Carers Week
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News & Media 2026
Carers Week 2026
Carers Week 2026 is in full preparation mode with our first partner planning meeting held on 31st March.
The meeting, chaired by Liam O’Sullivan, marked the 20th year of National Carers Week in Ireland, with updates on ongoing discussions about the initiative’s future leadership and potential future expansion.
Partners were informed of outreach efforts for 2026, with some organisations unable to participate due to prior commitments, while others are considering involvement.
Plans for new merchandise were shared, receiving positive feedback, particularly with an emphasis on sustainability and reducing single-use plastics.
Updates also included enhancements to the website, such as a new location filter for events, and continued focus on social media engagement, including opportunities for family carers to share their experiences.
A proposed “Thank you for Caring” tagline was well received as a central theme for the campaign, and partners were encouraged to share ideas, initiatives, and feedback ahead of upcoming meetings.
Carers Week 2025
June 9th 2025
RESEARCH REPORTS BIG INCREASE IN THOSE PROVIDING UNPAID CARE. 29% OF WOMEN IN THEIR FORTIES AND FIFTIES NOW CARING.
Ireland’s family carers are this week being encouraged to participate in events marking National Carers Week 2025, which is taking place from June 9th to 15th. During the week there will be scores of in person events, together with many online events. Over 100 events are lined up: including day trips, coffee mornings, pottery workshop, boat trips, afternoon tea, therapeutic support days, meditation, self-care workshop, chair yoga, information sessions, wellbeing events, and care package giveaways for hundreds of family carers.
This morning’s launch (Monday June 9th) will be marked with a competition for all family carers, where several hundred will be provided with complimentary care packages.
This comes as the latest Healthy Ireland figures highlight the surging numbers of family carers with 14% of the adult population (just over 600,000 people) are caring for someone with a disability, health problem or long-term illness. Just over 60% are women, and nearly 40% are men. The average age is 46. Around a quarter of family carers provide round-the-clock care.
Anne Marie Gillooley, of Care Alliance says carer visibility is vital if we as a community are to recognise and appreciate the care that family carers provide. She goes on to say “We know from the latest Healthy Ireland figures that more and more people are caring for loved ones across the country, often invisible to the rest of our community”.
“This National Carers Week we are encouraging everyone across the country to help Make Caring Visible and to show their appreciation for the work of family carers”
Ends.
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Notes to the Editor:
Ireland’s over 600,000 family carers provide care and support to a person with a disability, chronic condition, mental health concern and/or long-term illness, in the person’s own home. This figure has been calculated using data from the Healthy Ireland Study 2024 https://bit.ly/3FA6PGu
The proportion identifying as family carers has increased steadily from 9% in 2019 to 10% in 2022 and 12% in 2023. In 2024, 14% report that they are family carers; i.e., providing regular unpaid personal help to a friend or family member with a long-term illness, health problem or disability.
Those aged between 45 and 54 (23%) and 55 and 64 (19%) are most likely to report being a family carer. Women (16%) are more likely than men (11%) to say they are family carers, with 29% of women aged 45 - 54 identifying as family carers, in comparison to 17% of men of the same age.
National Carers Week, now in its nineteenth year, is coordinated by Care Alliance Ireland in partnership with seven other leading Irish charities who support family carers: The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, Irish Cancer Society, Disability Federation of Ireland, MS Ireland, Acquired Brain Injury Ireland, Irish Hospice Foundation, and Rare Ireland.
Sustained media campaigns will be run throughout the week using the tags #MakingCaringVisible and #CarersWeek2025.
For more information contact Anne Marie Gillooley on 085 2276975 or email annemarie@carealliance.ie
June 4th 2025
Date for your Diary -National Carers Week is coming: June 9th-15th
Family Carers across Ireland are invited to take part in Face-to-Face and Online Events.
Date(s): Monday 9th June – Sunday 15th June 2024
Venue(s): Across the Country/Online: Over 100 events lined up: including day trips, coffee mornings, pottery workshop, boat trips,
afternoon tea,therapeutic support days, meditation, self-care workshop, chair yoga, information sessions, wellbeing events, and care package giveaways for hundreds of family carers.
Ends.
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Notes to the Editor:
Ireland’s over 600,000 family carers provide care and support to a person with a disability, chronic condition, mental health concern and/or long-term illness, in the person’s own home.This figure has been calculated using data from the Healthy Ireland Study 2024 https://bit.ly/3FA6PGu which asks a more comprehensive question regarding caring than the Census. The study shows that 14% of the population over the age of 15 provides care to a friend or family member. Adjusting for current population gives a figure of approximately 614,000, which is in line with similar jurisdictions across the UK and Europe.
National Carers Week, now in its nineteenth year, is coordinated by Care Alliance Ireland in partnership with seven other leading Irish charities who support Family Carers: The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, Irish Cancer Society, Disability Federation of Ireland, MS Ireland, Acquired Brain Injury Ireland, Irish Hospice Foundation, and Rare Ireland.
Details of the events taking place throughout National Carers Week are available at https://www.carersweek.ie/events Sustained media campaigns will be run throughout the week using the tags #MakingCaringVisible and #CarersWeek2025.
For more information email info@carersweek.ie
May 13th 2025
Order your Carers Week Merchandise Here
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April 1st 2025
Partner Planning Meeting taking place virtually at 10am
March 2nd 2025
Date for 2025 Carers Week confirmed - June 9th-15th 2025
Carers Week 2024
June 11th 2024
PRESS RELEASE: (Tuesday June 11th – for Immediate Release)
INNOVATIVE ONLINE GROUP SUPPORTING OVER 8,200 FAMILY CARERS
ACTIVITIES INCLUDE ONLINE BOOK CLUB, QUIZZES, ART CLASSES, ZOOM COFFEE MORNINGS, VIRTUAL GARDENING CLUB AND MUCH MORE!
As National Carers Week continues across Ireland, Ireland’s family carers are this week being encouraged to join a leading online support group.
Managed by Care Alliance Ireland, the group offers a safe space for family carers to connect with people who understand, sharing stories, advice and plenty of laughs and social activities too! Everything is available online, making it much more accessible for family carers to take part, no matter where in the country they may be.
Project Manager, Tara O’Connor says “National Carers Week is a great opportunity to highlight the many family carers in Ireland who care for a loved one. Our Online Family Carer Support Group is an online community where you can ask advice, get reliable information on supports available and connect with other family carers who understand exactly what the life of a family carer is like. Our online support group is available 7 days a week/365 days a year and membership is open to all family carers living in the Republic of Ireland.”
Family carers around the country are encouraged to visit the National Carers Week Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/nationalcarersweek) at 11:30am on Wednesday the 12th of June when Tara and her colleague Zoe Hughes will be hosting a special livestream talking about the Online Family Carer Support Group and answering any questions about the project.
Care Alliance Ireland CEO, Liam O’Sullivan says “this group is leading the way in the virtual delivery of supports for thousands of Ireland’s unpaid family carers. We know it’s making a difference because the family carers tell us. This project grew out of Covid-19 when so many supports were withdrawn. Post Covid, participation in the group continues to grow daily. Thanks to support from the HSE, we are able to continue to expand our range of supports to family carers across Ireland.”
(Three quotes from participants)
“I love being part of the group & have the ability to share without judgement! We are all caring for our loved ones. I know I’m not alone”
“Every carer needs somewhere to feel safe and understood. This is ours.”
“Thank you for making me smile on days where it otherwise seemed impossible. Also for making me feel less alone.”
Ends.
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Notes to the Editor:
The Online Family Carer Support group is open to all family carers living in the Republic of Ireland. Family carers can apply to join at https://www.facebook.com/groups/FamilyCarerOnlineSupportGroupIreland
For more information about the Online Family Carer Support Group contact Tara O’Connor on 085 187 4127 or email tara@carealliance.ie
Ireland’s Family Carers provide care and support to a person with a disability, chronic condition, mental health concern and/or long-term illness, in the person’s own home. National Carers Week, now in its eighteenth year, is coordinated by Care Alliance Ireland in partnership with ten other leading Irish charities who support Family Carers: The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, the Central Remedial Clinic (CRC), the Irish Cancer Society, the Jack and Jill Children's Foundation, the Disability Federation of Ireland, MS Ireland, Acquired Brain Injury Ireland, the Irish Hospice Foundation, Rare Ireland and Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Ireland. New to the partnership this year is Muscular Dystrophy Ireland.
Details of the events taking place throughout National Carers Week are available at https://www.carersweek.ie/ Sustained media campaigns will be run throughout the week using the tags #MakingCaringVisible and #CarersWeek2024.
Family Carers from across Ireland are available for media interviews.
For more information contact Liam O'Sullivan on 087 - 207 3265 or email ndo@carealliance.ie
June 10th
CENSUS REPORTS 53% INCREASE IN THOSE PROVIDING UNPAID CARE.
CLOSE TO ONE IN SEVEN OF THOSE IN THEIR FIFTIES ARE NOW CARING[1].
Ireland’s family carers are this week being encouraged to participate in events marking National Carers Week 2024, which is taking place from June 10th to 16th.
During the week there will be scores of in person events, together with many online events. Over 160 events are lined up; including coffee mornings, poetry readings, art classes, quizzes, information sessions, church events, music, sound baths, retreats, walks, yoga, boat trips, dance, wellbeing events, and care package giveaways for hundreds of family carers.
This morning’s launch (Monday June 10th) will be marked with a competition for all family carers, where several hundred will be provided with complimentary packages of branded merchandise and chocolates.
This comes as the latest Census of Population figures highlight the surging numbers of family carers. An increase of 103,000 carers was reported since 2016. 299,128 individuals identified as being a carer, with over 86,000 providing more than 43 hours of care each week.
Liam O’Sullivan, CEO of Care Alliance says carer visibility is vital if we as a community are to recognise and appreciate the care that family carers provide. He goes on to say “We know from the latest Census figures that more and more people are caring for loved ones across the country, often invisible to the rest of our community”.
“This National Carers Week we are encouraging everyone across the country to help Making Caring Visible and to show their appreciation for the work of family carers”
Ends.
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Notes to the Editor:
Ireland’s Family Carers provide care and support to a person with a disability, chronic condition, mental health concern and/or long-term illness, in the person’s own home.
National Carers Week, now in its eighteenth year, is coordinated by Care Alliance Ireland in partnership with ten other leading Irish charities who support Family Carers: The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, the Central Remedial Clinic (CRC), the Irish Cancer Society, the Jack and Jill Children's Foundation, the Disability Federation of Ireland, MS Ireland, Acquired Brain Injury Ireland, the Irish Hospice Foundation, Rare Ireland and Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Ireland. New to the partnership this year is Muscular Dystrophy Ireland.
Details of the events taking place throughout National Carers Week are available at https://www.carersweek.ie/ Sustained media campaigns will be run throughout the week using the tags #MakingCaringVisible and #CarersWeek2024.
Family Carers from across Ireland are available for media interviews.
For more information contact Liam O'Sullivan on 087 - 207 3265 or email ndo@carealliance.ie
June 5th 2024
Family Carers across Ireland are invited to take part in Face-to-Face and Online Events.
Date(s): Monday 10th June – Sunday 16th June 2024
Venue(s): Across the Country/Online: Over 160 events lined up: including coffee mornings, poetry readings, art classes, quizzes, information sessions, church events, music, sound baths, retreats, walks, yoga, boat trips, dance, wellbeing events, and care package giveaways for hundreds of family carers.
Ends.
--------------------------------------------
Notes to the Editor:
Ireland’s 516,000 family carers provide care and support to a person with a disability, chronic condition, mental health concern and/or long-term illness, in the person’s own home. National Carers Week, now in its eighteenth year, is coordinated by Care Alliance Ireland in partnership with ten other leading Irish charities who support Family Carers: The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, Central Remedial Clinic (CRC), Irish Cancer Society, Jack and Jill Children's Foundation,Disability Federation of Ireland, MS Ireland, Acquired Brain Injury Ireland, Irish Hospice Foundation, and Rare Ireland. New to the partnership this year is Muscular Dystrophy Ireland.
Details of the events taking place throughout National Carers Week are available at https://www.carersweek.ie/Sustained media campaigns will be run throughout the week using the tags #MakingCaringVisible and #CarersWeek2024.
Family carers from across Ireland are available for media interviews.
For more information contact Liam O’Sullivan on 087 207 3265 or email info@carersweek.ie
May 22nd 2024
With only just a little over two weeks to go now to National Carers Week 2024 preparations are well underway. This year Care Alliance will co-ordinate National Carers Week for the 18th year running along with our ten Partner Organsations; The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, Irish Cancer Society, Central Remedial Clinic, Jack and Jill Children's Foundation, Disability Federation Ireland, Irish Hospice Foundation, Acquired Brain Injury Ireland, MS Ireland and Rare Ireland. We welcome Muscular Dystrophy Ireland on board with us this year as a new Partner and look forward to working with them over the coming weeks. Keep and eye on our National Carers Week Facebook Page for regular updates on events and competitions that will be running throughout the week of June 10th - June 16th.
#Making#CaringVisible
April 22nd 2024
Keep an eye on the Carers Week Facebook page over the next few weeks where we will be posting information highlighting the wonderful work and support that our partners provide on a daily basis. Today we are highlighting the work that the Irish Cancer Society Night Nurse Team do everyday for families and individuals whos lives are affected by cancer.
#MakingCaringVisible
Carers Week 2024 is set to take place from the 10th to the 16th of June this year with preparations already underway for what we hope will be a great week for all involved. This year will see a mixture of both online and in-person events being offered to promote an inclusive week for everyone. Along with our existing partners, Care Alliance Ireland would like to welcome Muscular Dystropy Ireland on board as a new partner this year. We are looking forward to working with them in the run up to and during Carers Week 2024. Please follow our Carers Week Facebook page for regular updates and information relating to Carers Week and other carer related issues www.facebook.com/nationalcarersweek and also keep an eye on the events section here on the website for events taking place during Carers Week which will be posted closer to the week itself.
2024 marks the 18th year of Carers Week.
#MakingCaringVisible
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Carers Week 2023
June 2023
We have just launched our 17th National Carers Week which will run from today, June 12th to Sunday June 18th. Please see our Press Release Below. Please click on the link below to view. We wish you all a very Happy Carers Week and hope that everyone will availa of some of the wonderful events that are taking place both online and face-to-face over the coming week.
#MakingCaringVisible
/userfiles/file/Press Release June 12th 2023.pdf
With Carers Week just around the corner make sure that you have made space in your diary next week for the events that you might like to attend. There are a number of both face-to-face and online events to choose from ranging from yoga to quiz nights and singing to knitting. For more information please visit the Events section of the website. Enjoy Carers Week.
#MakingCaringVisible
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We gave away our first 20 Care Packs today for Carers Week 2023. Please keep an eye on our National Carers Week Facebook Page in the run up to and during Carers Week for some super giveaways.
#MakingCaringVisible
A selection of Carers Week merchandise is now available for all to order. Click here
/userfiles/file/Merchandise Order Template April 2023 - Member Orgs.docx
#MakingCaringVisible
New Partner Announcement
Preparations are continuing on a weekly basis for Carers Week. With only two months to go now, we are keeping busy organising events and meeting with our Partners to discuss ideas for the week. We would like to take this opportunity to welcome our newest Partner, Rare Ireland Family Support Network, who will be working with us for Carers Week this year. Rare Ireland is a parent led charity which was established in 2017 by Laura Egan and Louise O'Keefe who witnessed firsthand the lack of information and support available to them at the time of their children's diagnosis. Spotting the gaps in the system, the lack of support available to parents and witnessing the isolation associated with rare disease in Ireland, Laura and Louise decided to create a network for families to ease the isolation and raise awareness of the challenges rare families face. Rare Ireland support over seven thousand members through their Facebook and Instagram pages. We look forward to working with them and learning about all the supports they offer to their members.
#MakingCaringVisible
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Carers Week 2023 Update
This week Care Alliance, along with some of our partners and a number of wonderful volunteers, took part in a photoshoot for Carers Week 2023. We have some lovely new photos to share with you for the week and wish to thank everyone who came along to make this possible. The atmosphere on the day was really uplifting and made us all very excited for Carers Week 2023. Here's a sneak peek of some of the photos....
#MakingCaringVisible
Partners Meeting
We held our first Partners Meeting last week for Carers Week 2023. It is great to see all the Partners coming together for what is going to be an eventful week. A huge welcome to our new representatives, it is great to have you all on the team for this year. There were lots of great ideas and discussions around the virtual table on the day and new incentives being discussed. We all look forward to bringing our Family Carers in Ireland a fantastic Carers Week this year.
#MakingCaringVisible
Carers Week 2023
We are delighted to announce that carers week will be running again this year from June 12th to June 18th. We are holding our first planning meeting with our partners a little earlier this year to ensure that we deliver a great week, supporting family carers across the country who provide such amazing care and support to those they are caring for every day of the year.
#MakingCaringVisible
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Carers Week 2022
June 20th
As we reflect on 18th Carers Week, we want to thank EVERYONE who took part in any way. If you organised or attended an online or in person event, if you shared anything on social media, if you shared a picture to support and highlihgt Ireland's 499,000 family carers - THANK YOU for helping to create a great week, and for #MakingCaringVisible
June 17th
As we are getting closer to the end of National Carers Week 2022, we run our last competition of the week. Overall, we sent over 500 prizes to family carers around the country, including Ukrainian family carers across Ireland. Well done to everyone who enter the competitions.
June15th
Confidence is key in the return to work for family carers - The Kaleidoscope project, run by CAI has been a huge success, with over half of the participants engaging in paid employment. To view the press release click here
June 14th
Former family carers invited to request booklet to support them post-caring. To view the press release click here
June 13th
We launched the 16th National Carers Week today! To view the press release click here
June 10th
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June 09th
If you'd like to learn a gentle hands-on technique to practice on those you care for, take a look at Ciunas Centre Wellness Workshop and contact them for more details. Ciunas Centre will be running an event during National Carer Week as well!
June 08th
Acquired Brain Injury Ireland have some lovely virtual events that are taking place during Carers Week. These events are open to all family carers and are free of charge.
June 07th
A HUGE Thank you to Lily O'Brien's Chocolates for donating us a very generous box of their scrumptious Honeycomb Crispy Hearts to share with you for Carers Week.
May 31st
With Carers Week only two weeks away now we thought that we would kickstart the celebrations by doing some giveaways on our Facebook page. We had ten lucky winners yesterday who will be receiving their gift in the post. Keep an eye on the National Carers Week Facebook page for more giveaways over the coming weeks.
May 23rd
We would like to extend a warm welcome to Jack and Jill, who have joined us for Carers Week 2022. Jack and Jill is a nationwide charity which provides in-home nursing care and respite support for children up to the age of 6 with severe to profund neurodevelopment delay. Jack and Jill are celebrating 25 years and we are delighted to have them on board with us for Carers Week.
May 16th
With only a few weeks to go now the planning for Carers Week is well underway. We are delighted that there will be both Face-to-face and Virtual events taking place this year which we hope will enable all of the Carers in our communities around Ireland to take part in the exciting events that will be taking place
Carers Week 2022, June 13th - 19th. We have kicked off Carers Week 2022 with our first planning meeting, looking forward to what is going to be a great week for all involved.
Carers Week 2021
June 7th
Watch a message from all of the Carers Week Partners for 2021!
June 7th - Carers Week 2021 is Live. For full listing of events goto www.carersweek.ie/events?county=ONLINE
May 12th 2020 - Partners Planning Meeting
April 28th 2021 - New Carers Week Merchandise ordered.
April 12th 2021 - Partner Planning Meeting
February 6th 2021 - Date for this years week confirmed for June 13th-19th 2022
Carers Week 2018
Behind the scenes at the office of Care Alliance Ireland. Counting down to the launch of National Carers Week 2018!
National Carers Week 2018 photoshoot with stars from Fair City, Una Crawford O'Brien and Bryan Murray.
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