Help and support
We’re in your corner
Caring for someone can be exhausting. Whether it’s
for a few hours or a few weeks, we all need time
away so we can rest and recharge. In this issue Jen
from the Carers UK Adviceline explores the different
options for taking a break, and we share your
experiences of the benefits and challenges.
Q
Q&A
Life is becoming unbearable... what can I do?
My mum has arthritis and cannot
walk more than a few steps. She used to
live alone and kept having falls, so me and
my husband sold our house and bought
a place in the country suitable for all our
needs. This was a year ago.
at weekends. My mum has always had a
quick temper and is prone to sulking. Life
is becoming unbearable. I have dogs but
can’t even get out to walk them. I don’t
have any friends and I’m not in the best
health myself.
My husband works away and is only home
Help! What are my options?
A
“If you do want a break you
might want to get replacement
care for your mother. This is
called respite care.”
Jen from
Adviceline says...
It sounds like it might be a good idea
for you to try and take a break from your
caring role – whether that’s in the form of
a few hours (so you can walk your dogs), a
few days or a few weeks for a holiday.
If you do want a break you might want to
get replacement care for your mother. This is
called respite care. You might be able to get
some help with this through the adult social
services department of your council, or you
might want to find respite care yourselves.
look at your caring role. If the council assess
you taking a break as an ‘eligible need’ they
must meet this need. The most common
way in which the council would meet this
need would be to provide respite care for
your mother. They would want to carry out a
needs assessment for your mother, to work
out whether she needs respite care, and if so
what type (for example, having care workers
come into your home, or your mum going
into temporary residential care).
To try and get help through the council you
could get a carer’s assessment, which would
If the council do assess your mother as
needing respite care they can either arrange
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