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Caring covers a huge range of situations, conditions and disabilities. We are only able to give an overview of the help available to support carers and the people they look after.
You can find out what services are available in your area by contacting your social services or local carers' organisation or by visiting the Finding Help section.
Help at home
This includes home care to help with some of the practical tasks of looking after someone. It could be making meals or making sure the person is safe from harm. It could be help with personal care - e.g. getting them up in the morning and put to bed or washed and dressed.
This help can be arranged through social services and the person you care for will require a community care assessment. Or, if the person you care for can pay for the complete cost of the services, you could make your own arrangements directly.
Crossroads is a national organisation with branches throughout the country providing this type of support. For contact details visit Finding Help. Details of private agencies in your area providing help at home are available from your social services department and listed in Yellow Pages.
Day care
Day care services are provided for people requiring assistance with basic tasks of daily living. This may also enable you the carer to get a break. Day care services offer opportunities to learn new skills and hobbies; join in with organised activities and events; and enjoy trips out to places of interest. Meals are usually provided and transport is often available to take the person. Day care services are often provided by social services. Some organisations provide services for specific conditions or disabilities such as the Stroke Association or Alzheimer's Society.
Break services
These are covered in How do I get a break
Telecare and telehealth
Telecare and telehealth are technology solutions that can help relieve stress, and provide support, peace of mind, independence and dignity to carers and the people they care for.
An innovative range of non-intrusive telecare sensors, such as fall, smoke, flood and movement detectors, bed/chair occupancy, temperatures extreme sensors and medication reminders, work with a home unit to offer a comprehensive way of managing the risks to a person's health and home environment, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It also includes environmental control solutions which can be programmed to open and close windows, curtains and doors and operate domestic appliances, if the person being cared for has limited mobility and dexterity.
Telehealth solutions enable patients with long term conditions to monitor their vital signs, in their own homes. The results are then transmitted to the patients clinician who can view the data and take the appropriate action.
If you want to find out more, there are a variety of providers and solutions available. Your local authority and NHS may fund telecare and telehealth solutions, or they can be bought privately. Tunstall is the leading provider and has produced a booklet called “Support for Carers - Solutions for Independent Living”, which provides key information for health and social care providers and carers. This can be found at www.tunstall.co.uk/guides or by calling 01977 660479 for a free copy. They can also provide you with the contact details at your local council.
Aids and equipment
There are many gadgets and equipment designed to help disabled people and their carers manage everyday life more easily. These start from simple aids, like two handled mugs and handrails onto more complex support aids, such as hoists and environmental control systems. You can get information about these by contacting your GP or social services.
There are a number of ways to view aids and equipment before you buy, borrow or hire them - including visiting a local Disabled Living Centre. See further contact details in Finding Help
Adapting your home
The person you care for may be able to get a grant to help the cost of repairing, improving or adapting their home. Or you may be able to get a grant for your own home, if the person you care for lives with you. Grants don't always cover the full cost of the work done. There are some differences for housing grants in England and Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. You can get information from your housing department or social services department of your local council (or Grants Office in Northern Ireland).
Residential and nursing home care
If the person you care for is unable to live at home or you're unable to continue caring for them, you may need to think about residential care. There are two types of residential care:
You can get information on residential and nursing homes from your social services department.
Carers' services
Local authorities can provide services directly to carers, usually called 'carers services'. These carers' services can be anything that will help the carer look after the person or maintain their health and well being. Examples are: a mobile phone to give carers peace of mind; help with taxi fares so the carer can get to hospital appointments or get to work on time; and counselling or alternative therapies to deal with emotional issues. This type of support can be provided as a direct payment.
The provision of carers' services is fairly new. Check your local authority's approach to providing carers' services as it differs around the country with some authorities providing little or no services. Your social worker may not know about these services, so they'll have to find out what is available in your local authority. Most of the services that benefit carers, including breaks services, are provided to the person being looked after. These are often referred to as 'community care services'.
Sometimes, the combination of community care services and carers' services can make a real difference. For example: a carer may have a community care service, like a sitting service enabling them to get a break. The carer then realises that after five years of caring they've lost touch with friends and family and feel isolated. They speak to their social worker about this and they look at how the carer can get back some of their social life. Another break is arranged using a sitting service and an adult education course is arranged as a carer's service. The combination of the two services means the carer gets a break and feels the benefit of doing something outside of caring, leaving them more able to cope with their caring situation.
Direct Payments
A Direct Payment is money given to you or the person you care for by your social services department. You use the money to buy services you need, instead of social services providing them directly.
The benefit of a Direct Payment is that it helps you buy support that is timely and appropriate to you. Direct Payments can only be spent on getting the support you and the person you care for have been assessed as needing.
The government wants as many people as possible to benefit from Direct Payments. But you don't have to have a Direct Payment if you don't want to - you can opt to have services instead.
Vouchers
More local authorities are offering vouchers to allow carers to have a break from caring. The voucher can be exchanged for services provided by the local authority or an organisation approved by the council.
Vouchers will mainly be issued to the person you are caring for so they can get support while you have a break. They allow you and the person you care for more choice and control over when and where you receive services.
Your GP and primary care team
Your GP and primary care team can give you support, advice and information. The primary care team includes occupational therapists, physiotherapists, continence advisors and dieticians. Your GP, district nurse, health visitor or practice nurse can provide more information and refer you to these services. They can also refer you to your local social services who will provide services to support you in your caring role.
Your GP may be able to help you as a carer by:
Most doctors’ practices have a practice nurse. Their role differs from practice to practice, but they are often involved in routine health checks and nursing care. You can talk to the practice nurse if you have any concerns or for more information about a certain aspect of health.
District nurses provide support to individuals and carers in their own homes. They are normally based in GP surgeries. Your surgery or GP can provide more advice on getting their support and assistance. Your district nurse may help you in your caring role by:
District nurses also have links with other community, social and voluntary services and can assist you in contacting relevant services.
Health visitors are usually based at your GP’s surgery. Your health visitor may be able help you as a carer by providing:
Pharmacy
Chemists are trained professionals qualified to advise on all aspects of medication. Your local pharmacy may be help you with caring by:
Palliative care
Palliative care involves providing care to relieve suffering, focussing on controlling pain and other symptoms. It is especially important for those whose illness cannot be cured. Some people need specialist palliative care support, which may be provided by teams of health professionals working from hospitals or in the community.
Carers' organisations
Your area may have a carer's centre. This centre could be operated by your local authority, the Princess Royal Trust for Carers or another voluntary organisation. These centres provide a range of support to carers including:
Details of carers organisations in your area can be found in Finding help.
Independent Living Fund
The Independent Living Fund (ILF) is a trust set up and financed by the government. The aim is to help severely disabled people live at home rather than residential care. Applications are made through your local social services department.
The fund pays for extra care for people with very severe disabilities if:
If you think the person you are caring for meets these conditions, ask your social worker about the Independent Living Fund.
Page Last Modified: 25/01/2008
