ROME - According to a national survey conducted by “Yoopies,” 87.5 per cent of the 600 family carers on the platform would like to have priority in being vaccinated, to protect and safeguard the elderly and vulnerable that they support on a daily basis. 

  The majority of family carers interviewed seem to support “Assindatcolf” in including the caregivers in the priority vaccination roll-out, intended for health workers, since they are looking after the elderly, non self-sufficient and those in very fragile situations. Even if the carers are respecting the various precautions, namely wearing a facemask, constantly sanitising their hands and surfaces, they are in direct contact with those most at risk. These carers are essential in allowing those in need to carry on with their daily activities. 

  The online platform “Yoopies” is a site that is designed for finding a job or help on the field of domestic services. As well as revealing their desire to be vaccinated quickly, 60.5 per cent of the carers have also expressed how they feel that their profession is not sufficiently recognised. This general lack of recognition has been accentuated during the global pandemic, with some people, outside of this profession, not thinking that these carers should be vaccined as quickly as other healthcare workers that go to homes. 

  “This profession presents difficult working conditions, both physically and psychologically; we are waiting to be better appreciated by institutions, salary increases, income support and a definitive status,” said an interviewee. 

  However, the sector of homeware services is rapidly on the rise, with an increasing number of people wanting to grow old at their homes, so it’s evident that  home carers are becoming more and more indispensable. 

  “Yoopies” recorded an increase of 23 per cent in registrations for homecaring, over the course of 2020. This should encourage us to place greater value on the importance of this profession.