Information Now » Looking after someone

Jump to content

Change Text Colour : Black & white Colour

Email to a Friend | print iconPrint This Page | Change Text Size : small medium large


It is 11:32 am on the 4th February 2012

Looking after someone

We would like to thank Carers Centre Newcastle for their input into this section of Information NOW.

A carer is someone who provides unpaid help and support to a family member, friend, partner, child or neighbour who has a disability, a physical or mental illness, is frail, or has alcohol or drug-related problems.

Many people do not see themselves as carers, but rather as family members or friends, and do not realise that they may be able to get financial and practical help and support from the City Council, health services and voluntary organisations.

If you are a carer, you may find that your responsibilities are affecting the way you live your own life. It is important to remember that, even though you are caring for someone else, you need to take care of yourself too.

Carer support

Caring for someone can be stressful. You may find that you experience a wide range of conflicting emotions; feelings of isolation, guilt, anger or depression are common. Having someone to talk to about how you feel can make all of the difference.

If you feel you can, talk to either the person you care for, to a family member or to a friend about what it is like to be a carer. However, if you find it difficult to discuss how you feel with them, it may be easier to talk to someone who is not directly involved.

Things you can do:

When you are caring for someone else, it is very easy to forget about your own health. However, it is important to look after yourself so that your health doesn't suffer and you can continue caring for as long as you want to.

Things you can do:

Caring can be rewarding, but it can also bring stress and strains, and you may welcome the opportunity to take a break. You may need someone else to be with the person you care for when you have a break. Some carers make arrangements with other members of their family, neighbours or friends so that they can have time off.

Alternatively, the Adult Service Team may be able to arrange support for the person you care for, so that you can have a break. This could be a sitting service at home, somewhere to go during the day or a short stay in an appropriate setting.

There is also information about respite care in the Carers Direct: time off section of the NHS Choices website.

Most carers learn how to look after someone by trial and error and by relying on their common sense. However, advice and training will often be available from the services and organisations you are already in contact with; it is always worth asking.

Information about the specific illness, disabilities or medication of the person you care for will be available from the Health Service, Social Services and many voluntary organisations. Practical tips, advice and demonstrations on things like safe moving and handling, dealing with aggression, relaxation techniques and helping with treatment and therapy may also be available. Find out more by contacting Carers Centre Newcastle using the details given below.

You may also be able to get equipment, such as a walking aid, and adaptations made to your home which could make life easier for you and the person you care for. This is described in more detail in our section on Equipment and aids.

Carers Needs Assessments

You can make a request to Adult Services for a Carers Needs Assessment. An assessment will give you the opportunity to discuss your situation with a worker who will help you identify your needs as a carer, find out what help you need, and tell you more about your rights to services.

It is usually better if your Carers Needs Assessment is carried out by someone who knows you and the person you care for, for example, a nurse, social worker, or occupational therapist, so you should approach this person first.

When arranging your assessment, you can ask to have it in private, and away from the person you care for, if you would prefer to do this.

There is also information about Carers Assessments in the Carers Direct: carers assessments section of the NHS Choices website.

Benefits

Caring for someone can be expensive. You may have given up work to be a carer, or the person you care for may have been the main breadwinner in the past. You may find yourself with less money to spend but more to pay out, for example, on heating bills, equipment or prescriptions.

Depending upon your age and circumstances, you may have a right to certain benefits, allowances and premiums. These could include Carer’s Allowance, Income Support, Pension Credit, and Housing and Council Tax Benefit. You can find out more about these in our section on Benefits.

Depending upon what allowances and benefits you claim, any others that you, or the person you are caring for, already receive may either increase or reduce. Because of this, it is worth seeking advice on which benefits you should be applying for. Both Newcastle Welfare Rights Service (at the contact details below) and The Pension Service should be able to help you with this.

Carer’s Credit has been introduced from 6 April 2010. It is a National Insurance credit which helps carers build up qualifying years for the basic State Pension and additional State Pension. To qualify for Carer’s Credit you must care for one or more disabled people for a total of 20 hours or more per week. Each person you care for must receive:

Where a person being cared for does not receive an appropriate qualifying benefit, Carer’s Credit can still be awarded if you supply a Care Certificate. This will need to be signed by a health or social care professional.

Find out more about Carer's Credit including who is eligible and who to contact by contacting The Carer's Allowance Unit on 0845 608 4321.

There is also information about money and benefits for carers in the Carers Direct: money advice section of the NHS Choices website.

Employment

If you are caring for someone and want to combine paid work with your caring responsibilities, there is a variety of help available from your local Jobcentre Plus. This can include replacement care and benefits advice. For further information about Work Focused Support for Carers, visit the Directgov website or contact your local Jobcentre Plus office. Click here to find your local office.

Carers Emergency Contact Scheme

This new scheme helps carers think ahead and make an emergency contact plan for what would happen if they cannot be there because of an emergency. The plan would say who could replace them at short notice to make sure the person they look after is safe. This could be a family member, friend or neighbour.

If the carer does not have anyone else they can ask to help in an emergency, then the British Red Cross can send a volunteer who will be able to make sure the person is safe in the short-term and get in touch with organisations who can give practical help (like the City Council) if necessary. The plan is registered with the British Red Cross who will keep the plan safe until it is needed.

Once carers have registered their details they will be given a pocketsized card to keep with them at all times, which will have a telephone number to ring in an emergency. The card will also have a unique reference number, which will enable British Red Cross operators to access the emergency plan 24 hours per day, 7 days a week. The service is free and emergency services, like the Police or Ambulance Service will know what the card means.

Carers can ask for a copy of an emergency contact plan to fill in direct from the Red Cross or from Adult and Culture Services. Support is available to make the plan if needed. For further information or to request a plan telephone Linda Whittemore on (0191) 273 7961 or email lwhittemore@redcross.org.uk. Social Care Direct can be contacted on (0191) 278 8377.

Useful organisations

There are a number of organisations who can give you advice, help and information depending on your needs. The Patient Information Centre produces a directory of Carer Organisations in Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland, which includes information on many of these. You can also search a database of these organisations on their website.

Carers Centre Newcastle

Carers Centre Newcastle is a city centre drop-in and outreach service for carers in Newcastle, offering one-to-one carer support, information, carers groups, activities, events, and one-to-one sessions with expert helpers including counsellors, welfare rights advisers and relaxation therapists. Use Carers Centre Newcastle when you need a listening ear, have questions but don't know who to ask, or to find out what support is available for carers in Newcastle and from whom. To find out more, contact them using the details given below, or visit their website.

Carers UK

The Carers UK website provides information and news about being a carer. You can also sign up to receive a regular newsletter, and to take part in discussion forums.

Carers UK have also produced a leaflet New to caring?, which contains advice from experienced carers and covers all the basics that you need to know about the financial, practical and emotional aspects of caring, as well as the range of help that is available.

Carers Direct

A new information and advice hotline has been launched for carers. The new Carers Direct hotline aims to reduce the time and stress of searching out essential advice. Details of support available includes assessments, benefits, direct payments, individual budgets and time off. You can contact the Carers Direct hotline on 0808 802 0202, by emailing CarersDirect@nhschoices.nhs.uk, or by visiting the website

EPP CIC (Expert Patients Programme Community Interest Company)

The EPP CIC offers two free six week courses:

The courses are facilitated by a training tutor who is either a carer or is someone living with a long-term health condition. For more information, contact the Northumberland, Tyne and Wear branch of EPP CIC using the details given below, or visit the Expert Patients Programme website.

Carelink

Carelink is a free telephone monitoring and support service for older and vulnerable people in the community. The service is flexible and calls can be made once or twice a day to prompt medication, or simply to check that all is well. If staff do not get a response they will contact a relative or make a home visit to ensure that there is not a problem. The service can also be provided on a short-term basis, for example when a family member is on holiday.

For further information or to register with Carelink, contact Alice Page, Carelink Co-ordinator, using the details given below.

Older Carers Development Worker

If you are aged over 70 and caring for someone with a learning disability, there is an Older Carers Development Worker in Newcastle who can help you to access information and services that you may find helpful. The type of help they can provide includes information about carers assessments, support groups, advocates, day services and benefits. The Older Carers Development Worker can visit you in you own home, or at a place and time that would be convenient to you. For further information contact them using the details below.

Respond Elders Project

Respond Elders Project offers advice, information and support to older families of adults with learning disabilities. The freephone helpline is open on Mondays and Thursdays from 2pm - 7pm and on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 12pm and 5pm. It can be used for one off enquiries or can provide regular counselling support where needed. Contact the Respond Elders Project using the details below.

Other useful information

Carers Information Booklet

Newcastle Carers Strategy is a partnership between Newcastle City Council Adult Services, health services and voluntary organsations to develop services abd support adults caring for adults in Newcastle upon Tyne. They have produced a booklet called 'Do you look after someone?' which gives information for carers about various subjects including:

You can download the booklet here or telephone (0191) 211 6340 to request a copy.

Contact Information

Adult Social Care Direct Team
Shieldfield Centre, 4-8 Clarence Walk, Shieldfield, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 1AL.
Telephone : 0191 278 8377, Fax : 0191 278 8312.
Email : scd@newcastle.gov.uk

Carelink
Quality Independent Care, 109 Meldon Terrace, Heaton, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 5XQ.
Telephone : 0191 276 2952, Fax : 0191 276 4611.
Email : qi.care@virgin.net

Carers Centre Newcastle
6 Saville Place, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8DQ.
Telephone : 0191 260 3030, Fax : 0191 230 1500.
Email : enquiries@carerscentrenewcastle.org.uk

Carers UK
20-25 Glasshouse Yard, London, EC1A 4JT.
Telephone : 020 7490 8818, Telephone Helpline : 0808 808 7777, Fax : 020 7490 8824.
Email : info@carersuk.org

EPP CIC (Expert Patients Programme Community Interest Company)
Bensham Hospital, Fontwell Drive, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, NE8 4YL.
Telephone : 0191 445 6697.
Email : joan.smith@nhsepp.org

Newcastle Welfare Rights Service
Brian Roycroft Centre, The Shopping Centre, Newbiggin Hall Estate, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE5 4BR.
Telephone : 0191 277 2633.

Older Carers Development Worker - Learning Disabilities
The Welford Centre, The Bungalow, Jubilee Road, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne.
Telephone : 0191 284 9113.

Pension Service
PO Box 1005, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE98 1WZ.
Telephone : 0845 606 0265, Fax : 0191 218 6061.

Respond Elders Project
Telephone : 0808 808 0700.
Email : eldersproject@respond.org.uk

Sunderland Carers Centre
12 Toward Road, Sunderland, SR1 2QF.
Telephone : 0191 567 3232, Fax : 0191 567 8536.
Email : info@sunderlandcarers.co.uk

Article last updated December 9, 2011 3:58 pm

Did you find this information useful?
Very Useful Useful Not Useful

« Back