NEWS RELEASES
Help and advice for carers
6th June 2007
LOCAL carers are to be offered free advice as well as entry to two local events in June.
Carers are people who care for and support relatives or friends who are frail or have physical or mental illness or disability or are affected by substance misuse or HIV/AIDS. Increasingly there are also a number of children and young people with caring responsibilities.
However, many people don’t see themselves as ‘carers’ because it is not their paid job, they just think that the looking after their loved one is something they do. As a result of not realising they are a carer they may often miss out on services, support, advice and benefits available.
There are more than 11,600 carers in the Horsham District and many of them care for more than 50 hours a week.
Caring can have an impact on the carer’s own health and the ‘Time Out For Carers 2007’ initiative has been designed to give such people a chance to think about their wellbeing and to take time out for themselves by attending any – or both - of the following free events:
- Monday 11 June, 2-4pm RSPB Pulborough Brooks – free cream tea, complementary therapies and information for carers
- Tuesday 12 June, 12-3pm Pavilions in the Park, Horsham – free swim for carers and cared for, sports activities and information for carers, 2-3pm carers health check with community matron
Information will be available at both events on a range of topics to help and inform carers, including details of support services and tips for caring for people with dementia. Details about other helpful local services, such as the Community Link alarm and Horsham District Council’s Leisure Link team, will be there too. At the Horsham event, Community Matrons will be standing by to answer questions.
Prior to the Horsham event, there’s a free workshop on Tuesday (12 June) from 10am-1pm at Horsham’s Y Centre in Albion Way which will teach carers how to lift and manoeuvre the person they care for. About 52% of carers will suffer from a physical injury so it is especially important that they can develop these skills. Places are limited so booking is required on 01293 657040.
The Horsham events have been jointly organised by Horsham District Council, West Sussex County Council, West Sussex Primary Care Trust, West Sussex Carers Network, Carers UK Horsham Branch and Horsham Area Council for Voluntary Service.
For more information about the events call 01403 215637.
Useful further information sources for carers are as follows:
- http://www.carerssupport.org.uk/ 01293 553395
- http://www.carerswsx.org.uk/ 01903 528600
- http://www.westsussexcarers.org.uk/
This website aims to put carers in touch with local support and services and to direct carers to sources of national information.
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CONTACT: Richard Morris, Communications Manager
Email: richard.morris@horsham.gov.uk