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1 Intergenerational Caregiving: …. More Room for the Carers Please…

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Intergenerational Caregiving:. …. More Room for the Carers Please…. Sharing. On being a carer Intergenerational caregiving My wish list as a Carer. A personal story. Upon returning… Something’s not quite right about Mom… She has got dementia… - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Page 1: Intergenerational Caregiving:

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Intergenerational Caregiving:

…. More Room for the Carers Please…

Page 2: Intergenerational Caregiving:

Sharing

On being a carer

Intergenerational caregiving

My wish list as a Carer

2

Page 3: Intergenerational Caregiving:

A personal story

Upon returning…

Something’s not quite right about Mom…

She has got dementia…

I became a (midlife) Carer… I sometimes deny and resist the role of a carer.

On hindsight …

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Page 4: Intergenerational Caregiving:

Who is a carer? “Someone who gives unpaidunpaid care to a

family member, relative, or friend who is dependent because of age, physical or other disability, illness and who would, if cared for, require support from the state or by some other means.”

(British Medical Association 1995, p.3, cited in NCSS 2004, p.4)

"[s]omeone whose life is in some way restricted… (Carers UK)

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Page 5: Intergenerational Caregiving:

I think I am a Carer …1. Remember you're a carer!

Do I want to be a carer?

2. Include your family and friends What would they say about caregiving? The ‘chosen one’

3. Tell your GP I am quite transparent to the healthcare system.

4. Tell Social Services Tell what? Am suppose to be self-sufficient Resort to only when in crisis proportions !

5[Adapted from Carers UK's guide to the first ten steps to getting support.]

Page 6: Intergenerational Caregiving:

5. Tell people at work Do I get leave entitlement for looking after ageing

parent? I was told by government I have to work this out

with BOSS.

6. Claim my entitlements ??

7. Find my nearest carers group or centre. Who are they and do I want to bear my chest to

them?

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Page 7: Intergenerational Caregiving:

8. Look after myself I am told I run the risk of (1 in 5 carers): back problems, heart disease or mental breakdown,

go without a break, without proper sleep …

9. Think about the future When caring ends it can be extremely hard. By

facing the future and thinking about life after caring you can minimise the shock when the time comes.

10.Support Carers Agencies I think most of the carers programmes help me to be

a better carer …?

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Page 8: Intergenerational Caregiving:

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Comparison between SG & UK population and ageing experiencePopulation & Older People Singapore UK

Racial & ethnic composition Multicultural Mainly White, increasingly multicultural

Ageing population Double in 24 yrs (2030) 17% Double in 50 yrs (2050) 19%

Fastest growing group ≥85 yrs ≥85 yrs

Life expectancy Male 79 yrs, females 83.1 yrs (2010)

Male 78 yrs, females 82 yrs (2010)

Median age of population 37.4 yrs 39 yrs

Total Fertility Rate 1.16children (2010) 1.96 (2009, for England & Wales)

Independence of older people Generally independent except 85 yrs over

Generally independent except those 75 yrs over

Co-residence with family Tend to co-reside with married or unmarried children

Tend to live with spouse/ cohabit or live alone

Institutionalisation Limited & last resortMainly cared for @ home

institutionalisation(move towards ageing in place)

Page 9: Intergenerational Caregiving:

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Characteristics of SG & UK informal carersCharacteristics Singapore UK

Co-resident/ extra resident carers

Spouses and children/children-in-law tend to offer co-resident care

Spouses/cohabitees (co-resident care), Children/children in law (co/extra resident care)

Gender Women carers (esply ≥75), malesPotential carers,

Most physical aspects of caring is done by women

Women main carersMales co-resident to parents/ parents-in-law

Age Aged 30-50 yrs Aged 45-65 yrs

Extent of caregiving Limited information Recent research interests and efforts

Co-resident caregivers (tend to provide intense caregiving)

Impact of caregiving on health

Little impact Mental stresses, physical injuries, social needs, etc.

Extent of research on

informal carers

Begun in 1995 (National Survey of Senior Citizens) but confined to older adults.

Recent efforts at researching carers’ background and needs.

Begun since1980s – data on informal carers collected

Govt., carers’ agenceis, universities

Page 10: Intergenerational Caregiving:

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Ten facts about caring (Carers UK) 2010 6 million people (1 in 10 adults are carers)

Carers: 58% women, 42% are men

≥ 3 million people juggle care with work (1 in 8)

Carers retire 8 years earlier (Average)

Every year over 2 million people become carers

By 2037 - 9 million carers

Carers UK: the voice of carers, Ten facts about caring, [Online], Available from: http://www.carersuk.org/Aboutus/Tenfactsaboutcaring, [9-March-2011].

Page 11: Intergenerational Caregiving:

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Ten facts about caring (Carers UK) 2010 1.25 million people provide over 50 hours of care per

week (20%)

People providing high levels of care are twice as likely to be permanently sick or disabled.

≥ 1 million people care for > one person

The main carer’s benefit is £45 for a minimum of 35 hours, equivalent to £1.26 per hour.

Carers save the economy Carers save the economy £67- £ 87 billion per £67- £ 87 billion per year.year.

Carers UK: the voice of carers, Ten facts about caring, [Online], Available from: http://www.carersuk.org/Aboutus/Tenfactsaboutcaring, [9-March-2011].

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Need to care for Carers? … Carers can make a difference..

But are often unnoticed…

“Carers have no recognition in society. When you ring to arrange insurance, and the question of occupation arises, there is no appropriate box to tick. I am not unemployed ... I object strongly to that. I work extremely hard ... but this work has no apparent value“

British context

Page 13: Intergenerational Caregiving:

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SUPPORTING OLDER SINGAPOREANS

… MCYS will continue to support the social, mental and physical well-being of the growing proportion of older Singaporeans. We will create more programmes for the elderly to be engaged in society, as remaining active after retirement is critical to their well-being. MCYS will also facilitate the development of a "silver industrysilver industry" to cater to the economic and social aspirations of increasingly better-educated retirees.

Many frail elderly are cared for by family Many frail elderly are cared for by family members. These carers in turn members. These carers in turn deserve our deserve our supportsupport. MYCS will place emphasis on . MYCS will place emphasis on caregivers' programmes, to help caregivers' programmes, to help meet the meet the carers' needscarers' needs..

Ministry of Community Development, Youth & SportsAddendum to the President's Address

Dr Vivian Balakrishnan Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth & Sports

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/cna/parliament/opening_2005/addenda_mcys.htm

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NCSS – Target areas for specialisation NCSS – Target areas for specialisation – training caregivers & trainers of caregivers …– training caregivers & trainers of caregivers …

Recognising caregivers’ stressors pertinent to certain caregiving service areas and hence need specialised professional support…

Caregivers of people with / dementia

requiring palliative care

Mental illness

Parents of children with special needs

Single parents

(NCSS 2004, pp.7-8, 2010)

Page 15: Intergenerational Caregiving:

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Need for Research Need for Research Research informs policy.

We need more nationally-representative datanationally-representative data for Singapore.

Data collection should be based on real needsreal needs and concerns of older adults and their carers.

PartnershipPartnership between researchers, service sector, and policy makers will enhance data collection quality.

Chan, A. 2-Sep-2005, Formal & informal intergenerational support transfers in Southeast Asia, Lecture given in the 6th ASEAN Gerontology Course, Furama Hotel, Singapore.

Page 16: Intergenerational Caregiving:

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Policy implications arising out of researchPolicy implications arising out of research

Policies that allow older persons to remain economically and physically independenteconomically and physically independent will reduce stress on the family.

Policies that recognise the burden on middle aged burden on middle aged adult childrenadult children to support 2 generations will be most effective.

Such policies should focus on emotional, financial emotional, financial and time constraintsand time constraints faced by informal caregivers.

Chan, A. 2-Sep-2005, Formal & informal intergenerational support transfers in Southeast Asia,

Lecture given in the 6th ASEAN Gerontology Course, Furama Hotel, Singapore.

Page 17: Intergenerational Caregiving:

Some recommendations Clear stand on recognition of the carer’s role.

Framework to guide policy and programmes Provide more coherence to programme initiatives

Include carers in the healthcare system

Worker’s Leave to incorporate care of older adults Pressing need as population ages

Flexibility in work arrangements with carers

More prominent effort for programmes for carers. Engage Carers: Guidelines (e.g. 10 steps guide to caring) Some element of assessment for carers to point them in the direction of support system

at the start. Carers-2-Carer Support, centres, discussion boards and blogs.

Filter ground reality to policy makers

http://www.carers.org/what-carers-centre-0 (10-Mar-11)

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Don’t wait for carers to reach crisis point before support is sought/given.

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References Chadwick, S. 2001, Caring is detrimental to health: fact or fallacy? A

quantitative study of the health of carers, M.Sc. dissertation, King’s College,

University of London, London. Chan, A. 2-Sep-2005, Formal & informal intergenerational support transfers

in Southeast Asia, Lecture given in the 6th ASEAN Gerontology Course,

Furama Hotel, Singapore. CarersUK., [Online], Available from:

http://www.carersuk.org/Information/Newtocaring , [6-Mar-2011]. Department of Statistics, Online], [Available

from:http://www.singstat.gov.sg/pubn/catalogue.html#demo, [9-Mar-2011]. Mehta, K. [ud], National Council of Social Service 2004, Specialised caregiver services – a

guide for service providers, [Online], Available from: http://www.ncss.org.sg/ncss/lib/publications/caregivers_guide.pdf, [23-Feb-2005].

Rowlands, A, Dec 05-Jan06, “Building resilience of family caregivers’, in Social Service Journal, vol 14, Singapore, NCSS.