Support needed for family carers in Waterford
The Heart of Gold pin campaign is running in June for Family Carers Ireland. Stock image
Family Carers Ireland is calling on the public to give their support to the thousands of carers in Waterford during this year's Heart of Gold campaign which runs throughout June.
There are currently 14,406 family carers in Waterford providing round-the-clock care for loved ones who are ill, elderly or have additional needs.
A spokesperson for Family Carers Ireland highlighted how such carers often do their work unpaid, unseen and exhausted.
"These family carers hold their families together under immense pressure and isolation," said the spokesperson.
"They form the backbone of our communities and our health services and yet many are struggling in silence," she added.
To recognise and support them, Family Carers Ireland is urging the public to buy a Heart of Gold pin, priced €2, during the campaign in June which will culminate in Heart of Gold Day on Thursday, June 12,
during National Carers Week.
Each €2 gold heart sold helps towards funding essential services for family carers, including respite breaks, counselling, the National Freephone Careline, local drop-in centres, peer support groups, and training. "These are not just services, they are lifelines that help family carers cope with the daily realities of their role," said the spokesperson.
This year our Heart of Gold campaign is supported by Lidl Ireland, with gold hearts available in all 186 Lidl stores nationwide during the month of June.
“Caring doesn’t stop, it doesn’t clock off at 5pm,” said Richie Molloy, Family Carers Ireland’s Community Support Manager in Waterford.
“In every town and parish in Waterford, someone is quietly providing full-time care with little or no support," he added.
Mr Molloy went on to highlight some of the pressure placed on carers throughout Waterford.
"We regularly see family carers pushed to breaking point – financially strained, emotionally drained and completely isolated," he said.
"Buying a gold heart might seem like a small gesture, but it’s genuinely meaningful," he added.
"€2 won’t fix everything, but it can help towards providing the respite, counselling or urgent support a family carer desperately needs."
To learn more, donate, or access support, visit: https://www.familycarers.ie/
