Carers
What is a carer?
Someone who looks after someone else who cannot care for themselves and is not paid for it, is a carer. This includes; family members, friends, neighbours and partners.
The help carers give can be; emotional support, cooking and cleaning, giving medicine, looking after finances, filling in forms, personal hygiene, and helping someone cope with a mental health problem.
When you're looking after someone else it can be easy to forget to look after yourself.
Keeping your own mental and physical health at its best will help you to continue the amazing help you give to others and to feel good yourself.
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Get enough rest
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Eat healthier
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Regular physical activity
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Try relaxation techniques
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Express your emotions with a friend or creatively
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Organise your time
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Get the right information and advice
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Take a break
Listed below are some different types of support for carers. It can range from advice, arranging a break to have some time off, chatting to other carers, to receiving some counselling.
The Carers Hub Plymouth is dedicated to improving the lives of local carers by providing quality information and practical support.
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Counselling
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Advice
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Rights
Carers Trust was formed by combining Crossroads Care with The Princess Royal Trust for Carers. They offer a Crossroads care scheme in Plymouth, for carers to have a break.
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Support
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Breaks
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Online carers forum
Carers UK offers advice and support for carers, includes them in carers communities online and offline and campaigns for better rights.
They also carry out research, showing evidence which leads to improvements for carers.
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Financial support advice
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Work and career advice
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UK carers forum and advice line
The aim is to give carers, and those they care for, a voice in mental health provision.
They offer a support group in Totnes, Tues 11-1pm (email totnesplusgroup@rethink.org for more information).
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Support groups
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Advice
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Support services
Personality Disorders Plymouth