Burnham opens up on how his mother was 'sinking' under unbearable strain of looking after his dementia-stricken father as Prime Minister backs Daily Mail's carers campaign

Andy Burnham has opened up on how his mother was left 'sinking' under the unbearable strain of looking after his dementia-stricken father as the Prime Minister backed the Daily Mail's carers campaign.Mr Burnham admitted his family had become so fixated on his father's condition that they overlooked the toll on his mother - and may have waited too long before moving him into a care home.In an emotional interview, Mr Burnham said there needs to be much more support and appreciation for unpaid carers, such as his mother Eileen, who looked after his dad Roy before his death from Alzheimer's in September, aged 85.The PM has previously told how his dad was unaware his middle son had become Prime Minister.He said: 'From what I experienced, the emotional toll is a burden that is unbearable. The weight is unbearable - it gets too big.'I know that will ring true for some of your readers who are going through this experience.'I saw it directly - I saw my mum sinking under the size of that weight.'He added: 'Me and my brothers have spoken about this - there was a tendency to focus on the person with dementia and miss some of what was going on around, and particularly the impact of carrying that daily burden on my mum. Prime Minister Andy Burnham talking to the Daily Mail's executive health editor, Shaun Wooller 'The country is dependent upon people who are caring for partners, loved ones, unpaid and we've got to see them, recognise them, hear them when they say that I need more to make this sustainable.'His intervention comes as a major Daily Mail appeal is seeking to raise millions of pounds for a pioneering support network for unpaid dementia carers.Dementia Carers Together will deliver new nationwide six-week courses for friends and relatives of people living with the disease.Delivered in partnership with Alzheimer's Society, the sessions will give carers vital support and information about their rights and the services available to them.They will allow attendees to meet others in a similar situation and help to address the loneliness, exhaustion and overwhelming responsibilities many face following a loved one's diagnosis.Mr Burnham said he 'strongly supported' the Daily Mail's cause as he believes his family could have benefited from the sessions, instead of struggling on as they did, with little practical support.There are currently 2.5 million people in the UK who provide some form of care for people with dementia, and four out of five of them have reached crisis point at least once.The PM said his family had tried to keep his dad out of a care home for as long as possible but had failed to properly consider the strain this placed on his mum, a former GP's receptionist. Prime Minister and former Manchester mayor Andy Burnham doing the Great Run for Alzheimer's Society in 2024He said: 'We as a family, we had basically worked on the principle for many years that we wouldn't want to see my dad going into care - that we would find a way [of keeping him at home].'And I think because of that feeling that we had - and because perhaps we were looking at my dad all the time, not necessarily looking at my mum - I think it took possibly too long to make that decision.'Credit to the care home when my dad did go in - they were great, and they did a really good job and it was the right option in that situation.'But it was a tough journey.'The PM said he and his brothers finally changed tack and realised they needed to put his dad into a care home when they noticed their mum had grown weary and was exhausted as she failed to get enough sleep.Mr Burnham said he had seen how social care fails to take the pressure off struggling families and that 15 minute home visits by paid carers soon stop being adequate to deliver all the support dementia patients and their loved ones need.He described the carer visits to his dad as 'quite chaotic at times' and said they sometimes struggled to even move his dad from his bed to an armchair in the allocated time.The Labour leader, who was elected MP for Makerfield in June, believes his plans for a National Care Service will provide better support for unpaid carers and allow them to continue looking after loved ones without becoming overwhelmed. Prime Minister Andy Burnham on a visit to Watford General Hospital on Monday to see how they have improved the flow of patients through A&E to minimise the impact of winter pressuresCommenting on the Dementia Carers Together sessions, the PM said: 'Often what happens to a family is that the diagnosis is confirmed, and in our case, you get paperwork, you get all kinds of stuff but none of it really helped.'It was all delivered just via pamphlets and it would have helped to have had some more practical advice as to how things will progress and what you need to be ready for - and also the whole thing about networking with people who are in a similar position, which is what would happen as a result of the classes that you would be putting on.'People can then develop their own support network, through attending events like that.'From experience, just a little bit of help can make something feel bearable or doable that without it, would all of a sudden just overwhelm somebody.'I can absolutely see that the sessions would have been helpful.'Michelle Dyson, chief executive of Alzheimer’s Society, said: 'We are incredibly grateful to the Prime Minister for opening up about his own family’s experience and backing our Dementia Carers Together Appeal.'No one caring for someone with dementia should be left to struggle without the support they need.'Dementia Carers Together will give carers vital advice, support and the chance to connect with others who understand.'We hope people across the country will join the Prime Minister in supporting the appeal so we can reach more families when they need us most.'Number 10 said it had ended the Carer's Allowance cliff edge, so unpaid carers no longer lose their entire allowance simply for earning a penny over the weekly earnings limit and was delivering on its commitments in its unpaid carers action plan, which will help people access services and support more easily. Dementia Carers Together Dementia Carers Together is raising money to fund new courses across the UK to give tens of thousands of struggling unpaid dementia carers vital emotional and practical support. For further information, visit dailymail.com/dementiaHow you can donateOnline: Click here.By Text: To donate £10, text CARER to 70115. To donate £20, text LOVE to 70115. To donate £30, text HEART to 70115. Texts will cost your donation amount plus your network charge.By phone: Call 0300 1234577. Standard charges may apply.By cheque: Send cheques made payable to Mail Force Charity to:Dementia Carers Together, 42 Phoenix Court, Hawkins Road, Colchester CO2 8JY