Behind the care: exploring the lived experience of carers
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An increase in feedback to Healthwatch Herefordshire about the realities of being a carer in Herefordshire led to the undertaking of this piece of research. They interviewed 24 carers to explore the lived experience of carers, focusing on the personal, emotional and social aspects of caregiving.
- Carers talked about emotional and psychological stress caused by the stresses and anxieties of caring but also having to witness the decline in a loved one’s health or wellbeing.
- They also recounted physical strain and health issues – the role of a carer is often physically demanding which can lead to chronic health problems and injuries.
- They experienced financial problems and social isolation often created from the demands of caregiving limiting their time to maintain social connections, leading to loneliness.
- caregivers struggle balancing their caregiving roles with other roles such as being a spouse, parent or employee. Often leading to stress.
- Difficulty navigating healthcare systems – having to ‘wear many hats’ or ‘tell their story more than once’ to navigate the different healthcare organisations involved, this can become overwhelming and time consuming.
- They found that their views or opinions weren't considered or valued by professionals.
- They had limited access to respite care – Herefordshire doesn’t have adequate respite services to provide temporary relief for caregiving duties.