Carers

Staffordshire County Council and Staffordshire Together for Carers Service are working together to offer holistic support to Carers of all ages who live in Staffordshire.

This combined level of support can provide:

• A Support Plan detailing all your Carers support needs
• One to one and group-based support
• Support to take breaks from caring, including befriending and peer support
• Training and skills development
• Newsletters four times per year detailing local groups, activities and training
• Online Carers Community Network for Carers to connect with other Carers and talk about topics most important to them
• A 24/7 Volunteer manned Carers Help and Talk (CHAT) line
• Support to develop emergency and contingency plans and much more

Get in Touch

Carers of all ages can contact the County Council for information, support and an assessment of your needs. You can contact the Council:

Opening Times: Monday - Friday 9.00am - 5.00pm

Telephone: 0300 111 8010 (calls charged at local rate)

Young Carers: 01785 278444

General Email / Referrals: firstcontactcarers@staffordshire.gov.uk
Carers who do not wish to take part in a Carers Assessment but would like to access the information, advice and support provided by the Staffordshire Together for Carers Service can contact the service directly:

Opening Times: Monday - Friday 9.00am - 5.00pm

Telephone: 0300 303 0621 (calls charged at local rate)

Text: 07786 201226

General Email: enquiries@staffordshiretogetherforcarers.org.uk

Website: www.staffordshiretogetherforcarers.org.uk

Online Chat: www.n-compass.org.uk/our-services/carers

Staffordshire Carers Leaflet V2-Digital

North Staffs Carers Association are there to help and benefit informal, unpaid Carers in the North Staffordshire area. They offer training and ongoing support, in the most appropriate way, to Carers of all ages, ensuring that each case is treated in a confidential manner.

In addition, they offer information and training to professionals who come into contact with informal Carers and look to facilitate communication and consultation between informal Carers and the purchasers and providers of services.

North Staffs Carers Association seek and represent the views of informal Carers on the planning and delivery of services and continue to strive to identify and implement opportunities to improve service to Carers.

Advice Line: 01782 793100  

Mon – Thu : 9.00 am – 5.00 pm               

Fri 9.00 am - 4.30 pm

Sat : 9.00 am - 12 noon         

Sun : 9.00 am - 12 noon

E-mail: info@carersfirst.com  

You can keep up to date with news, events and activities by visiting the websites for North Staffs Carers and Staffordshire Together for Carers. You can also register for regular updates.

You can find their websites at:

• North Staffs Carers
• Staffordshire Together for Carers

Paid and unpaid carers- winter vaccinations poster version 1

Paid and unpaid carers- winter vaccinations poster version 2

UKHSA Easy Read poster about the flu vaccination

‘Dear visitors’ poster for care homes

Leaflet A5 Healthcare Care worker and winter vaccinations

Stickers- Winter Strong

UKHSA Easy Read Leaflet for residents- Flu vaccination

-Dr Nikki Kanani urges all paid and unpaid carers to get their flu & COVID-19 jabs

-Flu Vaccination Guide for People with Leraning Disabilities

-NHS England: Flu can be fatal

NHS COVID-19 Vaccination Q&As to support conversations with residents.

Helping to prevent infection: A quick guide for managers and staff in care homes (NICE)

NHS press release- roll out of the Winter Vaccination Programme kicks off with care homes.

DHSC/UKHSA announcement:

www.aboutmyarea.co.uk – postcode specific information about local services

www.carers.org – Princess Royal Trust for Carers

https://carelearning.org.uk/blog/carers/young-carers-toolkit/ - Care Learning

www.kingsfund.org.uk – Kings Fund – Health Improvement

www.carersuk.org – Carers UK, formally Carers’ National Association

www.gov.uk/carers-uk  – Dept of Health information for Carers

www.direct.gov.uk/en/CaringForSomeone/MoneyMatters/index.htm – Government information for Carers

www.stoke.gov.uk/ccm/content/social-care/adult-social-care/opportunities-which-are-inclusive.en;jsessionid=aNX3eBEtjrh- – Stoke on Trent Council – Inclusive Oportunities – Community Development Team

www.staffordshire.gov.uk/Advice-support-and-care-for-adults/Carers/Carers-Overivew.aspx - support services available in Staffordshire

I want to start by saying I do sometimes feel guilty when I offload to friends or family as I know how lucky I am still having a parent, so I do sometimes feel like I am moaning when I don’t mean to.

My mum is 87 and had been married for 60 years when my dad died – she never got over losing him and never will, like myself.

I have two older siblings, so again feel lucky as not everyone has siblings to help, however, I seem to be the “go to person for everyone and everything”.

I have always had a fantastic relationship with my parents, and I am the first person that mum calls upon. She has deteriorated a lot in the past couple of years and has had a couple of hospital stays. She lives in her own flat (supported living) but does not like mixing and gets very lonely. Sometimes I’ve had calls in the early hours of the morning as she is a bad sleeper and gets confused whether it’s night or day.  She doesn’t eat and drink properly although she says she does.

I take mum to all her appointments (I have recently started to ask my siblings to help out, but I organise them all and sort them out). 

Following one hospital stay we managed to secure carers in twice a day to ensure mum was taking her medication – she didn’t like this at all and saw it as an invasion of her privacy but previously she would call me all hours of the day and night to ask was it time to take her tablets.  This wasn’t an easy process as there were lots of phone calls and visits.

When I broke down once in front of mum as she was telling me how we were better off without her and she didn’t want to live anymore, I knew it was time to listen to advice I always give to others “you’re no good to anyone if you are ill” and “you can’t look after others if you become ill yourself”.  So, I reached out to my siblings first, colleagues at work, friends and eventually to social services to start the ball rolling.  Again, this wasn’t easy as mum is not housebound, she likes to be independent and is financially unable to pay for additional support.

Although it was all very draining and while working full time, the last thing I wanted was to shout at mum and make her feel guilty for reaching out, but I had to look after myself, to enable me to look after her. 

I was reluctant to reach out for extra care and support as I know mum has no assets and does not have the finances.  I applied for attendance allowance and when it was refused, I appealed and I was called and I broke down on the phone and was told I needed to elaborate more and explain what the worst day was like, this wouldn’t guarantee the award and I have to wait six months to reapply.  The day after it was refused mum ended up in hospital after locking herself out of her flat at 2.00am in the morning in the beginning of March – a neighbour found her freezing cold.

We’ve asked for a Dementia assessment although the hospital say they are convinced she just has fluctuating capacity.

I have also reached out to the continence team for a referral as mum is paying for her own supplies; the waiting list was long, however I do have a date for this assessment now.

Yes, there is support out there, however, it does not come to you – you have to find it. How individuals manage on their own without family I will never know.

We are now in the process of completing a mountain of paperwork to prove mum does not have the income or savings to pay for extra care.

Mum’s GP and pharmacy has been very good, and she always gets an appointment and has regular INR bloods taken (these test how long it takes for her blood to clot) and regular leg dressings and we have no problem with her medication.

Working from home gives me the flexibility to take mum to appointments and work my time back, something I would not have been able to do working in an office environment.  It is a huge help having a supportive line manager and colleagues as I work full time and although it remains challenging at times, having reached out to my siblings and getting extra support, I do feel so much better and am starting to book holidays without feeling guilty!

My mother-in-law is 80 years old and has Parkinson’s Disease, which she has had and managed with medication for over 20 years.  However, it is progressively getting worse and although she is very independent, again there has been a decline in her health and her ability.  She is in a better financial position, has been successful with attendance allowance, which may be as she has a diagnosis which is where my mum doesn’t fall under a category - just old age, frailty and deterioration.

My caring role has evolved over the past six years; my mum who is now 86 was and tries to be fiercely independent. She was heavily involved in the school runs and caring for my daughter so that I could work. Over the past six years her health has declined, and our biggest problem is that she is very slow. She has regular infections that knock her off her feet, she has problems with her balance and as she puts it, her legs don’t work the same as her brain. Some days are better than others. I take her shopping once a week, which she loves as she can walk with the trolley and she is out in the big wide world. Mum is totally dependent on others for everything - shopping, doctors’ appointments, hairdressers, etc. and she hates it.

The guilt on both parts, as a carer and cared for person is complex. Trying to navigate that is probably the hardest part; I am trying to juggle work, home, family life (I also live next door to my husband’s Mum and Dad who are also ageing) alongside trying to spend some time with my Mum.  For her, it is the constant feeling that she is a burden - that everything she needs has to come via me and it’s an additional job that is making my life harder. It’s such a shame because I would love to spend some quality time with her not doing the things we have to but there is no time. The new rules for carers and the five days off thing? I can’t see what that helps with, if I wanted five days’ unpaid leave, I could ask for that anyway? I have in the past asked for compassionate leave, for example if Mum has been taken to hospital and I need to go but generally if I need to help her in working hours I have to use flexi time, but to gain flexi I need to work additional hours so it’s a vicious cycle.

Financially I can’t afford to work part-time; we have a mortgage and are trying to put our daughter through university, and although work offers flexibility you have to work the hours you work (which is only right) so our biggest enemy is time.

In terms of sharing anything wider with people who find themselves in this position if you can reduce hours, or claim any benefit that supports you in a caring role, then do so. I would also like to take away the guilt my mum has, as she has cared for us all of her life and now it’s my turn to do the same back.  The more we talk about it the less stigma there will be.

I have been the main carer for my mum, who lives alone, for just over 20 years - since she was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis (MG). My mum’s health has deteriorated over time and therefore my caring role has increased with further diagnoses including COPD, arthritis, depression, and most recently vascular dementia. 

It’s not just the physical support that we provide such as attending health appointments, sorting medication, preparing meals, shopping, cleaning, and personal care etc., it’s also the emotional support that carers provide, while often putting other people first and neglecting our own health and wellbeing.

I’m really lucky that I had an awareness of the role of carers and what support is available due to my background and experience working in the Voluntary and Community Sector as well as in in Health and Social Care. Many people continue in their role looking after loved ones without the information and support they need, which can lead to carer breakdown. I know that my mum wants to be in her own home and as independent as possible for as long as possible, so it’s important to me to be able to help her by being her main carer. I also know that this will become harder over time particularly with her recent diagnosis of vascular dementia, so having access to the information and support that I need; for example, how to arrange for Lasting Power of Attorney and how Assistive Technology can help is really important.

Just as it is important to my mum that she is able to remain in her own home and independent for as long as possible, it’s also important for me to have my own life and also to continue working, and many carers know that it can be hard to juggle work and being a carer. As many carers do, I feel the guilt and that I am pulled in so many directions, but it’s also important to think about your own needs, health and wellbeing as a carer, because if you’re not well you wouldn’t be able to continue caring anyway.

One thing that has helped me is talking to others; there are so many people in similar situations, with information and tips to share. If you are a carer, there is support available to you in the workplace*, we hold an informal group for staff that are also carers and I would encourage you to come along if you think you would benefit.

*Shelley works for Stoke-on-Trent City Council

My experience of being a carer started when my son was born prematurely, and his heart stopped. He suffered brain damage – irreversible brain damage - and I’ve been caring for him since I brought him home.

He’s just turned 60 years old, and he is always well-dressed and smart – anyone will tell you that – and to look at him you’d not know there was anything wrong.

My husband died 19 years ago and it’s just me and him, and it has been a struggle being a carer.

My son used to go to a day centre but they closed it and the impact of it closing caused us both to have depression. He now goes to another one and I couldn’t cope without it. He goes three days a week, and I don’t know what I’d do if they closed it. When he goes there it’s time for me to just watch a programme without interruptions or just to sit quietly. I don’t sit watching television all the time but it’s a little time for me.

I’m 87 years old now and it is hard being a carer, but after 60 years of being a carer, you just get on with it because you have to. I’m an unpaid carer, but I’m happy to be his full-time carer. I’m supported by North Staffordshire Carers – if I need support I can get it.

All I want now is for me to keep my health so I can keep looking after my son, and so he can continue to live at home with me.