Carer Support South Lakes is a Kendal-based charity providing services and support to children and adults who, unpaid, care for others. At any one time they can be supporting a six-year-old, who is helping to look after a sibling, parent or grandparent, or a man in his fifties caring for his wife who has cancer - right up to an 80-year-old caring for a sister with dementia. The charity estimates there are more than 12,000 carers in the South Lakes area, and they currently support 1,350, only a fraction. A carer is anyone who cares, unpaid, for a friend or family member who, due to illness, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction, cannot cope without their support.
CARER charities across Cumbria have welcomed the news that unpaid carers have been added as a priority group in the Covid-19 vaccination programme. Unpaid carers were included in new Covid-19 vaccination advice issued on December 31, from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). Mike Seaton from Carers Support Cumbria and Carer Support South Lakes said the news means people who care for older, disabled and seriously ill relatives will be amongst the first to receive the vaccination. Vaccination advice now lists unpaid carers as a priority six group, out of nine, although some carers will also meet the criteria of more urgent groups. That includes care home residents and staff, front line health and social care workers, those over 65 and extremely vulnerable individuals added Mr Seaton.