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Contingency Planning
Carers have a legal right to an assessment, and local authorities should inform them of this right. However, research by Carers UK suggests that only a third of carers with substantial caring reponsibilities have had an assessment.
The guidance accompanying the Carers and Disabled Children's Act 2000 is explicit in stating that contingency planning should be covered in a carer's assessment.
Contingency planning in itself can be valued by carers, even if the assessment does not identify a need for regular services. Staff training on assessments needs to address contingency planning, as Back Me Up found that it was covered in only 40% of carers' assessments.
Emergency Duty Teams
Local authority social services departments provide emergency or out of hours services that can respond quickly to crisis situations. Their contact details are supposed to be publicised to help people contact them quickly in an emergency.
Back Me Up found that some carers did not know how to access out of hours help from social services. A government report found that some local authorities decided against publicity, for fear of raising expectations and not being able to cope with the demand.
Technical Solutions
Technology is changing fast, offering help to older and disabled people. Much of this technology can have a knock-on benefit for carers. Mobile phones were singled out by carers in Back Me Up as giving extra peace of mind.
There is a huge range of technology that can give the carer peace of mind, for example, alarm systems - if the carers is away, an alarm will be triggered if the older or disabled person is in trouble. Other examples include:
More information about telecare can be found here...
Medical identification jewellery
Medical identification jewellery provides you with peace of mind that the person you care for would be treated and diagnosed correctly in an emergency. Medical condition worn by you, as their carer, also ensures that they will be taken care of if you suddenly fall ill or injure yourself.
MedicAlert is a registered charity providing medical identification jewellery. Sponsorship is available for those on a limited income. Visit their website for more information. www.medicalert.org.uk
