FINANCIAL CARE BURDEN

ONE in five (19%) people caring for stroke survivors have not accessed any form of help after their lives were turned upside down overnight, according to new figures published today by the Stroke Association.

The charity has also found that 40% of stroke carers who had been caring for more than three years report feeling exhausted and around one in three stressed or anxious.

Despite this, more than a third of people caring for stroke survivors (35%) receive no emotional support, with a devastating impact on their health and wellbeing.

There are currently over 1.2 million stroke survivors in the UK and this number is predicted to rise to 2.1 million in 2035. The charity is warning that stroke carers are coming under increasing pressure to manage their own daily needs while caring for their loved ones, and the situation is likely to get worse.

The Stroke Association’s Lived Experience report is the UK’s largest ever survey of people affected by stroke with over 11,000 responses. The third chapter (of four), Caring for a stroke survivor: what carers need, reveals: ● Stroke carers are struggling to cope: almost half (47%) of the carers who did not have any support said that they were not offered any help, or did not know where to start. ● Stroke carers are feeling isolated: Over a quarter (27%) of carers said there were not enough support groups for them.

Lives change in an instant after a stroke. Overnight, a partner becomes an unpaid carer.

We know that thousands of people all over the UK are dedicating their lives to caring for loved ones, whose speech, independence, emotional wellbeing or personality could be affected after a stroke.

And as these new figures show, over time, taking on the role of carers often comes at the cost of their own health. Sadly, far too many people are facing this devastating situation alone and unsupported. The number of stroke survivors is set to rise by almost one million people by 2035. So this problem is only set to get worse.

The Lived Experience Of Stroke report exposes the realities of living with stroke. The Stroke Association wants everyone affected by stroke to have access to the support that they need, when they need it.

There are currently over 1.2 million stroke survivors in the UK, and over half (62%) of those surveyed said they had relied on the help of an unpaid carer at some point since their stroke. The findings also reveal that:

Stroke carers are facing financial hardship: over a quarter (27%) of carers said they did not receive enough support on Carer’s Allowance/benefits

Caring for stroke survivors is not shared equally between women and men, with more women (68%) taking on the role of carer. Carers need support, advice and information to help them balance caring while taking care of their own wellbeing.

We need to make sure that every person who cares for a stroke survivor has the right emotional, financial and practical support in place.

For example, every carer is entitled to a Carer’s Assessment from their local authority, to make sure they have the help and support they need. that is needed.