Parents of children with life-limiting conditions exhausted

Many parents are feeling overwhelmed and exhausted as a result of caring for their child with a life-limiting condition during the pandemic, a new survey has found.

The survey launched this week by LauraLynn, Ireland’s Children’s Hospice, to mark national Children’s Hospice Week, has revealed some of the stark realities facing families in Ireland who are caring for a child with life-limiting condition.

Approximately 3,840 children in Ireland are living with a life-limiting condition, 1,900 of whom have palliative care needs. As the only children’s hospice in Ireland, LauraLynn conducted the survey in order to draw attention to the lived experiences of families caring for a child with palliative care needs, especially during a global pandemic.

More than 85 per cent said they are feeling completely overwhelmed and totally exhausted while more than 61 per cent of parents reported feeling a great deal more isolated as a result of caring for their child with a life-limiting condition.

LauraLynn CEO, Kerry McLaverty said: “As we shine a light on children’s palliative and hospice care this Children’s Hospice Week the findings of this survey are both worrying and concerning but, having supported 212 children and their families in every county of the country throughout 2020, we are all too aware of the day to day challenges these families face.”

LauraLynn relies heavily on the public’s support to fund their hospice services at lauralynn.ie/donate.