The vast majority of unpaid carers say their health has deteriorated since taking on their role, a new survey has found.
The State of Caring report 2024-2025, published by Crossroads and the Department of Health and Social Care, reveals that 85% of respondents said their health had suffered. Of those, 37% said their health had suffered “significantly”.
One carer told researchers: “Carring is draining, both physically and mentally. I am a resilient person, but there are days when I want to just sit down and cry.”
Another said: “Mentally it’s difficult. I feel like I’m drowning.”
Stressed
The survey of 370 carers found that 76% were worried about feeling tired, while 74% felt anxious or stressed.
More than half (58%) said they did not have time to prioritise their own physical and mental health, and 56% were concerned about getting enough sleep.
Only 15% of carers rated their physical health as “bad” or “very bad”, though 44% described it as “fair”. For mental health, 18% said it was “bad” or “very bad”, with 43% rating it as “fair”.
One carer added: “I am constantly tired and feel isolated. I am worried all the time.”
Just 14% of respondents said their health had not changed since becoming a carer, and only 1% said their health had improved.
The findings come after Tynwald approved a new Carers Strategy 2024-2034 in June, which aims to better support carers on the island.