This one-day event will bring together academics, health and social care professionals, students and family carers in a conference-style seminar which will ask the question “What next for the National Carers Strategy in Ireland?”
Family Carers in Ireland experience a significantly greater risk than non-carer population cohorts of experiencing multiple health concerns. These include increased likelihood of anxiety, depression and other mental health concerns; increased risk of back pain and strain; and greater risk of high blood pressure and heart problems. The National Carers Strategy (2012) has provided leverage to progress actions within the HSE and other related systems and departments across the policy sphere in Ireland to address these issues and to implement policies and actions that seek to improve the wellbeing of Ireland’s 360,000 family carers. However, the current National Carers Strategy is now in need of renewal, having been written during a time of significant fiscal challenge, and populated by almost exclusively cost neutral policies and actions.
Any new or refreshed Strategy must be developed from a foundation of empirical and grounded research, in order to maximise the health and social care improvements that can be delivered for Ireland’s family carers and those for whom they provide significant care. This event will contribute to the discussion surrounding these issues with a firm basis in recent, current and proposed research.
