Choosing a care home

councils, allows carers to access a wide range of information and support, including special concessions and discounts. You should contact the council where the person you are caring for lives (even if this is not your local council).

Carers are also entitled to an assessment which will help to identify help and support that is available. You should request this from the council where the cared-for person lives. It does not matter if the cared-for person is not having services from their local council or funding their own care. The assessment looks at how caring affects your life and helps to work out how you can do the things that are important to you and your family. It covers your caring role, your physical, mental and emotional health and how caring affects your work, leisure, education, wider family and relationships. It can be done away from the person being cared for.

If you share caring responsibilities with someone else, you can each ask for a separate carers’ assessment.

Remember, carers will be able to get support even if To find more information about support for carers in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, visit

www.CRISPweb.org

To find more information about support for carers in the rest of Dorset, visit

www.carersupportdorset.co.uk

To speak to someone, find out more about joining the Carers Information Service or to request an assessment, use the following contact details.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Carers Centre

Tel: 01202 128787

Dorset Council

Residents in the rest of Dorset. Tel: 0800 368 8349

You can also call NHS Carers Direct on 0300 123 1053 for more information about caring.

Resource for those supporting disabled children

My Family, Our Needs is an online resource providing impartial information for parents, carers and practitioners supporting children from birth to 25 years with additional needs. As well as guidance, policy and signposting, there is a lifestyle section for parents covering topics such as health and wellbeing, work, family and relationships.

Visit www.myfamilyourneeds.co.uk

There is also information and advice for people aged between 14 and 25 years old moving from Children’s to Adults’ services at

www.mylifemycare.com/preparing-for-adulthood

Home choices

Most of us want to continue to live in our homes for as long as we can. There is lots of support to help with this. Many people who have considered leaving their home have found that, with the right help, they don’t need to. Information and advice to support you to continue living in your home can be found at www.mylifemycare.com or

https://adultsocialcare.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk

Alternatively, you can contact your local Adult Social Care department (details can be found on page 55).

However, if you find you can’t manage in your home, there are other options that may work for you before you need to consider residential care, including the following. 