It’s generally quite a well- known fact that elderly people or their carers can ask, at any time, for a community care assessment from their local authority.
This includes information and advice about relevant services provided by the authority. The latter will use the assessment to decide whether or not a person needs a community care service and, if they do, whether it can be provided by the local authority itself.
What is perhaps less well known is that carers themselves are entitled to request what is termed a carer’s assessment. These are particularly useful to a family member who is not a professional career and who may be caring for the first time often in an attempt to prevent the relative from having to move to into a care home.
These carer’s assessments were recently highlighted on Carers’ Rights Day on November 30th. They are designed for carers regardless of whether or not they are providing care on a full time basis. They focus not just on what level of care that needs to be provided but also on the carer’s ability to maintain as normal a lifestyle as possible with regard to other demands such as children, work and leisure activities etc.
The level and nature of support provided by each local authority varies from one area to the next but, even if individual carers are not deemed eligible for direct support, the assessment will normally point them in the right direction and advise on local charities and support groups, welfare benefits and anything else which might be relevant.Services that the authority might supply itself might include breaks from caring, on-going practical support or telecare support.
It is obviously well worth checking out what financial help can be provided by the state via appropriate benefits. People who might never have claimed any benefits in the past should not hesitate to claim. Volunteer carers save the government huge amounts of money and they should not feel sheepish about claiming what is due to them. Those who need advice on what they may be eligible for are recommended to get in touch with local charities.
Finally, Care UK recommends that those carers who are trying to combine a caring role with their existing part or full time work, and there are an estimated 3 million such people, should make sure that their employers are made aware of the situation.
Most employers are aware of the importance of voluntary carers in today’s world and are likely to be very sympathetic particularly when it comes to subjects like flexible working hours.
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