A carer is someone who looks after a relative or friend who, because of age, physical or other disability, cannot manage at home without help.
The type of care they provide may range from personal care such as toileting, washing and feeding to visiting shopping and housework. They can live in the same household or separate from the cared for person.
Carers assessments
A carer's assessment looks at the different ways caring affects your life. It works out how you can carry on being a carer but still do the things that are important to you and your family.
It covers:
- your caring role
- your feelings about care
- your physical, mental and emotional health
- how caring affects your work, leisure, education, wider family and relationships
How to get an assessment
Get your carer's assessment online
You can also book an assessment via telephone or face to face by calling 01708 432000.
Before the assessment
If you have arranged to have a carer's assessment, give yourself plenty of time to think about your role as a carer and note your thoughts down.
You might consider:
- whether you want to continue being a carer
- what changes would make your life easier
- if you will not be able to continue as a carer without support
- whether you have any physical or mental health problems, including stress or depression, which make your role as a carer more difficult
- whether being a carer affects your relationships with other people, including family and friends
- whether being a carer causes problems at your work (such as often being late)
- if you would like more time to yourself so that you can have a rest or enjoy some leisure activity
- if you would like to do some training, voluntary work or paid work
After the assessment
We will use the assessment to identify your support needs and discuss how these could be met. This might mean that the council will give you help or put you in touch with other organisations, such as local charities, that you can talk to.
After the assessment a decision is made whether your needs are “eligible” for support and /or respite. We will write to you about then decision and give you reasons to explain what has been decided.
It may be that the best way to meet your needs is to provide care and support directly to the person that you care for. This could be providing replacement care to allow you to take a break. It is possible to do this as long as you and the person needing care agrees.
More information and advice about carer breaks and respite can be found on the Carers Trust website