Thanking Hampshire’s carers and reminding them to seek support

Hampshire schools

This national Carers’ Week, Hampshire County Council is thanking the army of informal (unpaid) carers who support vulnerable loved ones across the county, and encouraging them to make use of the available support that can help them in their caring role.

Hampshire County Council’s Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Health, Councillor Liz Fairhurst, said: “To every informal carer in Hampshire, whether you provide support for a relative, a neighbour, or a friend, the County Council and our wider Hampshire community thank you for the important and selfless contribution that you make.

“We recognise that there are many people who may not have had caring responsibilities before the Coronavirus pandemic, but who now find themselves in this role, and I want to extend my thanks to those individuals as well.

“Many of the incredible people who provide informal care to others don’t personally identify as carers, which means they don’t realise or access the range of support that is available to help them. It is important that when they need it, they do so. My message to carers is please don’t forget to look after your wellbeing too, it’s just as important as that of the person for whom you care.”

The support available to carers in Hampshire includes:

The Hampshire Carers’ Support and Dementia Advisor Service provided by Andover Mind, which supports any carer aged 18 or over, regardless of the needs of the person they care for. While face-to-face assistance is currently unavailable, people can still contact the service online at https://www.andovermind.org.uk/accessingourservices/ or by phoning 01264 332297 to leave a message requesting a call-back.
The Emergency Planning Service provided by Princess Royal Trust for Carers in Hampshire, which provides information and templates to carers to help them create an emergency plan, outlining how the person they support can be cared for if the carer needs to self-isolate or is taken into hospital. Carers can learn more at https://carercentre.com, or call Emergency Planning for Carers on 0800 169 1577 – available 24 hours a day.
The Carers Active Listening Line provided by Carers Together gives carers a listening ear to discuss any caring issues they may be experiencing. The line is available on 01794 519495 Monday to Friday from 10am to 8pm, and at weekends and holidays from 10am to 4.30pm, or find out more at http://www.carerstogether.org.uk/
Younger carers aged under 18 can access support from the Hampshire Young Carers Alliance at https://hyca.org.uk/, or by calling 02380 902465.
A wealth of support and resources for carers is also available on the Connect to Support Hampshire website at www.connecttosupporthampshire.org.uk, including information about local services and how carers can arrange a carer’s assessment with their local authority. Details for the various Carers Week events taking place across Hampshire from 8-14 June can be found under ‘News and Events’ section.

Caring for someone else can leave carers with less time for their own needs and wellbeing. It’s important to remember there are lots of sources of support and information that can help carers to look after their mental health at this time, such as Every Mind Matters, Find out more at https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/possible-causes/

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