Carers and Family Support

Are you a carer?

Have a think about the person you provide care for or that you support. Do you assist them with getting dressed or bathing, cooking or cleaning, making sure they are taking medication properly, getting them out and about or taking them to or making medical appointments? A carer is defined as “an individual who provides regular and substantial care on an informal basis”. A carer can be any age, including children and young people. You do not have to be the sole carer, a close relative or live with the cared for person. You do not have to be in receipt of Carers Allowance or benefits to be a carer.

Identifying as a carer can be hard until you realise how much care and support you are providing to someone else.

Help for carers

Carers’ Co-ordinator

The Trust has a Carers’ Co-ordinator who can help carers in the Northern Trust area by:

• Providing information, advice and support for carers
• Providing resources for carers
• Promoting training to empower and support carers
• Gathering information about the needs of carers

For more information on help and support available to carers go to the carer hub section of website or contact the Carers’ Co-ordinator.

Carers Assessment

A Carers Assessment is an opportunity for you to tell your named worker about the care you provide and how it affects your life.

For more information please see the Carers Assessment Leaflet.

Carers’ Register

As part of the Northern Trust’s commitment to support family carers there is a mailing list/database of family who support or care for a loved one. This database is called the Carers Register. It is simply a contact list that is used to keep you up to date with the support programme and what’s available across the Trust area. If you are a family member who is looking after or supporting a loved one and you would like to be kept informed with what’s available please complete a Carer Connect Card.

Carers Digital

A new dedicated website is available for all carers in the Northern Trust area. Carers Digital is an online resource with two eLearning modules on building resilience as a carer and nutritional advice, access to download the care-coordination app ‘Jointly’ and access to many resources and guides to help in your caring role. Use FREE access code DGTL2770 to create an account.

Cancer Caring Coping

Queen’s University has conducted research which has shown that if you care for someone who’s affected by cancer, be that a family member or a friend, then your health can also be affected. You can experience a range of emotions: you can feel confusion, anger and sadness, and you can feel like your whole world  has been turned upside down. You might also experience a range of needs including the need for information and the need for support and care for yourself.

As a result of the research, a group of people who’ve been affected by cancer have developed a website to share with you their views and experiences of what worked for them. What’s important is that you look after yourself. Click on the following link to hear other people’s experience on what worked for them, www.cancercaringcoping.com.