Elissa, Jay THANK YOU, for brilliantly articulating the paradoxes that lie within caregiving.
I agree with all these 'false binaries.'
I wholeheartedly agree that the narrative needs to shift to refocus care as a societal need and norm. I've been a caregiver since 2015, first supporting my Mother care for my Father to his passing in 2020, and since then through my Mum's cancer treatment. I made a head-heart-gut aligned decision to resign from a Global VP position to do this.
Here in the UK, I have not seen any actions or political motivation to reform social care, change policy or provide meaningful support for caregivers.
-social care reforms have been delayed to a 'committee review' 1st reporting next year & final in 2028. Many experts believe the needs and actions have already been articulated in previous reports and committees. (FYI, currently, the UK government debt is over 95% of GDP)
- In 2022, the Centre for Care published new research on valuing carers. This found
that the economic value of the support provided by unpaid carers in England and
Wales is an estimated £162 billion per year, 29% more in real terms than 2011.
Carers UK estimate that this is roughly equivalent to the budget for NHS health
service spending which was £156bn in England in 2020/21 according to Kings Fund
Thanks for posting this, and for such a thoughtful seminar!
Thanks for writing it and processing it all so brilliantly!
Yes! Everything about this is right, right, right.
Elissa, Jay THANK YOU, for brilliantly articulating the paradoxes that lie within caregiving.
I agree with all these 'false binaries.'
I wholeheartedly agree that the narrative needs to shift to refocus care as a societal need and norm. I've been a caregiver since 2015, first supporting my Mother care for my Father to his passing in 2020, and since then through my Mum's cancer treatment. I made a head-heart-gut aligned decision to resign from a Global VP position to do this.
Here in the UK, I have not seen any actions or political motivation to reform social care, change policy or provide meaningful support for caregivers.
-social care reforms have been delayed to a 'committee review' 1st reporting next year & final in 2028. Many experts believe the needs and actions have already been articulated in previous reports and committees. (FYI, currently, the UK government debt is over 95% of GDP)
- In 2022, the Centre for Care published new research on valuing carers. This found
that the economic value of the support provided by unpaid carers in England and
Wales is an estimated £162 billion per year, 29% more in real terms than 2011.
Carers UK estimate that this is roughly equivalent to the budget for NHS health
service spending which was £156bn in England in 2020/21 according to Kings Fund
research.