Almost nine in 10 people (88%) that live in the south east of England say they do not provide any financial support to their elderly parents, according to a new study from Engage Mutual.
other support for elderly parents
People in the southeast were the least likely in England to provide financial assistance to help their elderly parents – although many gave their time each month, providing support in a variety of others ways:
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25% provide “regular, routine support” for at least one relative;
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31% do odd jobs around the house for their elderly parents;
- 25% take their elderly parents to medical appointments;
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29% pop round on a regular basis;
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24% take them on days out;
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22% get their hands dirty by helping out with the gardening.
The results come at a time when the care system is in crisis, with many adults now needing to shoulder the responsibility of caring for their elderly relatives, suggesting that many people in the ‘sandwich generation’ are struggling to commit financial help to their elderly parents.
help required by 84% in south east
With many facing the prospect of having to provide some form of support to their elderly relatives, 84% of people in the southeast said they wanted more help when it comes to elderly care. Of these:
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13% want more affordable care help;
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12% want more government funding;
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11% would like a one-stop shop to go to for help and advice.
Significantly, 82% of survey respondents do not view a care home as an option for their elderly parent. Key reasons for this include:
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50% said they have heard bad things about care homes.
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50% thought their parents or relatives would be unhappy in a care home.
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31% did not rate the standard of local care homes.
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27% believed a home wouldn’t encourage their parents to be continuously active.
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25% were worried about potential abuse or robbery.
family carers juggling work, children and elderly parents
Karl Elliott at Engage Mutual commented: “It is worrying to see that people in the south east are the least likely in England to financially support their parents, but many are struggling with rising living costs and don’t really know where to turn for help when it comes to the complex issue of elderly care. There is a growing care class emerging - an army of unrecognised and unsupported family carers that are juggling the demands of providing levels of care and support to parents alongside pressures of work and responsibility for their own children. engagewithyou.com is a one-stop-shop where people can ask questions, share experiences and get expert help for free.
“As a mutual that is focused on connecting its members, we want to create a community for those in the hectic middle of life to share experiences, talk with others and get help and information.”
The research was undertaken for Engage Mutual by YouGov between 4-9 April 2012. The survey polled a GB representative sample of 1,008 people aged 45-60 who had elderly parents and 500 people aged over 65 who had adult children.
