Other local CARERS ORGANISATIONS

From Slough Carers Support
Slough Carers Support including local support groups, carers discount card and more Slough Carers Support – Caring for Carers & Caring for You.

what is a carers assessment and why is it worth doing?

As the NHS suggest
“A carer’s assessment is free and anyone over 18 can ask for one. It’s separate from the needs assessment the person you care for might have, but you can ask to have them both done at the same time.

It might recommend things like:

• someone to take over caring so you can take a break
• gym membership and exercise classes to relieve stress
• help with taxi fares if you don’t drive
• help with gardening and housework
• training how to lift safely
• putting you in touch with local support groups so you have people to talk to
• advice about benefits for carers”

The NHS explains the Carer’s assessment in more detail
Carer’s assessments Carer’s assessments – Social care and support guide – NHS

The NHS website explains some of the other different support available for carers in more details
Support and benefits for carers Support and benefits for carers – Social care and support guide – NHS

Ask for a carers assessment

From Buckinghamshire Council
You can ask the council for a carers assessment (click on “submit carer referral”). You can also at any time apply for a needs assessment for the person you are caring for (click on submit self referral)

• Request a carers assessment: click on “submit carer referral” Ask adult social care for help | Care Advice Buckinghamshire

Further information form Buckinghamshire Council which may be helpful in an assessment includes

• My carers review: a factsheet to help you get ready for your carers review Fact Sheet 11 – My carers review
• How do I arrange a respite break Fact Sheet 13 – How do I arrange a respite break?
• How can equipment support carers? How can equipment support carers? | Care Advice Buckinghamshire
• Technology that can help you stay independent: How can it help and how can I get it?” including personal alarms and key safes Assistive technology | Care Advice Buckinghamshire

Apply for benefits for carers

The NHS websites explains benefits for carers and has links to the Gov.UK website where there is further information and you can make a claim.

From the NHS
Benefits for carers Benefits for carers – Social care and support guide – NHS

Local support on finance and work

There is more information on other benefits which may be relevant to carers in the frequently asked questions below. You can also get local support on finances relating to any benefit, and on work see under

• Finances
• Work

There will be further information on carers breaks through the council team after a carers assessment and through Carers Bucks.

As the NHS suggest
“Respite care means taking a break from caring, while the person you care for is looked after by someone else. It lets you take time out to look after yourself and helps stop you becoming exhausted and run down.”
Carers’ breaks and respite care Carers’ breaks and respite care – Social care and support guide – NHS

Examples of possible respite breaks include

From Carers First
Carefree is a charity that provides breaks for unpaid carers by working with accommodation providers to turn their empty rooms into priceless short breaks. Carefree breaks for carers | Carers First

From the family information service
Short breaks for children and young people with disabilities Short breaks and respite care for children with SEND | Family Information Service

From Dementia Carers Respite
Though you cannot access a service at present, this gives you an idea of the future possibilities for carers caring for dementia patients in Buckinghamshire. Respite for Families coping with Dementia

The NHS sets out some support young carers can get

• Help for young carers Help for young carers – Social care and support guide – NHS
• Being a young carer: your rights Being a young carer: your rights – Social care and support guide – NHS 

Local support

From Carers Bucks

• Young adult carers Bucks (16 to 25 years old)  Young Adult Carers – Carers Bucks
• Young carers Bucks ( 5 to 18 years old) Young Carers – Carers Bucks

Also you may find support which is relevant to you under the sections

• School
• Further education
• Bullying

TIME JUST FOR YOURSELF

Maintaining your mental, social and physical wellbeing in your caring role is very important. This can be harder in the 24/7 nature of some caring or when combining it with work. However, giving yourself time just for yourself can be key to the long-term sustainability of your carer role.

How you can find time for yourself is covered by the two questions in the FAQ section, namely “How can I get time for myself? “and “How can you support someone who is a carer?”

MENTAL, SOCIAL AND PHYSICAL WELLBEING

Mind have made some simple suggestions around supporting your wellbeing as a carer.
These can be followed up with local support for wellbeing below
How to look after yourself as a carer Looking after yourself as a carer – Mind

There is local support for wellbeing, see under

• Mental Wellbeing
• Social Wellbeing – including supporting loneliness
• Physical Wellbeing

If you find you are developing persistent low mood then there is local support

• Anxiety and Depression Adults
• Anxiety and Depression Children

MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT FOR CARERS OF PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA

From Buckinghamshire Talking Therapies
For Carers of people with dementia Courses and groups – NHS Buckinghamshire Talking Therapies, group sessions to understand:

• More about dementia and how it affects your loved one
• More about managing stress and low mood that can occur in the role of being a carer
• How to respond when your relative is distressed and how to cope with the behaviours you find most difficult
• The opportunity to share experiences with others

Social care

There is more information on local support for social care and how this might support your role as a carer under

• Support In Your Own Home

Some direct advice

From Buckinghamshire Age UK
Offer advice on all issues of concern to older people, their families, friends and carers Age UK Buckinghamshire | Information and advice for later life

You may find other relevant local and national support on other pages, see under

• Learning Disabilities Adult
• Learning Disabilities Children
• Dementia

Adult carers (Over 25 years old)

From Carers Bucks
Adult carers Bucks Adult Carers – Carers Bucks

Young adult carers (16 -25 years old)

From Carers Bucks
Young adult carers Bucks Young Adult Carers – Carers Bucks

Young Carers (5-18 years old)

From Carers Bucks
Young carers Bucks Young Carers – Carers Bucks

From the Buckinghamshire Safeguarding Children Partnership
Young Carers Young carers – Buckinghamshire Safeguarding Children Partnership

GENERAL

From the NHS – social care and support
From the social care and support guide Social care and support guide – NHS

• Practical tips if you care for someone Practical tips if you care for someone – NHS
• Caring for children and young people Caring for children and young people – NHS

From the NHS – support and benefits for carers
Support and benefits for carers Support and benefits for carers – Social care and support guide – NHS

From Carers Bucks
Well laid out information which is easy to navigate

• Adult Carers Adult Carers – Carers Bucks
• Young adults carers 16 – 25 Young Adult Carers – Carers Bucks
• Young carers 5 to 16 Young Carers – Carers Bucks
• Parent carer Parent Carers – Carers Bucks

From Carers UK
Detailed information including

• Practical support Practical support | Assessments | Equipment – Carers UK
• Online tools to help with caring Online tools to help with caring | Carers UK
• The upfront online tool can be a good place to start to understand benefits and entitlements Upfront – Carers UK

From Age UK
Help for carers looking after a loved one Help and support for carers respite & support | Age UK

ASSESSMENTS, ALLOWANCES AND OTHER BENEFITS

From the NHS
Support and benefits for carers (including carer’s assessments, support from local council , respite care and help for you young carers)  Support and benefits for carers – NHS

From Carers UK
Getting financial support Financial support | Carers UK

From Citizens Advice
Carers: help and support Carers: help and support – Citizens Advice

From Carers UK

• Carer’s assessment Carer’s Assessment – Carers UK
• Financial support (including carers allowance) Benefits | Finances | Pensions – Carers UK

From Gov UK

• Carer’s allowance Carer’s Allowance – GOV.UK
• Carer’s credit Carer’s Credit – GOV.UK

EQUIPMENT TO SUPPORT CARERS

From Carers UK
Technology and equipment support Technology and equipment – Carers UK

RESPITE CARE AND OTHER SUPPORT

As Age UK suggest
“It’s important to take a break from care if you need one. Respite care is the term used for services designed to give you a break from caring. It can come in many forms.” Respite care and carers’ breaks – Taking a break from care | Age UK

There are the formal respite services both NHS, private and voluntary, but it is important not to forget informal respite care. Many carers benefit from either family members or friends who will give a carer regular time out. This might be in the form of looking after the person you care for on a regular basis, or taking them out. The benefit of this is that the role is shared to some degree with other people and crucially it gives you time to yourself.

OVERCOMING THE EMOTION OF GUILT AND ANXIETY

One of the biggest barriers to accessing respite care is one’s own emotion of guilt and anxiety which is very common. It is important though that you understand that if you become stressed, depressed, physically unwell or lonely it will be far harder for you to maintain your carer role. So regular breaks can improve your ability to care, as well as making you much happier in the role.

This is covered by Carers UK
Facing guilt and anxiety Facing guilt & anxiety – Carers UK

MORE FORMAL SERVICES SUPPORTING YOU

From Age UK
Respite care: having a break from caring  Respite care and carers’ breaks – Taking a break from care | Age UK

From Carers UK
Supporting you to take a break Supporting you to take a break – Carers UK

See in the local support self-referral section above about how you can be supported with a respite break. 

Supporting a carer

The previous question for a carer “How can I get time for myself?” will give you some ideas how you might be able to make that possible for a carer. Even if that support is done irregularly, it can make a difference and also can make a carer understand that they are not on their own in their role. In many cases family members or friends take it in turns to support a carer and this can be immensely effective.

There are further ideas for friends and family.

From Carers UK
How employers can support carers How employers can support carers – Carers Trust

From Ageing Care
An American website with 10 simple ways to support a carer
How to Be a True Friend to a Family Caregiver 10 Ways to Support a Caregiver – AgingCare.com

Some ideas for the person been cared for to support their carer

From Psychology today
How to Help Your Caregiver How to Help Your Caregiver | Psychology Today

Flu vaccination

Many Carers are entitled to a free flu vaccine whatever your age or other risks

As the NHS suggests
“The flu vaccine is given free on the NHS to people who:
receive a carer’s allowance, or are the main carer for an older or disabled person who may be at risk if you get sick” Flu vaccine – NHS