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Please see our information on Covid-19 vaccines for unpaid carers Social Care Institute of Excellence (SCIE) Video Resources SCIE have designed a series of video–based resources to help carers look after someone safely at home. They are intended to help you care for people in any situation, and will be particularly useful if you are supporting someone during the Covid-19…

In the lead up to Carers Rights Day we've been interviewing unpaid carers living in Derbyshire to get their views about local support services. We asked carers to tell us: a little about themselves and their caring roles whether they think social care and health services support carers what health and social care services could do better to support carers when they feel is the best…

January 30th is Young Carers Awareness Day. So who’s a Young Carer and where can they get help and support? A Young Carer is someone under 18 who provides care and support, usually for a relative. In some families children as young as 5 are known to help look after someone. Many young carers don’t realise that they’re a carer. They just see themselves as someone who helps…

Carers Rights Day Carers Rights Day is a national campaign that brings organisations and experienced carers together to help other carers in their local area to understand their rights and find out how to get the support they are entitled to. There's an estimated 118,000 unpaid carers in Derbyshire and Derby City. Many don’t identify as ‘carers’ and so aren’t aware of their…

According to Carers UK’s 2019 ‘State of Caring’ report, 39% of carers suffer financial hardship and 73% of carers in receipt of Carers Allowance are unable to afford to save for retirement.  In addition many carers find that navigating around the benefits system and working out entitlement to benefits such as Carers Allowance isn’t easy, which is why we’ve put together…

Finding something ‘outdoorsy’ that both you and the person you care for can enjoy together isn’t always a straightforward task, particularly if the person you support has physical disabilities, poor mobility or a condition such as dementia. Walking for Health  Free ‘Walking for Health’ organised group walks are available all over Derbyshire this Spring and Summer.…

If the person you care for needs to go to hospital, it can be a worrying and stressful time for you both. We’ve put together some tips and advice about all aspects of hospital treatment - from finding a parking space to dealing with hospital stays due to mental ill health. Is hospital the right place to get treatment? In cases of injuries or illness, it can be difficult to figure out whether…

We’ve collected together 10 pieces of advice and information aimed at new carers who look after an adult in Derbyshire.  Many of these tips have come straight from other carers, while others have come from health and social care professionals who work with unpaid carers every day.    If you’ve just become an carer (or recently realised you’re classed as an unpaid/family…

Many people enjoy putting their feet up and relaxing over Christmas. But for carers the challenges of looking after someone combined with the extra pressures of Christmas can mean they don't get the chance to have a break. Christmas is a time for family, festivities and fun, but when you’re a carer it can be a difficult time for many reasons.  What carers say about Christmas Lucy, aged…

Are you one of the 3 million carers in the UK who juggle their caring role with a paid job? Or maybe you're thinking of leaving work as your caring responsibilities increase? Or perhaps you are looking to get back into work now things are more settled? Whatever your employment situation, our blog looks at some of the things that you might want to think about. Continuing to work while…

Meal times can be challenging for carers but making sure both you and the person you care for are getting all the right nutrition is an important part of staying healthy and well. We have put together a guide for carers to make meal times easier including: Eating and drinking aids Help to lose weight Help to put on or maintain weight Fortifying food Meals on wheels services Recipes Hydration Eating…

Over 1.5 million carers in the UK support someone with mental ill health and many of these carers are coping over long periods with difficult, complex and stressful situations. Caring for someone with mental ill health can be an unpredictable experience as you may not know when a crisis could arise or how to deal with it when it does. It can be especially difficult to cope with behaviour that is changeable…

Now the spring/summer weather is on its way (fingers crossed) you might be thinking of days out for you and the person you care for across Derbyshire. We understand that for carers a day out can take a lot of planning so we are here to help you with information about: Carers go free activities, tourist sites and cinemas Carers go free at football matches across Derbyshire Groups and events…

'Never judge a man until you have walked a mile in his moccasins' – Native American proverb. Derbyshire County Council and partners including Derbyshire Carers Association, the BME network, Creative Carers are all working together on the Walk a Mile in My Shoes Carer Empathy Project. Plans are afoot to launch the project during Carers Week in June with a series of roadshows around…

A carers job can be 24/7. Often there isn’t time to complete odd jobs around the home, run errands or do those jobs you just keep putting off as your caring role takes priority. But with the Time Swap scheme you can get help to do those jobs and in return offer your own skills, hobbies and interests to help out others. As a carer you’re probably thinking ‘I don’t have…

For many carers looking after someone can be a journey with different stages and experiences along the way.  Not all carers will experience the same stages. Some carers' journeys take different directions to others, some will stay in a particular stage for a long time, while another carer will find they pass that stage by altogether. However, there are some elements of the carers journey…

  Have you thought about what would happen to the person you care for if you had a crisis to deal with? What if you became ill, broke your leg, suffered bereavement or even had an emergency appointment to go to? When emergencies happen our lives are often put on hold while we recover or get things sorted out. But if you’re a carer the person you look after will still need care and support…