Who cares ... do you?
“You are a carer if you provide regular and substantial unpaid help to someone who is frail or disabled, or mentally or physically ill, and who cannot manage without your support. You may not live in the same house, and you do not have to be related to the person you look after.”
People who care for others on a regular basis are providing an invaluable service for the person they care for but they also save taxpayers a huge amount of money each year – estimated to be £87 Billion. There are probably around 112,000 carers in Derbyshire alone. Yet the people who do this work often go unnoticed by the rest of us and even unappreciated by the person they care for, especially if that person is suffering from dementia.
Hidden carers
There's help out there
Caring with Confidence - support for Carers
See also the Faith in Derbyshire case study 'Case Study 3 - Informal care'
Recent Disability Direct Newsletter Disability Direct Newsletter
Hidden carers
Many carers are hidden; they see what they are doing as simply part of being family and don’t talk about it outside. Yet there is help available which can reduce the strain on them and remove some of the worry. What would happen if they became ill and could not cope or were taken into hospital and would not even be there? There are schemes available to help out with just such issues, for example carers can carry an emergency card so that if something does happen to them the emergency services will be alerted to the needs of the person being cared for.
Children are often among the hidden carers. Young carers who care for parents or siblings are often in great need, trying to keep up with school (or just giving up) while doing huge amounts of work in the home. They are often in fear that they will be taken into care if they are found out.
There’s help out there …
There are a range of resources which can be accessed through the web to help carers. Many actually have human beings behind them so that there can be real confidential and practical help!
The NHS provide resources and advice including a directory of local services based on your post code, see www.nhs.uk/Carersdirect
Derbyshire County Council has services and resources to support carers; they provide the emergency card described above and a huge amount of other practical help and advice. There is also a whole section on DCC’s website that can be accessed through www.derbyshire.gov.uk/Social_health/carers/default.asp
It includes a directory with a wide range of other organisations which can offer specialist or local support. They also produce a news letter.
Similarly, Derby City Council has resources at www.derby.gov.uk/HealthSocialCare/SocialServices/GeneralSupportCare/CarerSupport/AdultCarers.htm
Derbyshire Carers provide information, individual support, telephone support, advocacy support, local support groups and a 24/7 crisis support helpline 01332 364444 (this is operate by the Samaritans). They can be found at www.derbyshirecarers.co.uk
The Princess Royal Trust for Carers is a national charity which promotes and campaigns for the needs of carers www.carers.org