Almost a third of family carers have spent €150 euro out of their own pocket to meet additional expenses according to a survey from Family Carers Ireland.
The study conducted prior to the Covid-19 pandemic found that over one in five family carers admit to cutting back on heat or food in order to cope financially.
In addition, 70 per cent of carers said they found it hard to make ends meet.
A 'lockdown within a lockdown' was one phrase used to describe how families caring for people with specific needs were coping once restrictions were introduced.
The State of Care report, which was published today, also describes how one respondent went without her medication in order to make ends meet.
Meanwhile, 55 per cent had to give up work in order to care for members in their own family and 75 per cent experienced difficulties accessing services for at least one of the people they care for.
Commenting on the report, Catherine Cox from Family Cares Ireland said: "The research indicates that caring can have significant adverse impact on a person’s health and wellbeing.
"Family carers are more likely to have poorer health and a long-standing disability, illness or health condition. For many families, taking on caring responsibilities results in long-term financial hardship, with the loss of income exacerbated by higher household costs.
"Without the estimated €10 billion in unpaid care they provide each year, the Irish health service would collapse. Despite the enormity of their contribution, many family carers are going without support. This was exacerbated by this crisis, when family carers continued to care without vital services throughout the emergency.”
