What support is available?

What’s available and how to access it.

You can create a personalised Information Pack for carers on our ‘One Link’ site

What support is there?

Caring for someone who is dependent on you can place extra demands on your day-to-day life, and you may need some more help around the home to enable you to cope.

Most of the help available will be designed for the person you care for, but it should always help to take the strain off you a little too. Start from what you have decided you need and make the services on offer fit that need. Don’t just accept what is offered if it isn’t really what you need. Be aware that you may not be able to get everything you would like, but if you don’t ask, you don’t get.

If you decide you need to have some changes made to your home to help you cope, you should contact an occupational therapist for advice first. You can do this through your social services office.

It is also important to let others know you are a carer to ensure the person you care for will be properly supported and cared for in cases of an emergency.

The emergency alert card is a card that carers can carry with them in case they have an accident or an emergency when away from home. They register their details with Wightcare giving details of what should be done to ensure the well being of the person being cared for. No details appear on the card, just a registration number and the Wightcare telephone number. The service is completely free of charge and can provide great peace of mind. For further information, click here.

Getting a break from your role.

Everyone needs to be able to take a break from time to time and, as a carer, you are no exception. Don’t feel guilty about wanting some time to yourself – you may want a few hours to relax and catch your breath, or you may want a weekend (or even longer!) to get away without the person you care for.

This is all very normal – if you don’t take some time off, you may find that your ability to cope with caring starts to decline. Recharging the batteries is a very sensible idea!

There are lots of different forms of respite care, and it is important to choose one that is right for both you and the person you care for. This can take some time to arrange, so try and think about sorting out respite care well in advance of actually needing it!

Respite care can be organised as a one-off, or on a regular basis. Below are some examples.

Services for Carers of Adults

Care at home

Friends, relatives, local church or community groups may be able to provide short periods of respite care and although you may not like to ask, many of your closest friends and relatives will probably be only too pleased to help out.
Homecare services on the Island can provide help to the person you care for at certain times of the day and be a much needed “different face” around the house.
Homecare providers can also offer “sitting” services where a trained home carer can stay with the person you care for while you take a break.
Social services do provide a 2-hour a week free sitting service when no other such help is available.
A “boarding-in” scheme is available to provide respite care in a person’s own home with a 24-hour homecare cover to allow you to go away for several days. This is a very limited service provided when nothing else would be appropriate.

Away from home

There are a variety of social clubs and lunch clubs around the Island. These can provide companionship, sometimes a meal, but no personal care. Some clubs are able to help with transport.
Day-care centres offer a range of activities as well as a chance to meet other people. They will usually be able to provide personal care too, and attendance can be arranged through social services. You can also approach some day-care providers direct but in either case there will be a charge. Some day-centres provide drop-in facilities so you can leave the person for whom you care, to be looked after for a few hours, at short notice.

Residential based respite

Respite care in residential and nursing homes can be arranged by community services. This service is for those who need a break from caring at least three times a year. Short breaks are then provided at a flat rate minimum charge with no means test. The breaks are usually of one or two weeks’ duration. Ad hoc breaks can also be provided and a charge made following a means test.
As well as regular respite care social services can provide emergency care in a residential nursing home to relieve carers in crisis for up to two weeks.
Hospital admission is usually a last resort for those in serious medical need. Talk to your doctor if you think this is what the person you care for needs.

It is important to remember that the services detailed above may not actually state that they give you time off from caring, but by looking after the person you care for, they effectively do

Getting Information, Help and Advice

You can create an information pack for carers including local support and advice services at our ‘One Link’ website, Click here.


		Carers UK is a national charity that provides information and advice to carers and campaigns on their behalf. To visit the Carers UK website Click here.

		Carers UK Isle of Wight Branch The branch gives information and support to anyone who is caring for a family member, partner or friend on an unpaid basis. There are support groups meeting in most towns on the Island. Tel. 01983 533173 The Riverside Centre, The Quay, Newport Isle of Wight PO30 2QR

		NHS Choices website has a section dedicated to carers called Carers Direct Carers Direct offers information, advice and support for carers. To visit the Carers Direct site Click here

		Directgov website also has a section dedicated to carers which provides information, advice and support for carers. To visit the Directgov for carers Click here

Updated 18/3/09

Page last updated on: 09/06/2009