Carers' Rights Day 2020
Carers' Rights Day is marked each year on the 26th November
Whether you are one of the estimated 4 million people who have taken on a new caring role this year due to the pandemic, or have been caring for sometime, it’s important to know your rights as a carer. Anyone who provides unpaid care is entitled to a free carers assessment in accordance with the Care Act 2014.
Sometimes people don’t think they are a carer because the help they give someone is what is expected of them or they don’t think of it as anything out of the ordinary – ‘’that’s just what I do”. However you are a carer if you look after someone regularly because they are mentally or physically unwell, older or have a disability.
If you regularly give unpaid help a family member or friend with things like:
- Shopping
- Cleaning
- Laundry
- Personal care
- Helping with medications
- Paying bills and organising finances
- Checking in to see if they are OK
and they could not manage without you, then you are a carer.
Anyone aged over 18 who is a carer is entitled by law to a free carers assessment. This will give you the opportunity to talk about what you do to support someone else and how that affects your wellbeing and quality of life. Each assessment is personal, and the help given will be unique to each carer’s situation with the aim of making life easier for them.
The assessment might recommend things like:
- Having someone to take over caring so you can have a break
- Help with housework or gardening
- Information about benefits
- Gym membership or exercise classes
- Linking you with support groups
How to get an assessment
In Leeds, Carers Leeds carry out carers assessments and you can contact them on 0113 380 4300. In York, contact the York Carers Centre on 01904 715490. If you live in another part of the country, contact your local council’s adult social care department. If you’re not sure who your local council is, you could look at your council tax bill or ask a friend or neighbour. Above all, remember that it’s OK to ask for help.
Two carers who have had a carers assessment talked to Rachel Pilling, LYPFT’s Carer Coordinator, about what it was like and what difference it made to their lives.
Sally’s story
Sally’s niece Katie moved in with her at the beginning of 2020, following a difficult time with Katie’s mental health. This meant Katie relocating from another city and away from her friends, college course and family. Sally took on lots of things that were new to her to help get Katie settled such as making sure Katie got the medication she needed, adjusting to life in a new city, benefit entitlements and finding volunteering opportunities. It was a very stressful time for both of them and just as things were beginning to get sorted out, the national lockdown started in late March.
Sally had met Trisha from Carers Leeds not long before lockdown, as she also helps care for her mum who has dementia. Trisha encouraged Sally to look after herself as well as others and suggested she have a carers assessment, which proved to be a turning point in her life.
Sally said: “having a carers assessment was an emotional but cathartic experience. Talking about the caring I was doing with someone else helped me see my situation from the ‘outside looking in’. I wasn’t told what I could get from the assessment; it really was led by me. During the conversation I mentioned that I’d not had the time or energy to maintain my front garden, something that had previously been a source of pride and enjoyment to me. It ended up that through the assessment, I was funded to pay someone to tidy up and maintain my garden. This gave such a huge boost to my well being and reduced my anxiety levels about the situation I was in. I felt so proud of my garden again. Such a simple thing made me feel so much better and much more able to cope with how life has been this year. Above all, the assessment showed that someone cared about me and what I needed to help me continue to care for my niece.”
Jad’s story
Jad works full time as well as being the sole carer for her husband who has long term mental ill health. She recently shared the challenges of balancing shift working whilst caring, and the difference having a carer’s assessment through Carers Leeds has made.
“My husband has had mental health problems for a long time and can’t work at the moment. Every day I support him psychologically, talking and reassuring him, challenging his thoughts, going through his worries. This is in addition to busy days or nights at work and keeping on top of looking after our home. Although I try to keep positive, it is tricky balancing home life and work life, but when my husband is OK, I am OK.
I contacted Carers Leeds for some advice, and a carers assessment was arranged for me. The person taking me through the assessment was very empathic, reassuring and knowledgeable. I had a nice conversation with her and she asked me what I thought might help, recognising that my situation was unique to me. What I knew would be useful was help with cleaning our home, and this was set up for me.
The cleaners now come every couple of weeks and are great when it comes to being supportive of my husbands needs. He finds meeting new people difficult, so the same people come at a set time to maintain a routine. We’re now able to spend more time together as a couple doing things we enjoy which helps his and my mental well being. I’ve also benefitted from having to do less physical work at home, my back is much better!
I’d encourage anyone to contact Carers Leeds, not just to get a carer’s assessment. There are lots of different ways they can help carers and no one should be afraid to ask for help.”