % increase from 2021 to 2022 . Females are more likely to be informal carers ( 9 % of the UK population or 3.1 million women ) than

26 OTnews January 2025