Information for Carers

Carers Support Wiltshire are carrying out a survery hoping for feedback on Primary Care Services during the pandemic.  If you would be happy to take the time to complete the survey please follow this link. Survey Carer Support Wiltshire.

 

BACK TO MAIN INDEX

 

Are You a Carer?

If you are please let us know - we may be able to help you

We have a new Carer's Lead here at the Surgery, Justine Parsons. Our Practice Manager, Sarah Trompetas, is our Deputy Carer's Lead.  Both Justine and Sarah will be happy to help you with any carer-related queries

There is a wealth of information on the NHS website about carers and caring.
Below are some links into the site that we hope you will find useful.

At the Surgery we begin to hold regular Coffee Mornings quarterly on a Saturday again, which have previously been very well attended and are a fantastic way to share your experiences with other carers and to obtain useful information from our invited guests. 

As a carer you will be offered a priority yearly flu jab and a carers health check; to help you to stay well and give you the opportunity to speak to a Care Advisor on a one-to-one basis after seeing our Health Care Assistant.

 

A guide to care and support available in Wiltshire is now available here.

The Wiltshire Adult Care and Support guide, published by Care Choices gives readers information on how to access and pay for care services throughout Wiltshire.

Care Choices Logo

 

Carer Support Logo

Carer Support Wiltshire

Carers Support South Wilts which is part of Carers Support Wiltshire

Telephone: 0800 181 4118

Website

 

image of a carer

 

image of a carer

Finance and Law

Help claiming benefits, looking after your bank balance and understanding the legal issues of caring.

  • Benefits for carers: Directing carers to the benefits that can help them in their caring role
  • Benefits for the under-65s: Advice and information on helping the person you look after get the benefits that they are entitled to.
  • Benefits for the over-65s: Advice and information on financial support for older people with a disability or illness.
  • Carer's Assement: How your benefits maybe affected after the death of the person you look after and what happens to their benefits
  • Other benefits: Advice for carers and the people they are looking after on claiming a whole host of other benefits unrelated to their disability or caring
 

Carers Direct

Telephone: 0808 802 0202

Website

Email: CarersDirect@nhschoices.nhs.uk

Office Hours: Lines are open 8am to 9pm Monday to Friday, 11am to 4pm at weekends. Calls are free from UK landlines.

carers direct

 

Hints and Tips for Carers

  • TV License - If you have an elderly person that you care for and they had a free TV License when they lived alone, when they move in with you it is transferable to you.
  • Your council tax may be reduced if you are a carer and the 'cared for' person lives with you. Contact your local council.
  • Create a master list of everyone who is in the life of the person you care for and place it on a wall in their house in a prominent place. Include contact telephone numbers and a note of who each person is. The list could contain details of all carers, medical and social care contacts but also neighbours, vet, care line, milkman, local shop, church, chemist, electrician, gardener, plumber, as well as all family members.  It could also prove to be invaluable in an emergency situation.
  • Find a monthly calendar with big spaces to write things in and ensure that it is kept up to date. Include birthdays that need shopping for etc. Knowing what is going on reduces anxiety both for the 'carer' and 'cared for'.
  • Check out ways to increase melatonin levels. One 'cared for' patient got benefit from a Lumie Sunrise alarm clock.
  • Look into buying an automated cat or dog - these can be of great comfort to 'cared for' patients, particularly those living with dementia. If you would like further information regarding this product please contact Paula Wilson (Carers Lead at Whiteparish Surgery).
  • Find someone to talk to.