Responding to an Age UK report on how more than one million carers aged 70 and over have taken on an increased burden of responsibility during the pandemic, Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, said:
“Every part of the care and support sector is under intense pressure due to the current crisis and councils are doing all they can to support carers and those they care for through this.
“Our care system could not survive without the contribution of unpaid carers, including those aged 70 and over, who provide vital support for thousands of people every day. Councils fully recognise their crucial role and they supported or assessed more than 345,000 unpaid carers in 2018/19.
“Unpaid caring can be extremely rewarding but we know it can also be a real strain – emotionally, physically and financially, especially during this pandemic, which is why councils are committed to doing all they can to support them.
“Pressures just to maintain existing standards of care and support continue to rise and this is why we need a long-term, sustainable solution for adult social care as soon as possible.”
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