During Carers Week 2020 Together in Dementia Everyday (tide) is inviting health and care services, schools, employers and businesses across the community to recognise the vital contribution made by unpaid carers. Tide is a UK-wide charity focusing exclusively on ensuring that carers of people with dementia use their voices and that as a society, we reflect and respond to their unique needs. This week we are making our carers visible by sharing just some of their stories. There are 700,000 unpaid carers of people living with dementia in the UK, whose contribution to the care economy is estimated to be at least £13.9bn that makes up 40% of the dementia workforce. This year our Carers have been faced with more challenging situations than usual, with many of the face to face support groups having to be stopped. In response to this tide has established a Covid-19 Hub on our website, providing information and activities to enable carers to remain connected and well informed including a specific set of resources for carers and people from Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities. We have offered other ways to keep in touch including a Facebook private group, virtual coffee mornings and a weekly quiz. As well as sharing our stories this week we are holding The Big Coffee Morning Wednesday 10th June at 10.30am, giving all carers of people with dementia a chance to connect. Anna Gaughan, Chief Executive of tide said,

“ Given the important contribution that carers of people with dementia make to the care system, without which it would simply implode, Carers Week is vital in Making Cares Visible. It has never been more important that governments as well as employers and policymakers, take action to recognise that carers of people with dementia are individuals in their own right, and not simply an adjunct to the person they are caring for”

On behalf of the Carers Week charities, Helen Walker, Chief Executive of Carers UK, said:

“This year it is more important than ever to raise the profile of caring and recognise the enormous contribution made by unpaid carers, who throughout the COVID-19 outbreak have played an essential role supporting friends and family who are older, disabled or seriously ill. I am delighted that so many individuals and organisations are getting involved with virtual activities, helping carers to connect to others and access advice and information."

Here at tide we will continue to work with carers of people with dementia so that they can collectively use their caring experience, assert and claim their rights now and in the future. For Carers Week 2020 charity Carers UK is joining forces with Age UK, Carers Trust, Motor Neurone Disease Association, Oxfam GB and Rethink Mental Illness to help raise awareness of caring around the country. The headline sponsor is British Gas, part of Centrica, and Nutricia Advanced Medical Nutrition is the supporting sponsor. The six charities driving Carers Week 2020 are calling on individuals, services and organisations to do their part in Making Caring Visible – helping carers get the practical, financial and emotional support they need to care for a loved one. Hundreds of activities are taking place across the country during Carers Week and many people have already Added Their Voice to make caring visible this year. To find out more about tide visit https://www.tide.uk.net/news-events/ To see some of our carer’s stories visit https://www.tide.uk.net/join_tide/experiences-stories/ Media contact If you would like to interview a local carer, or would like further information on tide, please contact Vicki@tide.uk.net Tel: 0151 237 2669 / Mobile: 0771 9986951

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Notes to Editors About Carers Week 2020 Carers Week will take place from 8-14 June 2020 across the UK. Carers Week, established by Carers UK 26 years ago, is an annual awareness campaign which takes place to celebrate and recognise the vital contribution made by the UK’s 6.5 million carers. It is also a time of intensive local activity with hundreds of activities planned for carers across the UK. Website: www.carersweek.org Twitter: @CarersWeek #carersweek Facebook: www.facebook.com/CarersWeek About Tide We empower carers by recognising them as experts by experience. tide aims to equip carers with the tools and confidence to use their knowledge and experience in a positive way so that other carers can benefit from their strength, make their voice heard and bring about real change. tide is a free network open to any carer, or former carer, of someone living with dementia. Each individual’s experience is valuable and welcomed Our work with people with dementia has shown that the phrase “Dementia sufferers”, or using the word suffering to describe dementia has a strongly negative view from people with the condition. We would request that you avoid using the phrase in headlines or in any article you publish to combat the negative way that people with dementia feel the condition is described. Find out more about the wok of tide, visit www.tide.uk.net/ Thanks to our funders & partners   What is a carer? A carer is someone who provides unpaid care and support to a family member or friend who has a disability, mental or physical illness, substance misuse issue, or who needs extra help as they grow older. For some, taking on a caring role can be sudden: someone in your family has an accident or your child is born with a disability. For others, caring responsibilities can grow gradually over time: your parents can’t manage on their own any longer or your partner’s mental or physical health gradually worsens. The amount and type of support that carers provide varies considerably. It can range from a few hours a week, such as picking up prescriptions and preparing meals, to providing emotional support or personal care day and night. Caring will touch each and every one of us in our lifetime, whether we become a carer or need care ourselves. Whilst caring can be a rewarding experience, it can also have a huge impact on a person’s health, finances and relationships.