Bluebird Care shines a light on unpaid carers

To mark National Carers Week this year, local home care teams took time out of their busy schedules to visit unpaid carers in the local community.

Bluebird Care teams across Reading, Wokingham, Windsor, Maidenhead, and Bracknell wanted to recognise the hard work and dedication of those providing unpaid care for their family, friends or loved ones, by gifting them ‘thank you’ cards and house plants.

There are currently an estimated five million unpaid carers in the UK today, who too often go unnoticed, and have to balance the emotional and physical demands of caring for a loved one with the stresses of jobs and daily life.

Hundreds of thousands of people are supported everyday by professional care services like Bluebird Care, who offer home and specialist care support for people living in the local area. Yet, many of them also rely on the support of loved ones in order to live healthy, fulfilled lives.

Janet, 63, Tilehurst, is one of those unpaid carers in our local community, who currently supports her son, Adam, and her husband, Bob.

Janet has supported Bob since 2015. A stroke affected his communication, and when he developed pneumonia several years later, he was left with long-lasting effects including heart failure which has limited his mobility.

In addition to this, Janet’s son Adam has autism and epilepsy and requires support and care.

Janet, a local unpaid carer, said: “Anyone who has cared for a loved one knows that it can be tough at times – and there’s definitely a lot of worry involved about who would support Bob and Adam if I were no longer able to. It was lovely to receive a ‘thank you’ from the team at Bluebird Care and to feel that support.

Bob used to really struggle with other people coming in, but he’s now got some really fantastic relationships with the team at Bluebird Care who come to help us out.

When the Bluebird Care team are in, it means that I’m able to have a bit of time back and visit other family or just spend time out and about alone knowing that Bob’s in safe hands.”

Unpaid carers like Janet time and again go unrecognised for the vital care they provide to relatives, neighbours, or friends. Bluebird Care teams across Reading, Wokingham, Windsor, Maidenhead, and Bracknell took Carers Week 2024 as an opportunity to shine a spotlight on their fantastic work and commitment.