The Patient and Family Voice

1. Family Carers Ireland – Who we are
Marian Mahon
National Carers Support Manager
Family Carers Ireland

2. Family Carers Ireland
Who we are:
• Family Carers Ireland is a registered charity emerging from
the coming together of two long standing charities of over
25 years (the Carers Association and Caring for Carers).
• The merger brings the best of both charities together whilst
broadening the range of services and supports to family
carers and set to benefit over 200,000 family carers in
Ireland.
• Carers are at the heart of everything we do.

3. Family Carers Ireland
ACCORDING TO CENSUS 2011
There are 187,112 Family Carers in Ireland. However, trends
since that census indicate a current figure in excess of
200,000.
Family Carers in Ireland provide almost 6.2 million hours of
care each week which equates to a contribution to the Irish
economy of €4 billion each year.
This means the average fulltime Carer contributes €62,000 of
caring work each year.

4. Family Carers Ireland
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What we do:
Family carers provide high levels of care to a range of people
including frail older people, people with severe disabilities,
the terminally ill and children with special needs.
Due to the fact that we are a much larger organisation we are
now in a position to provide even more supports and services
to Family Carers in nearly all of the 26 counties.

5. Family Carers Ireland
We provide:
• In Home Respite Service
• Training and Education
• Information Provision
• Emotional and practical supports to Carers and their Families
• Advocacy and Lobbying
• Membership
• Carers Groups
• Senior Alert Scheme
• Volunteering Programmes

6. Family Carers Ireland
We support Carers by:
• Promoting the interests of family carers and those
receiving care in the home
• Lobbying and advocating in an effort to gain recognition
and social justice for carers' invaluable contribution to
Irish society
• Work in partnership with other organisations to further
the interests and welfare of family carers

7. Family Carers Ireland
The National Freephone Careline
1800 24 07 24
• Family Carers Ireland offers a confidential, friendly and
supportive Care Line. They will listen to your concerns and
offer practical advice on a range of topics.

8. Family Carers Ireland
We provide information on:
• Rights and Entitlements for Carers and their Families
• Carer’s Allowance
• Carer’s Benefit
• Carer’s Support Grant
• Details of our local services in each area
• Training Courses available locally
• Other supports that may be available to Carers/Families

9. Carers Groups allow carers to:
• Share their experiences, feelings ideas, concerns, information
and problems
• Access information on their rights and entitlements
• Act together to highlight carers’ issues with decision makers
• Have a sense of connection and solidarity with other family
carers in similar circumstances
• Have a break from the caring situation
• Relax, socialise and learn from other carer
• Cope from day to day
Family Carers Ireland

10. Goal for Future
• The formation of Family Carers Ireland represents a
significant and positive milestone for Ireland’s approximate
200,000 family carers.
• The Carers Association and Caring for Carers Ireland have
come together to form one stronger, dedicated, carer-
centred organisation.
• The merged organisation, Family Carers Ireland, is more
sustainable, and is in a better position to support, lobby
for, and advocate on behalf of Ireland’s Family Carers into
the future.
Family Carers Ireland