Who Is Looking After the Carers?

When someone receives a diagnosis of dementia, the focus — rightly — turns to them. But alongside every person living with dementia, there is often someone else: a partner, a son or daughter, a sibling or close friend, quietly taking on one of the most demanding roles a person can hold. The unpaid carer. And far too often, nobody asks how they are doing.

In the UK, there are an estimated 5.8 million unpaid carers. Many of them are supporting someone with dementia, sometimes around the clock, frequently without adequate support, and at significant cost to their own health and wellbeing.

The statistics are striking. More than three quarters of unpaid carers report experiencing burnout, and 61% say they have faced mental ill-health as a direct result of their caring role. Nearly half have experienced depression. Over 40% have not taken a single break in the past year. These are not small numbers — they represent a quiet crisis affecting millions of people who rarely put themselves first.

What makes caring for someone with dementia particularly demanding is its unpredictability. The person you love may be fully present one moment and unreachable the next. The role changes constantly. And unlike many caring situations, there is no recovery to work towards — only adaptation. That combination of grief, uncertainty, and relentless responsibility takes a profound toll.

The word “respite” tends to conjure images of a few hours alone at home, or a brief break while a professional steps in. And while rest is valuable, research suggests that the most meaningful relief for carers comes not just from time off, but from knowing that the person they care for is genuinely engaged, happy, and well-supported. When that is the case, carers report feeling their lives are measurably easier — and their own wellbeing improves alongside.

This is one of the reasons that nature-based activities have begun to attract serious attention as a form of dementia support. When people living with dementia spend time in a garden — tending plants, engaging their senses, working alongside others — they tend to show reduced agitation and improved mood. And when carers see that, something in them relaxes too.

At Your Garden Companions, we work with people living with dementia in garden settings — and we are acutely aware that behind every person we support, there is often a carer who is equally in need of care. Our sessions offer something important to both: meaningful, purposeful time for the person with dementia, and genuine breathing space for the people who love them.

If you are caring for someone with dementia and you are finding it hard — if you can’t remember the last time you had a proper break, or the last time you did something just for yourself — we would gently encourage you to reach out. Not just for them, but for you.

Find out how our sessions could help. Get in touch →