What do informal carers need? Towards a fair and rights-based deal

In Europe, 80% of all care is provided by informal carers – i.e. people providing usually unpaid care to someone with a chronic disease, disability or any other long-lasting health or care need, outside of a professional or formal framework. Although carers are the cornerstone of our long-term care systems, their contribution is seldom acknowledged and their needs rarely discussed. Yet, current societal trends (including notably the ageing of our societies, the increasing occurrence of comorbidity among dependent people, and the increasing mobility and changes in family structures) put informal carers under excessive pressure.