Sam Rowlands, MS for North Wales has called for more to be done to highlight the work of unpaid carers.
Mr Rowlands, Shadow Minister for Local Government was commenting after attending a Carer Awareness training course run by Carers Wales.
He said:
I was delighted to be able to take part in the training session and learn more about unpaid carers and the issues they face. It was interesting to hear about what entitlements and support they have here in Wales and it is clearly not enough.
Unpaid carers are the unsung heroes who step in to help and receive little or no support and it is about time more was done to help them. The findings of the recent survey also make uncomfortable reading. I was particularly concerned about 60% of carers have said that over the last year their physical health has deteriorated whilst 71% have said their mental health has worsened.
My thanks go to Jake Smith, Policy Officer at Carers Wales, and Beth Evans, Policy Manager for running the course and highlighting the many issues.
Jake Smith said they were pleased to meet with Sam and his team to raise awareness of the subject.
He said:
It was good to be able to highlight these important issues facing unpaid carers with a Member of the Senedd and his team and I welcome his positive comments.
In a recent research survey report, published in December 2021, covering carer finances, health, local services and employment, Carers Wales found the pandemic had taken its toll on unpaid carers in Wales.
Among the findings it found despite many Covid restrictions having been lifted, the local services that carers rely on are still heavily disrupted forcing unpaid carers to care for longer with less support. Unpaid carers also said they are struggling financially with the costs of caring, having to spend an average of £1,300 on caring per year at a time when the cost of living is rising sharply.
Mae Sam Rowlands AS yn cefnogi galwadau Gofalwyr Cymru am fwy o ymwybyddiaeth o ofalwyr di-dâl
Mae Sam Rowlands, yr AS dros Ogledd Cymru, wedi galw am wneud mwy i dynnu sylw at waith gofalwyr di-dâl.
Roedd Mr Rowlands, Gweinidog yr Wrthblaid dros Lywodraeth Leol, yn gwneud sylwadau ar ôl mynychu cwrs hyfforddi Ymwybyddiaeth o Ofalwyr a gynhaliwyd gan Gofalwyr Cymru.
Meddai:
Pleser o'r mwyaf oedd cael cymryd rhan yn y sesiwn hyfforddi a dysgu mwy am ofalwyr di-dâl a'r materion maen nhw'n eu hwynebu. Roedd yn ddiddorol clywed pa hawliau a chymorth sydd ganddyn nhw yma yng Nghymru, ac mae'n amlwg nad yw'n ddigon.
Gofalwyr di-dâl yw'r arwyr tawel yna sy'n camu i mewn i helpu ac sy'n cael ychydig neu ddim cymorth, ac mae'n hen bryd i ni wneud mwy i'w helpu nhw. Mae canfyddiadau'r arolwg diweddar yn anghyfforddus i'w darllen. Rwy'n poeni'n fawr am y ffaith bod tua 60% o ofalwyr wedi dweud bod eu hiechyd corfforol wedi dirywio dros y flwyddyn ddiwethaf a bod 71% wedi dweud bod eu hiechyd meddwl wedi gwaethygu.
Diolch i Jake Smith, Swyddog Polisi Gofalwyr Cymru, a Beth Evans, Rheolwr Polisi, am redeg y cwrs a thynnu sylw at y materion niferus.
Rwy'n llwyr gefnogi galwadau Gofalwyr Cymru am gymorth mwy hyblyg gan gynghorau i helpu gofalwyr i ymdopi ag unrhyw darfu pellach oherwydd Omicron ac rwy'n bwriadu codi'r mater yn y Senedd cyn gynted â phosibl.
Dywedodd Jake Smith eu bod yn falch o gyfarfod â Sam a'i dîm i godi ymwybyddiaeth o'r pwnc.
Meddai:
Roedd yn dda cael tynnu sylw at y materion pwysig hyn gydag Aelod o'r Senedd a'i dîm, ac rwy'n croesawu ei sylwadau cadarnhaol.
Mewn adroddiad arolwg ymchwil diweddar, a gyhoeddwyd ym mis Rhagfyr 2021, sy'n ymdrin â chyllid, iechyd, gwasanaethau lleol a chyflogaeth gofalwyr, canfu Gofalwyr Cymru fod y pandemig wedi effeithio ar ofalwyr di-dâl.
Ymhlith y canfyddiadau, canfu bod pump o bob saith bwrdd iechyd, dros y ddwy flynedd diwethaf, wedi gofyn iddynt ddarparu mwy o gymorth i anwyliaid, ac roedd gofalwyr di-dâl yn cael trafferthion ariannol gyda chostau gofalu, gan wario £1,300 ar gyfartaledd ar ofalu.
