There are approximately 8.8 million unpaid caregivers in the UK, who provide 80 percent of home care. However, they are seldom acknowledged for their frontline work and do not get the same support as NHS professionals or paid care home workers.
According to Carers UK's latest State of Caring 2021 study, unpaid caregivers benefited the UK economy by £193 billion per year during the epidemic, outpacing the cost of the NHS. Nonetheless, the epidemic increased strain on unpaid caregivers, who are struggling to find time to recuperate and are in danger of burnout.
Carefree, a UK-based charity start-up, seeks to address this scenario by giving help to caregivers on the verge of burnout. The platform converts unoccupied housing into respite for full-time unpaid caregivers.
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Contributing To The Greater Good During The Holidays
This woman-led firm is now partnering with hotels to offer relief for unpaid caregivers. Five of the UK's top standalone hotel chains have joined up with the charity tech startup to provide an annual holiday to every full-time unpaid caregiver. Bespoke Hotels, Cycas Hospitality, Sleeperz, The QHotels Collection, and Village Hotels have all promised to contribute a part of their unsold rooms to the charity on a rolling basis, therefore becoming a 'Carefree Breadmaker.'
"Throughout the epidemic, unpaid caregivers fought hard to provide the unseen backbone of our healthcare systems, and they deserve time off," the hotel owners said in a joint statement. Together, we can transform the way our society invests in those who care for our most vulnerable."
A Long-Term Solution For Unpaid Caregivers
Carers who use Carefree estimated that 92 percent would not have been able to obtain a break without the charity's assistance. Carefree plans to provide 4000 breaks by early 2022 and mobilize tens of thousands more as more hospitality partners join.
"Organizing the break is a breeze. You just say when you want to go and you leave," said Kirsty, who has looked after her two challenged children for 32 years and recently took a vacation from Carefree.
Charlotte Newman, CEO of Carefree, thinks that developing successful solutions for social care and caregivers should be a collaborative endeavor throughout society.
"Only through the combined dedication of people, partnerships, and technology can we create a genuinely sustainable, nationwide mechanism for caregivers in need of a break to receive time off. Each Carefree Breadmaker, whether they suggest a caregiver, provide a break, or contribute to our technology infrastructure to distribute the stays, contributes to the puzzle of how we'll do it."
The Right To A Reasonable Break
Carefree's technology enables full-time unpaid caregivers to easily overcome an impediment to their entitlement to an appropriate break. Its referral collaborations with more than 60 Community Partners, which include Local Authorities and Carer Support Organizations, provide a strong network for coordinated service delivery to assist the UK's unacknowledged caregivers. Using Impala's worldwide distribution API, any hotel may become a hospitality partner by contributing nights in a matter of clicks.
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