Action plan to help vital elderly carers

Published on Sunday 8 June 2008 22:10

A GENERATION of disabled people will face an uncertain future when they outlive their elderly carers, a charity has warned.

Enable Scotland is issuing an action plan to local authorities today, calling for them to support the country's ageing network of carers.

Its chairman, Alex Russell, said: "This is the first generation of people with learning disabilities who will outlive their parents. We need to look at what will happen to these people when their families are no longer around.

"Just as importantly, we need to think about the pressures older carers face now and find ways of supporting them."

The action plan was drawn up in a report, Living from Day to Day, released to mark the first day of Carers Week.

The report urges local authorities to identify and prioritise older carers, and create proper planning for emergencies and the long-term future.

It also calls on councils to appoint a specialist worker dedicated to supporting older carers and to co-ordinate with health boards.

Mr Russell – who cares for his disabled daughter – said: "We have revealed how caring affects people's lives, but we want councils to find out more about the numbers of people affected and to look at ways of supporting them in a co- ordinated and sensitive way.

"As well as the local authority response, we hope we can inspire carers themselves to make plans for the future."

&#149 Young carers were yesterday hailed as a "lifeline" for their parents and for other adults by the public health minister, Shona Robison.

More than 100,000 are thought to be providing "vital support" for their peers in Scotland.

Ms Robison outlined government measures aimed at providing support.