THOUSANDS of men who shy away from asking for help are being urged to seek support as they struggle to care for their loved ones at home.
More than 40 per cent of unpaid carers in Darlington and County Durham are men but too few seek support from a leading charity set up to help them.
Durham County Carers Support works tirelessly to help people who look after their friends and family at home who are living with long-term health conditions.
They act as a signposting organisation to countless services, grants, discounts, benefits and respite care to ease the burden of unofficial carers who save the country millions of pounds a year by looking after the sick outside of a clinical setting.
Now, DCCS has launched a campaign targeting men to try and dispel the myths that only women care and men can solider on without support.
DCCS’s Sharon Bell said: “Our figures show that almost half of these carers are not getting any support. We wanted to know why men aren’t registering and we found that there are lots of reasons.
“They don’t see themselves as carers because they feel they are just helping out their family, so they don’t recognise they can receive support. Many said that they also see asking for help as a sign of weakness.”
Easington mental health and development co-ordinator Anthony Douglass added: “Is it something to do with the word ‘care’ which is nurturing and therefore a feminine thing. We need to dispel this myth as we see so many men caring and there is so much we can offer them. We want to make it clear that we are there to support all carers regardless of gender and background.
“It is confidential. We don’t come along and plant a big flag in your front garden. It’s just so you know that if you find you need support there is someone you can contact. You might not need help now but we are there if you need us in the future.”
DCCS can also help men with carer breaks, offering a range of activities from fishing and sailing to axe throwing, football and cricket.
Sharon said: “They may only want to be registered for information only and, if so, they will still receive a Carers Discount Card.
“What men don’t realise is that support and a break from caring is vital to their good health without which they won’t be able to look after their families. We are going to continue this because it is a big deal. Together we can show that men care too. ”
For more information on registering visit https://dccarers.org/men-care-too/.
