A discussion paper to accompany the publication of the ‘Living and Caring?’ research, which considers the implications of the research findings for policymakers.
This report explores the implications of ‘Living and Caring? An Investigation of the Experiences of Older Carers’ for public policy.
The report looks at the fundamental ‘big picture’ questions around care provision and society. Why does unpaid care exist? Why is it a ‘problem’ for public policy? What should be the scope of policy to help carers? How do we make sense of the different outcomes that older carers experience?
The report looks at the ‘social construction of unpaid among older cohorts’, its gendered nature and its concentration in relatively few individuals. It argues that although specific policy measures may address the quality of life of older carers, improving outcomes for carers will ultimately depend on increasing the volume of care provision – both formal and unpaid – in society.
Both this report and the ‘Living and Caring?’ research were made possible by the Nuffield Foundation.