Today in the UK, there are an estimated 6.5 million people that are carers for someone, whether they’re caring for a loved one, friend, or someone in their community.
In 2017, critical research revealed that as many as 8 in 10 carers “have felt lonely or isolated” due to their responsibilities as carers. The annual Carers Week campaign, therefore, aims to combat this isolation by connecting carers across the country. This year, it takes place from 10 – 16 June 2019.
What Is Carers Week?
Carers Week is held every year to connect carers and raise awareness on the challenges carers can face, including time restraints, difficulties earning an income, or simply needing more support, all while also caring for a loved one.
The campaign brings together thousands of organisations and carers, hosting activities and events all with the core purpose of raising awareness and giving carers access to the support they need.
Pledges
Anyone can pledge to run an event to reach carers in your community – no matter how big or small.
Last year, Surewise.com held a ‘Malteaser chopstick challenge’ to raise awareness for Carers UK, and donated £1 for every Malteaser eaten – as you can imagine, our team are only too happen to re-create the challenge this year to see if we can top our success last year!
If you’re an individual or part of an organisation that wants to take part, you can pledge via the official Carers Week website here.
Getting Involved
From walks to relaxation hours – or even just having a cup of tea and meeting some other carers, there are events taking place throughout the country across Carers Week, so don’t hesitate to get involved.
Check out the full list of events taking place to find events near you.
Surewise & Carers Week
Surewise.com started our Thank A Carer initiative with the sole aim of providing a space for people to acknowledge carers and thank them for what they do.
For Carers Week 2019, we’ve pledged to hold a company-wide competition to see how many Maltesers each of our team can eat in one minute and for every Malteser eaten, we’ll donate £1 to help support Carers UK and the wonderful work they do supporting unpaid Carers.
Make sure you’re following our Facebook page for more details nearer the time!
A mobility scooter is a big investment for many people, so it’s understandable that you want to be sure you need one before committing to buying a mobility scooter for yourself.
There is a huge range of benefits to owning a mobility scooter, and many people find that owning their mobility scooter provides more opportunities and experiences that they had access to previously, as well as significantly improving their mental health by offering more freedom, independence, and chances to socialise.
Below, we’ve listed some of the biggest benefits to own a mobility scooter and how investing in one for yourself could really transform your life:
#1 Increased Mobility
One of the biggest benefits of owning a mobility scooter is, of course, the increased freedom to move around it provides. Having a mobility scooter can really transform your life, especially as the world becomes more accessible to people with mobility difficulties.
From national parks to shopping centres, owning a mobility scooter will enable you to move around easier and access everyday places that may have been more difficult for you to get to without extra assistance in the past.
#2 More Independence
Many people with mobility problems find it frustrating that they can no longer go out without needing extra assistance from others. A mobility scooter can give you that independence back, allowing you to travel to and from your home without needing a lot of help from anyone else.
This increase independence can really give you a new lease of life if you’ve been feeling isolated by your restricted mobility in the past, with mobility scooters not only allowing you to move around independently but also doing wonders for your mental health if you haven’t been able to get outside on a regular basis.
#3 Injury Prevention
Falls that cause a real injury can be a huge deterrent for moving around if you have limited mobility, so owning a mobility scooter can significantly reduce those risks.
If you tire easily or are recovering from surgery, a mobility scooter can be a great help at reducing the risk of injury while still giving you the freedom you want to move around with ease.
#4 Simple to Operate
Most mobility scooters are amazingly simple to operate and assemble wherever you want to use them.
Key operated mobility scooters can be locked much the same as a car, so you needn’t worry about its security when you leave it. What’s more, mobility scooters simply require you to plug them in to charge between uses, so you’ll always have enough battery power to run your errands when you need to.
Read our article on maintaining your mobility scooter for more information.
#5 Options to Suit Different Needs
People have different requirements when it comes to mobility scooters.
You may need an ultra-lightweight scooter that folds down for ease of transport, or you may prefer a larger mobility scooter that is road legal and complete with lights, indicators, and rear-view mirrors.
Whatever your needs, there will be a mobility scooter option to suit you.
#6 Allowed on Public Transport
Another fantastic benefit of owning a mobility scooter is that you can take them on almost all forms of public transport, making travelling easier than ever.
Although some planes, trains, and buses do have certain criteria for mobility scooters (and you’ll have to notify your airline of your needs in advance), it’s certainly possible to travel near and far with a mobility scooter in tow.
Take a look at our tips for travelling on a plane with a mobility scooter to see how easy it can be to get out and explore the world with your mobility scooter with you.