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I am currently researching the issues surrounding the costs of caring as part of my degree course, where should I start to look?
Carers UK have produced information on the true costs of caring: 'Without Us….? Calculating the value of Carers' support.' You can view the main contents of the report through a link the Carers UK website in links section. Also see our Benefits and Finance section - Financial Implications of Caring.
I am caring for a relative with Rheumatoid Arthritis - is there any specific information on the disease?
Carers Information has a link to a useful site www.equip.nhs.uk, hosted by the West Midlands Library Service Development Unit. This site gives information on many different diseases and also has links to useful websites about the specific diseases, for instance in this case www.arc.org.uk.
I am an employer, who is reviewing how our organisation is supporting staff who are carers of relatives at home. Is there any information I can look at?
This issue has been recognised as increasing important, as the number of carers who are trying to juggle their job and caring responsibilities increases. Recent research has been carried out into working carers (for instance at the Universities of Keele and York). Reference to this research and other useful information can be found in the Carers and Work section on our site.
I want to find out more information on the current government's Carers Strategy.
Information on this subject is in the National Plans and Strategies section - Carers Strategy. If you need information specifically on Staffordshire's response to the Carers Strategy look in the Staffs Social Services section - Carers Strategy.
My son suffers from Cerebral Palsy. Is there a support group in Stafford?
All local organisations in Staffordshire, who have given permission for their details to be included in the database, are listed in the Staffs Voluntary Sector - Local Contacts section. Details of the organisation's name address and contact number are included.
As a carer can I claim from the Social fund?
The Social fund helps people with expenses, which are difficult for them, pay out of their regular income. Help can be given in the form of grants or payments of interest free loans. More information can be found in our Benefits & finance - Social Fund section
My elderly relative has been discharged from hospital and lives on his own. The hospital have to accept his decision as he is still very able in his mind. My relatives and I all plan to visit often and he has a home help. However this is infrequent and we are very concerned about him when we are not able to be with him. We feel that it is very important to respect his independence and have therefore decided that we should pay for some extra help. Do you have access to some information on how to go about finding the right person for the job and the going rates of pay that are expected for this type of work, please?
If your relative didn't have a proper assessment before he was discharged from hospital - the first move should be to get a social services assessment. Even if he has had one fairly recently (before his hospital stay) he should be having another as his condition has most likely changed following the hospital stay. Social Services have a duty of care to him and should put in a package of care to properly support him. However their assessment of what is needed may differ from what you and your family would be happy with.
I would also recommend that either your father, uncle or you are with your relative when any assessment takes place and also that whoever will be undertaking most of the caring requests a carers assessment (which they are entitled to!) because it will give them a chance to say (away from your relative) what level of help they can or cannot provide as a family.
Direct Payments are available to older people in some areas of the country to assist with them employing their own care staff and that would be based on the assessed need by social services. However if you want to purchase additional care privately I think your best route would be to ask social services for a list of care agencies that they contract with - social services won't be able to recommend one in particular but should be able to provide the list. If the agencies have a contract with social services then the family should be reassured that they meet a certain standard. Rates will vary around the country. A local carers organisation may be able to give them more information. Also is your relative getting Attendance Allowance to help with paying for care?
Can you give me a clear definition of who and what an informal carer is and why it can be difficult to decide if someone is an informal carer and does it matter?
CASS is very adaptable as an organisation and believe that if a caring role (no matter how small) is having a detrimental effect on the person who is 'looking after' someone with an illness or disability then they can gain our support. However, we usually relate to the 'Carers Recognition & Services Act' for their definition of a carer which is as follows:
'For the purpose of the Carers Act, a carer is defined as someone who provides (or intends to provide)a substantial amount of care on a regular basis for a disabled/ill/elderly person. The carer cannot, however, be a person who provides (or will provide) the care because he or she is under legal contract to provide it, or does so as a volunteer working for a voluntary agency.
What constitutes a 'substantial amount of care on a regular basis?'. Policy guidance LAC(96)7 does not give any national guidance on how these words are to be interpreted and advises SSDs to determine locally how they will interpret these terms. Previous guidance suggests, however, that 'substantial' should be given wide interpretation which fully takes into account the individual circumstances of the carer - it is essentially a subjective question. 'Regular' simply means an event which recurs at uniform intervals (i.e., not necessarily frequent).' (Carers recognition and Services Act).
The above definition is also linked to other legislation, one being the acquisition of Carers Allowance (DWP benefit). For the purpose of Carers allowance, one of the criteria states that a carer must spend at least regularly 35 hours a week caring for a person (adult carers).
As stated before, CASS as an organisation do not keep strictly to the 'time' criteria as each individual case is different and the impact caring has on each individual is different.
With regards to the second part of your question ' Why can it be difficult to decide if someone is an informal carer, and does it matter?' Every week I speak to carers who have struggled without any support or assistance ( for themselves) and the relief in their voice when they realise that we are here for them is amazing. They may get the support of other family members, but sometimes it is difficult to 'burden' them with extra worries especially at a time of crisis. My own personal opinion of does it matter? the answer is yes. It matters because very often carers have given up well paid jobs and family life to care for someone and invariably it is very difficult to get back to 'normal' once their caring role has ceased. Just to have someone who recognises what they do and how invaluable it is makes a carer feel valued.
One final comment Carers save UK Health & Social Care services £57.4 billion every year. This would be enough to set up a new health service!
CARERS ASSOCIATION SOUTHERN STAFFORDSHIRE
The Carers Centre, Austin Friars, Stafford ST17 4AP
Tel: 01785 606675 Fax: 01785 220665
E-MAIL: enquiries@carersinformation.org.uk
Carers Association Southern Staffordshire is a Company Limited by
Guarantee. Registered No:4184030
Registered Office: The Carers Centre, Austin Friars, Stafford. ST17 4AP.
Cass is a Registered Charity 1086979
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