Answers for the people who care for others

A family carer – also referred to as an informal carer or unpaid caregiver – is anyone who provides unpaid support to a family member, friend, child or loved one in need of help due to advanced age, illness, disability or mental health challenges. Carers are not paid professionals; they are individuals who provide essential care and support, often while balancing their own lives, work and responsibilities.

Carers are the backbone of healthcare systems worldwide. Without them, health and social care systems as we know them could not function. People provide informal care every day, contributing enormous economic and social value, yet their contributions are frequently undervalued and underrecognized. Recognizing and supporting carers is not just the right thing to do; it is essential to the health and sustainability of our societies.

The time carers dedicate to caring varies enormously, from a few hours per week to round-the-clock support. Many carers provide care over months, years or even decades, often without a break. The amount of care can also be unpredictable, with carers needing to adapt to changing health, appointments or fluctuations in the needs of the person they support. The intensity and duration of caregiving can have significant implications for carers’ own health, finances and professional lives, which is why ongoing support is crucial.

While caring for a loved one can be meaningful and fulfilling, it can also be physically demanding, emotionally draining and financially costly. Many carers report struggling with burnout, social isolation and difficulties managing their own health alongside their caregiving duties. Accessing reliable information, navigating complex health and social care systems and balancing caring responsibilities with work and family life are among the most common challenges carers face. Our website and resources are designed to help address many of these challenges.

Embracing Carers^® is a global initiative dedicated to increasing awareness, discussion and action around the often-overlooked needs of family carers. Our goal is to ensure that carers feel recognized, supported and equipped at every step of their caregiving journey: from understanding where to find help, to looking after their own health and well-being.

Embracing Carers^® was founded in 2017 in response to a clear gap: despite the vital role that family carers play in healthcare systems and societies worldwide, their needs were – and often still are – largely invisible in public policy and everyday conversation. We created Embracing Carers^® in collaboration with global leading care organizations to help fill that void: to give carers a place to find support, share their stories and know they are not alone.

Embracing Carers^® is for anyone touched by caregiving. Whether you are currently caring for a loved one, supporting someone who is or one day may be a carer yourself, this initiative is for you. Our resources, stories and tools are designed to be accessible to carers everywhere, regardless of where they live, what condition they are caring for or how long they have been caregiving.

Embracing Carers^® offers a range of free resources to support carers throughout their journey. This includes self-care tips to support your physical and mental well-being, free online caregiver training courses developed in partnership with expert organizations, real-life stories and experiences shared by carers around the world and country-specific information on the state of care where you live. All of our resources are freely accessible and designed with carers in mind.

These free caregiver training courses are practical, online learning modules designed to help carers build skills and confidence in their caregiving role. Developed in partnership with the Global Initiative on Ageing & Longevity (GIA Longevity), the courses cover a range of topics relevant to everyday caregiving. Whether you are new to caregiving or have been caring for years, our courses offer accessible guidance you can learn at your own pace, from anywhere in the world.

Our self-care section offers practical tips and guidance on how to look after yourself as a carer. Topics include managing your mental and physical health, finding time for yourself during a busy caregiving schedule, using social media in a positive and mindful way and knowing when and how to ask for help.

When you are caring for someone else, it can be easy to put your own needs last. But your health and well-being matter too. Taking time to look after yourself can help you maintain your physical and emotional health, build resilience and manage the demands of caring. Many carers report feelings of guilt when they prioritize themselves, but rest, connection and personal time are not luxuries; they are necessities. Ignoring your own needs can lead to burnout, which ultimately affects both you and the person you care for.

Supporting the carer in your life does not have to be in the form of a grand gesture. Often, the most meaningful help comes in small, practical acts of kindness: offering to take on a task so they have a moment to rest, checking in regularly, listening without judgement or simply acknowledging the work they do. Educating yourself about caring – what it involves and how it can feel – goes a long way. You can also share the resources on this website with carers in your life, so they know support is available.

Embracing Carers^® works in partnership with carer organizations around the world to provide globally relevant resources. Our website features country-specific information on the state of care, real-life carer stories from across the globe, free training courses and links to partner organizations. Check out our full list of partners.

You are not alone in your experience. Our website features real stories from carers around the world, which can help you feel connected to others who understand what caregiving is like. Many carers also find it helpful to connect with local carer communities, peer support networks and support groups. A number of the organisations featured on this website offer opportunities to connect with other carers, share experiences and access additional support. Visit their websites to learn more about the resources and services available in your country.

Commissioned in 2020, the Carer Well-Being Index is a survey-based research tool that seeks to measure and better understand the well-being of informal carers. Since its publication, it has been used in policy dialogues and stakeholder forums to highlight the gaps that exist in current frameworks around carer rights and protections – from mental health support to income security. The Index is one of the ways Embracing Carers^® translates real-world evidence into action, helping to ensure that the lived experiences of carers inform the decisions that affect them.

Embracing Carers^® features reports, data and insights into the challenges carers face around the world. We draw on a growing body of evidence, including carer- and patient-informed insights, to give carers, advocates and policymakers a clearer picture of the realities of informal caregiving. The resources available on this website are intended to support greater awareness of carers’ experiences and needs, while providing valuable information for carers, advocates, healthcare professionals, policymakers and others interested in improving support for carers.

The scale and impact of informal caregiving have gone unmeasured and unacknowledged. Research is essential to making carers visible in policy discussions, healthcare systems and the public consciousness. Without data, it is difficult to make the case for the rights, protections and support that carers deserve. Embracing Carers^® is committed to ensuring that evidence about carers’ experiences reaches the people and institutions with the power to act on it.