An "invaluable but invisible army" of carers in their 80s has increased by almost 40 per cent in the last seven years, new figures published by Age UK reveal. Around 417,000 octogenarians - one in seven - now look after a loved one saving the health and care system almost £6 billion every year. With a greying population that figure set to almost double to 760,000 by the end of the next decade.
The majority of these older people are looking after a partner as older couples try to manage living at home for as long as possible, leaning on each other for support. This all reinforces the need for fully-funded state provision of care.
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