Small support, big difference
When we talk about supporting unpaid carers, it’s easy to think first about the bigger things: financial help, respite care, changes to services or additional professional support.
All of these matter but sometimes it’s a relatively small change that makes everyday life easier.
When you are busy dealing with work, family, medical appointments and everything else going on in life, taking away one source of stress can make all the difference.
Here are a few examples.
A piece of equipment that makes a daily task easier
Simple items like a grab rail, shower seat, medication organiser or piece of equipment can change a task that happens several times every day.
If getting in and out of the bath, moving around the home or managing medication becomes safer and easier, the person being cared for may gain a little more independence too. For carers, that can mean less worry and physical work.
At North Tyneside Carers’ Centre we can talk you through this and identify some things that might make life easier.
An appointment that takes the carer into account
Medical and other appointments can have a surprisingly large impact on a carer’s day.
An appointment at an awkward time might mean rearranging work, changing school pick-ups or spending hours travelling and waiting.
Small changes can help: being offered the first or last appointment of the day or being provided with a telephone or video option when appropriate.
A little flexibility at work
For working carers, flexibility is key.
Being able to shift a start time after a difficult morning, take a call relating to the person they care for, work from home where the role allows, or attend an important appointment without feeling they are letting colleagues down can relieve considerable pressure.
What helps most is knowing that there can be a conversation. A supportive manager who understands that caring responsibilities can sometimes be unpredictable can make it much easier for someone to balance work and caring.
Information at the right time
Finding support shouldn’t become another job for carers.
People can spend hours trying to work out who to contact, what help is available or whether they are entitled to it. A clear explanation, a useful phone number or a referral to the right organisation can save a great deal of time and frustration.
If you get in touch with us at North Tyneside Carers’ Centre we can help point you in the right direction.
Simply being recognised
Perhaps the smallest intervention of all is also one of the most important: acknowledging the carer. Carers can spend so much time advocating for and talking about the person they support that their own wellbeing becomes almost invisible.
Professionals can make a difference by asking how the carer is coping, including them appropriately in conversations and recognising the knowledge they have developed about the person they support.
In order to help a carer, the best place to start is often to ask: what would make your day a little easier.
If you are an unpaid carer in North Tyneside in need of support, Call us on 0191 2496480 or email enquiries@ntcarers.co.uk.