Researches say that an exhausted, overstretched generation of carers are in need of emotional support themselves.
A report from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) says more than a quarter of such “sandwich carers” are suffering from depression or stress. “Sandwich carers” look after their elderly parents and their children. There are 1.3 million people in the UK with multi-generational caring responsibilities, many of them feel ignored and undervalued. The level of mental health increases with the amount of care given.
The ONS says the number in this “sandwich” generation is often people in their 40s and 50s and are being increased by a combination of women having children in later life and longer life expectancy. Reports warn about the hidden pressures being carried by these mid-life carers with warnings that they can be worn down emotionally, physically and financially.
The majority of carers in these carer positions are female but almost half of these women feel like they cannot work as many hours as they would like to. Many feels like they can just get by financially. Women sandwich carers are much more likely to be economically inactive than men.
For those with more than 20 hours per week of caring a third is suffering with some kind of mental health problem which is stretched out over many years. They risk becoming isolated, running out money and constantly being under pressure.
Those providing between 10 and 19 hours of adult care per week are least satisfied according to both measures, this could be because 69% of carers in the 10 to 19 hour category are either employed or self-employed.The people that are most often neglected are carers themselves due to their time and schedule being limited. 41% of sandwich carers looking after a relative within their home say they are unable to work as much or cannot work at all.
