Ireland's families acknowledge the care provided by 370,000 family carers

As we mark today, the UN International Day of Families, 12 not-for-profit organisations in Ireland are coming together to announce plans for the 13^th National Carers Week, which this year takes place on June 10^th-16^th.

Recent independent data confirmed that 10% of the adult population are providing unpaid care to someone – due to old age, illness or disability. This means that approximately 370,000 people in Ireland are family carers.

Co-ordinator of the week, Mr. Kevin Deegan, of Care Alliance Ireland said;

“With less than four weeks to go to the week, we have already engaged with thousands of family carers via social media and look forward to the exciting range of events being planned by our partners across the country for Ireland’s 370,000 family carers.”

Family carers provide care and support to a person with a disability, chronic conditions, mental health concern and/or long-term illness, in the persons own home. National Carers Week, now in its thirteenth year, is coordinated by Care Alliance Ireland in partnership with eleven other leading Irish charities who support Family Carers: the Alzheimer Society, the Central Remedial Clinic (CRC), Family Carers Ireland, the Irish Cancer Society, the Disability Federation, MS Ireland, Acquired Brain Injury Ireland, the Irish Hospice Foundation, St. Michaels House, Special Needs Parents Association and Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Ireland.

For more figures and data on family carers in Ireland see http://www.carealliance.ie/userfiles/file/Infographic%20CA%20Final.pdf

For further information, contact: Kevin Deegan 085 852 9352 e-mail: info@carersweek.ie