They’re here to make sure that no matter how complicated your query or your experience, you don’t have to care alone.

Telephone: 0808 808 7777 (Monday to Fri 9am - 6pm)

Email - advice@carersuk.org

Website: www.carersuk.org

Carers UK provide information and guidance to unpaid carers. This covers a range of subjects including:

• benefits and financial support
• your rights as a carer in the workplace
• carers' assessments and how to get support in your caring role
• services available to carers and the people you care for
• how to complain effectively and challenge decisions.

www.carersinherts.org.uk/ 
Carers in Hertfordshire

www.carersweek.org 
For information about national events

www.crossroads.org.uk 
Find your locally based charity offering services to give carers a break.

Young carers - For more details see our dedicated website for young carers at www.ycih.org

Many of these services have information specifically for young carers.

If you are please let us know - we may be able to help you. We have a Carers Champion, who can be contacted at the Surgery.

There is a wealth of information on NHS.uk about carers and caring. Below are some links into the site that we hope you will find useful.

• Practical tips if you care for someone
  

  Includes advice on supporting the person you are caring for, challenging behaviour, moving and lifting and medicines

• Carers' breaks and respite care
  

  Caring for someone can be a full-time job, but it's essential that you take time out for yourself too. Read the guide to accessing breaks and respite.

• Support and benefits for carers

Includes carer's assessments, support from local councils, respite care and help for young carers

A new Young Carers webpage has been developed in collaboration with young carers and their families and includes information about the support available, team contact details, and ‘a Day in the Life of’ form to register a young carer online so that they can get the support they need.  

Hertfordshire County Council has contacted all registered young carers directly to welcome them, provide updated contact information, details on how to access support, and a link to the new webpage. 

A young carer might help with:

• practical tasks like cooking, housework and shopping
• physical care, such as helping someone out of bed
• emotional support, including talking to someone who is distressed
• personal care, such as helping someone dress
• managing the family budget
• collecting prescriptions and helping to give medicine
• helping someone communicate, such as using sign language or interpreting
• looking after brothers and sisters.

Those are just examples – every young carer and their situation is unique.

Activity and wellbeing online videos aimed at unpaid carers now available

Through the Carers Active project, Carers UK has developed a new series of inclusive activity and wellbeing videos aimed at unpaid carers so that they can be active at home when it’s convenient to them.

The video sessions, as well as twelve 30 second exercises, feature real carers alongside professional instructors and have been specially designed for all abilities and for those who aren’t able to go to gyms or leisure facilities and would prefer to be active at home whenever they like, and for as long as they like. The video series can be accessed on YouTube and the Carers Active Hub.

Carers UK hopes that the online videos, which are suitable for a variety of activity levels will motivate carers to be active in a way that works for them, using simple, varied, and fun instructed activities that are designed to improve cardiovascular fitness, strength, balance, coordination, boost energy and reduce stress.  

Claire, a carer from Bournemouth spoke about how the videos will support her to be active:

‘It can be difficult to find time for yourself when you are a carer, let alone prioritising your own health and fitness and you can feel tired and unmotivated. The new activity and well-being videos feel achievable and sustainable as they’re only 15 minutes long, which is easily slotted into my day. It’s great that I don’t have to travel, get cover for or leave the person(s) I care for to take part, as I can do it in the comfort of my own home. I’m looking forward to making the videos a part of my regular routine and enjoy the benefits of improved strength and movement’.

The activity and wellbeing video series features six different sessions, each around 15 minutes long, which can be paused throughout at any time with a chance to take a break, and no specialist equipment is needed.  The sessions are:

1. Functional fitness
2. Seated exercise
3. Dance
4. Pilates
5. Mindful movement
6. Boxing exercise

Each one can be tried independently of the others, in any order. No experience or knowledge of an activity is needed. Most of the activities can be done while seated if preferred.   

There are also twelve different 30 second functional exercises that can be done around the home including squats, lunges, wall presses and bicep curls.

The videos focus on ensuring the audience are being mindful of their health, and are accompanied by appropriate safety messages, instructions and signposting to more information and support.

How can you get it?

The video series is available on YouTube