Wiltshire carers at risk of isolation, support charity says
A study has found we become lonelier as we age
A carer's charity in Wiltshire has told Greatest Hits Radio that people in unpaid caring roles are at risk of becoming lonely in later life.
It comes as a study in found loneliness in adulthood increases as we get older, despite the midlife years (40-65) seeing the lowest levels of isolation.
Carer Support Wiltshire (CSW) told us they recognise the issue of loneliness, especially for carers, who can become cut off from social groups as a result of their role.
"Sometimes the isolation of their caring role can mean that they kind of retract from society even more and kind of fold in within themselves," Charity Manager at CSW, Victoria Williamson said.
She added: "When that caring role possibly comes to an end, all those networks and social aspects have gone because they've been a carer for so for so long."
The charity offers a number of services to try and alleviate the sense of isolation a carer might feel, including the carer's café meetup's and peer support groups, including specialist groups put on in partnership with Dorothy House and Prospect House Hospice to offer bereavement help points.
Victoria told is that a carers mental health can deteriorate if they become lonely, which can have an impact on the person they're caring for, which she says no one benefits from.
"By supporting and helping the unpaid carer that gives them possibly that boost to be able to put that energy back into their caring role and make sure that the person they're caring for is also receiving that social aspect," she said.
It's important that the relationship doesn't become that of 'carer and cared for' and can remain husband and wife, brother and sister, or whatever it may be.
And through the various support services CSW offers, carers are able to access crucial respite but also expand their social circles, while the person they care for is also hopefully getting a chance to interact with other people.
Victoria urged everyone in the midlife age range, whether they are a carer or not, to keep their social circles as active as possible.
"As you get older when kind of maybe you've retired or the kids have gone to university or anything like that you're then that situation of 'who am I now?'" she said.
This is especially important for carers as they will spend a lot of their time concerned with the welfare of others, sometimes neglecting their own issues as a result.