Visible, valued and supported. We LOVE Carers!
It isn’t someone who volunteers or who is paid to provide support.
Caring can be hugely rewarding but it can also have an impact on all aspects of your life. Having the right information and support for you and those you care for can make all the difference.
It is estimated that over 150,000 people in Kent are caring for someone right now.
Being a carer can be lonely, but there is support out there for you.
In every part of Kent there is a Carers organisation who can offer you information, as well as emotional and practical help. You can meet people who understand because they are in a similar situation to you.
They can also tell you what rights you have.
Check out Kent Carers Matter for more information
Looking after yourself if you’re a carer
Taking care of your health and wellbeing is essential when you are caring for someone, but it can be hard to find time to meet your own needs. You may struggle to eat and sleep well, find the time to exercise and manage your stress levels.
Rethink Mental Illness has resources on their website that can help you if you are worried about your own mental health.
Listening to Carers
We’re lucky enough to hear from Carers every day. They come to us because they want to know what their rights are, or because they have a story to share about their experience.
Most recently we spent time with 10 Carers who talked to us about what happened when the person they care for was discharged from hospital. They told us about poor communication and their struggles to get the right information and equipment that they needed.
We’re working with the people who co-ordinate discharge to make changes in response to our findings. You can read more here
Four ways carers told us they can be better supported:
Carers play a vital role in supporting people who are frail, ill or disabled, but, in doing so, they often become vulnerable themselves. Find out four ways carers want to be better supported in our previous article here
You can help make health and care services better by sharing your experiences. Tell us your story.
