Let us Know if you are a Carer
A carer is ‘anyone, including children and adults, who looks after a family member, partner or friend who needs help because of their illness, frailty, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction and cannot cope without their support’ and notes that ‘the care they give is unpaid’.
The life of a carer is incredibly rewarding but can also leave carers themselves needing an extra helping hand. If you care for someone or know someone who does, please let us know either by completing our Adult or Young Carers Registration forms (at the top of the page). We can then make a note of this on your record to ensure that you and the person/people you care for receive the right support and care.
Are you a Young Carer?
A young carer might be looking after someone close to them (a parent, grandparent or sibling) who is ill or unable to care for themselves. This can be hard work and often young carers spend a lot of time doing housework as well as nursing and doing tasks such as bathing and dressing them.
Being a young carer can affect your own health and wellbeing:
- feeling overwhelmed or stressed
- feeling anxious or worried
- feeling physically tired
- being bullied or left out
- being embarrassed about your situation
- missing school, homework or after school activities
Recording your caring status on your patient record ensures that all the surgery staff can support you with making appointments, collecting prescriptions and directing you to resources and organisations who will be able to help. You can let us know you are a young carer during a consultation with a doctor, by telling our reception team or by filling out our Young Carers Registration Form (at the top of the page).
How the Spinney Supports Carers
At the Spinney, we strive to support carers in the community and provide them with the help they need to give the best care possible and also to take care of themselves.
If we know you’re a carer, we can:
- support you with any physical health issues related to your caring role
- talk to you about your mental health and the impact of your caring role
- refer you to helpful organisations that can improve your caring situation
- refer you for a Carers Break payment if your caring role is impacting your health, potentially meaning you can take a break
If you are struggling or have concerns about the health and wellbeing of either yourself or the person/people you care for, please get in touch with us.
To celebrate the work carers do in St Ives, every year we host the Carers Tea as part of National Carers Week which allows carers and those they care for to come enjoy an afternoon tea to give them the respite they deserve.
We have also been awarded the Carers Friendly Tick for Healthcare by Caring Together which recognises us as a practice who go above and beyond for the carers in our community to help support them however we can.
Resources and Support for Carers in St Ives and Huntingdonshire
Below you can find some information about local schemes and resources which you may find useful:
Community Navigators
Community Navigator services are able to provide carers with information and guidance as well as signposting them to other organisations who can help. They are able to help you access information about car schemes and help with transport; social activities; mobility aids and help to modify your home; practical help around the house as well as help to access benefits and more.
Whatever, your question, their staff and volunteers are trained, resourced and capable of finding the information you need to access the appropriate services. Give them a call on 01480 775493 or click here to send them an email.
Caring Together
In the Cambridgeshire area, Caring Together champion family carers’ rights every day of the year. The Family Carers Helpline Team is ready to listen to find out what matters to each carer.
They provide tailored information and advice anytime so any carer knows where to turn for advice, information and support, whether in their local community or online. You can contact them on 01480 499090 or you can visit their website at www.caringtogether.org which is packed with information including an new online directory of carer resources.
Cambridgeshire County Council
Cambridgeshire County Council website (www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk) provides a wealth of information about support for carers and those that they care for, including how to apply for disabled parking as well as contact information for adult and children social care services.
If you are providing unpaid care for a family member or friend, you might be worried about the effects of COVID-19 on both you and the person you’re caring for. Using the Cambridgeshire County Council website, you can access additional information about how to help care during the COVID-19 pandemic by clicking here.
You can also fill in the form found here to apply for support for things like shopping, collecting prescriptions and support for emotional wellbeing or families.
Taking a Break
Everyone needs a break sometimes, especially carers. Caring for someone can be relentless and exhausting so breaks are vital for your own wellbeing and quality of life. After a break, many people feel recharged and rejuvenated and with a more positive outlook, it is easier to cope with challenging circumstances. The person, or those, you care for could also benefit from enjoying new experiences, a change of scene and routine, and meeting other people.
For more information about how to take a break and support for when you do, please see the below resources:
‣ Taking a Break Factsheet: Visit here for more information about how you can take a break, what options you have and how to plan for a break
‣ Supporting you to take a break: Visit here to watch Carers UK’s video series on other’s carers experiences when taking a break as well as additional support and resources to help you.