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Caring for someone

Adapting your home to stay independent

Looking after someone else can be rewarding, but it can also take its toll. If you’re a carer, it’s worth finding out what support is available. Even if you don’t need it at this point, you might want to think about what would happen in an emergency or if your situation changes.
This assessment is carried out by the local council to work out whether you qualify for any help from them. You can arrange one before you start caring or while you’re caring. For more information, see our factsheet Getting help from the council as a carer.
If you qualify for support, your local council might provide care and support to the person you care for or provide you with support directly. This could include:
Whether or not you’re eligible for council help, the council must give you information and advice about other support options you could explore.
This is the main benefit available to carers. For more information on who qualifies for this, see our information about Carer’s Allowance.
The following organisations can give you support:
You might want to speak to other people who understand your situation. Carers’ organisations and illness-specific organisations may run carers’ groups where you can meet other carers. Contact them to find out.
Carers Trust has local centres offering practical, flexible and personal support – it may be free, depending on where you live – and there is an online forum on Carers UK. You can also find details of local carers’ services on the NHS choices website.
Tell your GP that you are a carer and ask them to make a note of this on your records. Your GP can give you advice and information about the medical condition of the person you look after. They may put you in touch with support services provided by the NHS and other local sources of support and advice.
Your GP could also:
Caring can take a toll on your own health so it’s important you look after yourself as well.
Different types of equipment or home adaptations can make your life easier and help the person you’re looking after to stay safe and independent. If the council assesses them as needing an aid or minor adaptation (one that costs less than £1,000 to install), the council must provide this for free. There may be grants available for larger adaptations. See our factsheet Adapting your home to stay independent for more information.
Technology can help the person you look after to live safely at home and give you peace of mind. Telecare consists of alarms and sensors which can detect a range of problems, for example if they fall out of bed while you’re sleeping. Telehealth is a way of monitoring someone’s health remotely through equipment they have in their home. See our factsheet Technology to help you at home to find out more.
You may be able to get telecare as part of a package from your council or you may have to pay for it privately. Contact the Disabled Living Foundation for information about what may be available.
You need to know that care would be put in place quickly in an emergency – if you became ill or had to go into hospital for example. If the person you care for receives help from the council, emergency plans should be included in their care and support plan. If not, you can create one by writing down:
In some areas there are carer’s emergency card schemes. You can register and get help to draw up an emergency plan. You’ll be given a card with an emergency phone number on to carry with you. If you’re unable to provide care in an emergency, you can ring the number and the operator will put your emergency plan into action. Ask your council or a local carers’ organisation if there is a scheme in your area.
The person you’re caring for may want to consider putting in place powers of attorney so you can help them make certain decisions, such as financial decisions, or make them on their behalf in the future if they are unable to do so. For more information, see our factsheet Managing my affairs if I become ill.
Being a carer can be exhausting and you’ll probably need to take a break from time to time. Respite care allows carers time off by providing temporary care – it comes in many forms including:
Ask your local council for help to arrange respite care.
Contact Carers UK and Carers Trust for information about local support services or look on NHS choices
To find details of your local council go to gov.uk/find-local-council