‘Stay at home’: analysing the implications of COVID-19 for unpaid carers

This paper examines unpaid caregivers’ perceptions and experiences of home during the COVID-19 pandemic, analysing how they changed over a 12 month period. The discussion focuses on qualitative longitudinal interviews with 25 women aged 50 and over, in Greater Manchester, UK. These women were involved with informal care at home during successive periods of lockdown restrictions when social distancing was enforced and statutory services were suspended. The analysis draws attention to the complexities of caring relationships and the unmet needs of some groups of older adults, particularly among women from minority ethnic backgrounds. COVID-19 restrictions intensified caring responsibilities due to prolonged periods of social isolation and the loss of support networks. The article argues that policy approaches which support ‘ageing in place’ in one’s home or community must be revised to encompass a deeper understanding of the pressures facing women living in households with caring responsibilities, particularly from lower-income neighbourhoods and marginalised backgrounds.