ABOUT CAREGIVING
What is a caregiver?
A caregiver is an individual who provides help and support for someone who is dependent on them, (this person is often called the care-recipient). There are different types of caregivers
Formal caregivers
These are paid health and social care professionals such as Nurses and care assistants who provide care in hospitals, hospices, the community and people’s homes.
Informal caregivers / Familial caregivers
These are family members (spouses, siblings, children, in –laws) or friends who provide unpaid care for someone close to them.
Yet many people providing such care do not identify themselves as caregivers they see it as a normal part of life. The level of care and the quality provided by family members often surpasses that of formal care providers. However the importance of such care provision and the needs of informal caregivers often goes unrecognised despite the fact that such care provision saves the NHS approximately 57 billion pounds per year.
You are an informal / familial caregiver if you provide one or more of the following types of support:
Emotional support ~ listening to the person you care for, comforting them when they are distressed, discussing various issues with them
Instrumental support ~ providing transport to appointments, running errands, doing their shopping
Practical support ~ feeding, bathing, dressing, toileting