A carer is someone who looks after a relative or friend who is frail, disabled or ill
Southwark Carers
Cambridge House
131 Camberwell Rd
London
SE5 0HF
T: 020 7708 4497
Breaks from Caring
Taking a break from caring may mean a two week holiday, or could be just a few hours to go out for the evening or to get a good night’s sleep.
As a carer it is important to look after your own needs, as well as those of the person you care for. You may feel guilty about leaving the person you care for or they may be reluctant to let someone else look after them. However, caring can be very stressful and having some time off to rest, relax and refresh yourself will benefit both you and the person you care for.
Below are details of some of the help available to take a break, as well as ideas on things to do with your time off.
RESPITE CARE
Respite care is when someone else takes over your caring duties for a while, allowing you to take a break.
The respite care may be for a few hours or a few weeks, and could take place in the home or in a placement away from home. You can arrange respite care through:
- social services (via a social worker)
- voluntary organisations
- private care organisations
- friends or family
Social services and voluntary organisations
Many forms of respite care can be arranged by social services as part of the care package. Make sure that you are clear and firm about your respite needs when you have an assessment. The package of care may be provided by social services or another voluntary or private organisation.
Social services may refer you to one of the voluntary organisations which can help with respite care arrangements. Capital Carers is a Southwark-based organisation which facilitates short breaks for carers by providing home-based care (sometimes called domiciliary care). Age Concern and Charterhouse in Southwark also run home care services.
You may be able to arrange for volunteers to sit with the person you care for, to help around the house or to keep them company (befrienders). Organisation which run such schemes include Charterhouse in Southwark, and Dulwich Helpline which covers SE21, SE22, SE24 (Tel: 0208 299 2623).
Day Centres offer care, activities and a chance to socialise for people with particular care needs, giving carers free time during the day to do other things. Many day centres only take referrals from social services. The day centres listed below sometimes take referrals directly.
Age Concern Day Centres (elderly)
Tel: 020 7701 9812Aylesbury Day Centre (physical disabilities)
Tel: 020 7525 5219Crossways Day Centre (mental health problems)
Tel: 020 7732 8265Evelyn Coyle Day Centre (dementia)
Tel: 020 7525 3821Fred Francis Day Centre (elderly)
Tel: 020 7525 2980Holmhurst Day Centre (dementia)
Tel: 020 7274 6552Lady Gomm House Day Centre
Tel: 020 7525 5990Lorrimore Drop-In (mental health problems)
Tel: 020 7735 8815Maroon Mental Health Resource Centre (for African-Caribbeans)
Tel: 020 7708 1524PACT Nunhead
Tel: 020 7277 6295Peckham Pop-in
Tel: 020 7635 9400Southwark Park Day Centre
Tel: 020 7237 0732Lunch clubs and social clubs provide opportunities for older or disabled people to get out for a few hours on a regular basis, giving the carer a break. Details are available from a One Stop Shop (see below) or Age Concern.
Bermondsey. Tel: 020 7525 3592
Peckham. Tel: 020 7525 0230
Walworth. Tel: 020 7525 2008Supported work schemes can allow carers to have a break from caring whilst the person they care for benefits from employment or work experience in a supportive environment. Mind produce a factsheet on employment schemes for users of mental health services. The Pathway programme, run by Mencap, helps people with learning difficulties to find suitable work opportunities.
Private care organisations
By arranging privately for someone to provide care at home, you may gain more control over the timing of respite care. Many people find it too costly to pay for private care, although you may be able to get some financial assistance in the form of Direct Payments from social services. For more details see Social and Heath Services.
Private care workers can be employed directly by yourself or by using an agency. It is usually more expensive to use an agency but often more convenient, as they will deal with much of the paperwork.
Counsel and Care produce a range of useful factsheets on this topic including: Help at home (PDF) and What to look for in a home care agency (PDF)
Contact UK Homecare Association (UKHCA) for details of agencies that can provide private care in the home.
SOUTHWARK CARERS’ SCHEMES
The Fix-Yourself-A-Break (FYAB) scheme, run by Southwark Carers, helps people take a break from caring by providing financial assistance to carers who meet its eligibility criteria.
The payment (currently between £50 and £300 depending on circumstances) can be used for any expenses relating to going on holiday or taking a respite break. The money can be spent on transport or accommodation, or it can be used for a number of short breaks, social outings or recreational activities.
The breaks are chosen and organised by the carer and can be in the UK or abroad. Eligibility for the scheme is non-means tested, i.e. you may be able to receive assistance through the scheme regardless of your financial situation and income.
Contact us for more details and to apply.
Leisure activities
It is important to make some time for yourself in which to do something relaxing or fun. Why not join an exercise class at your local leisure centre or community centre? How about enrolling on a part-time adult education class? Or when was the last time you visited one of London’s great museums or galleries? There are countless leisure opportunities in and around Southwark catering for all tastes.
Southwark Carers run a number activities, free to members, such as massage, relaxation and positive thinking, arts and crafts, book group and a Carers’ Activity Group. Check the home page regularly and sign-up to our newsletter for details of forthcoming events.
Repaying the Kindness is a programme specifically for carers, offering retreat days, yoga sessions and other activities in a historical building with courtyard garden in Kennington. Tel: 020 7820 8766.
Many other community organisations offer various activities; look out for details in your local community centre, leisure centre, library or Citizens Advice Bureau.
The Cinema Exhibitor's Association Card entitles people with a disability to one free cinema ticket for their carer, for every film they go to. You can apply online and the card is valid for 3 years.
For details of learning opportunities in the borough, contact Southwark Adult Education.
Getting away
A number of organisations offer holidays or retreats which are either designed specifically for carers or are ‘carer-friendly’.
The Kiloran Trust provides supportive residential breaks for carers in their house in West London.
Hillcroft College in Surrey runs mid-week residential courses for women who are - or have recently been - caring for someone.
The Grange in Shropshire describes itself as a ‘relaxing and peaceful haven’ and offers a range of retreats focusing on people’s creative and spiritual needs.
If you would like to go away with the person you care for, the Vitalise (formally the Winged Fellowship Trust) organises breaks and holidays throughout the UK and abroad, including special weeks for people with Alzheimers Disease.
Holiday Care and Accessible Travel provide travel and holiday information for disabled and older people and their carers. Other useful sources are disabled people’s organisation RADAR and the website Visit Britain.
If you're a British national born on or before 2nd September 1929 you can apply for a free ten-year passport from the UK Passport Service.
The advice sections are currently under development and being added to regularly.
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Southwark Carers is incorporated as a non-profit making company limited by guarantee number 4146495. Charity number 1085300.