There are almost six million carers in the UK, that equals nearly one in ten adults. Half of these juggle work with caring responsibilities for a disabled, ill or frail relative or friend.

To highlight the work done by carers, Carers Week was created by the Carers National Association. Now in its thirteenth year it has subsequently grown to be a partnership of seven charities; Carers UK, Counsel & Care, Crossroads Caring for Carers, Macmillan Cancer Relief, the MS Society, Rethink and The Princess Royal Trust for Carers.

The objectives of Carers Week are to:

•Each year ensure that tens of thousands more carers know they are not alone, and start to find out about the support and services available to them

•Celebrate the contribution that carers make every day of the year

•Inform and influence key groups, such as healthcare professionals and employers, who can significantly affect the quality of life of many carers

•Raise awareness of the role and value of carers amongst MPs, other key decision-makers and opinion-formers, and with the general public

Each year over 1,000 local and regional partners organise thousands of events and activities for and with carers, throughout the UK.

Details of local events in your area and more information on Carer’s week can be found at www.carersweek.org

For many carers, bladder and incontinence problems are one of the major issues they face. For some simple tips on how you can minimize the impact of these conditions on someone you care for and yourself visit our helping others section of the website.

And if you’ve any experiences of caring for others that you’d like to share then just email us at help@2.co.uk and we’ll share them via this news section.