Home care provider Mears to create 120 Lothians jobs

Mears, the provider of home care and support services, is to embark on a “major” recruitment drive to double its presence across Edinburgh and the Lothians.

Mears is creating 120 jobs across Edinburgh and the Lothians

The firm said the move – which will create 120 jobs – is the result of an ageing population and the rapidly growing demand for care-at-home services.

Theresa Cull, regional director for Mears in Scotland, said: “The increasing number of people requiring support means that demand for home care services is growing at an extraordinary rate, with more and more families realising that this is a viable and affordable alternative to residential care, or nursing homes.

“A little bit of help can go a long way towards maintaining an independent lifestyle, and this is exactly where we fit in. Our employees support people with some of the everyday tasks we all take for granted, such as bathing, domestic chores and cooking meals.”

Recent figures show that more than four million people over the age of 65 in the UK – around one in two – have some sort of care need, and about two million have difficulty with one or more daily tasks, such as washing, dressing, cooking or eating.

By 2037, the number of people in Scotland aged over 70 will increase by 50 per cent and the number of those over 75 will increase by 80 per cent.