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

Telephone: 020 7378 4999

Website: www.carersuk.org

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 Choices about carers and caring. Below are some links into the site that we hope you will find useful.

• Caring for a parent

  Watch this video on: caring for a parent at home

• Telling people

  Caring responsibilities can make it difficult to maintain friendships or develop new ones. Telling your friends you're a carer is important so they understand and can support you.

• Taking a break

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

• Housing and carers

  Do you know your tenancy rights as a carer? Are you aware of all your care at home options? Do you need tips on moving someone around the home?

Help claiming benefits, looking after your bank balance and understanding the legal issues of caring.

• Benefits for carers

  Directing carers to the benefits that can help them in their caring role

• Benefits for the person you care for

  Advice and information on helping the person you look after get the benefits that they are entitled to

• Death and benefits

  How your benefits maybe affected after the death of the person you look after and what happens to their benefits

• Managing someone's legal affairs

  Advice for when carers find they have to take over the legal affairs of the person they are looking after

• Other benefits

  Advice for carers and the people they are looking after on claiming a whole host of other benefits unrelated to their disability or caring

• Personal and household finance

  Advice on keeping a tight rein on household and personal finance for carers

• Social fund

   

• Tax credits

  Information on claiming tax credits and whether you might be eligible

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