Who cares? A statement that can be both insult and plea. What is it ‘to care’? A loaded question? Perhaps. To care is to worry about, to look after, to be fond of; it is the guardianship of what we value.

The care sector is a varied one comprising state, private and voluntary organisations. It is a sector in crisis and this crisis will eventually impact all of us either because when we need them, services will no longer be available, or the cost of providing services becomes financially unviable either for us as individuals or for the state.

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Herefordshire Council’s newly adopted carers strategy highlights that there are 17,000 known unpaid carers in the county. Yet we know more are hidden as they do not realise that they are carers, they’re just looking after what they value. A significant number of us are carers - 10 per cent of us, young, working age and older.

When our caring responsibilities become burdensome, they impact our opportunities, prevent us from living well, can isolate us and can impact our mental and physical health. The challenge that faces us all now, is how do we reverse this crisis? We need to ask ourselves, “What are the adaptations might we need to consider to enable all carers to live well”? They won’t be the same.

What are your thoughts?

You can send a letter to the editor to have your say by clicking here.

Letters should not exceed 250 words and local issues take precedence.

The needs of a working age carer will be different to those of a young person who’s struggling to keep up with their education and different again from an older person trying to retain the dignity of those they love. The first thing we might do as employees, employers, managers and educators, is to ask who among us are carers.

We could follow this with a question around what we might, as leaders, do to adapt the way we operate to enable the carers amongst us to care well. Showing we care gives people value, acknowledges the challenges they face, increases community, reduces isolation. It can maintain staff retention, student attainment and gives us value as we age.

Caring well will save us all money, make us feel good and ensures guardianship of all we value in Herefordshire – our community.

KATIE EASTAUGH

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, THE CART SHED CHARITY