Looking after you Carers regularly look after, help or support someone who wouldn’t be able to manage everyday life without their help. A carer doesn’t have to be living with the person they care for, and the help they give doesn’t have to be physical. The carer may be caring for a partner, another relative, a friend or a neighbour. I would have liked to have known what I was entitled to or what was available in my local area – respite care, carers’ groups and benefits advice.
www.carechoices.co.uk/dementia
If you’re not sure if you’re a carer, consider whether you help with the following tasks: • Personal care, such as washing and dressing. • Going to the toilet, or dealing with incontinence. • Eating or taking medicines. • Getting about at home or outside. • Practical help at home, keeping them company. • Emotional support or communicating. If you are taking on any of these tasks, it’s likely that you are a carer. If you are undertaking a caring role for the person with dementia, ask your GP surgery to register you as a carer. If your GP is different from the GP of the person with dementia, it is worth making both doctors aware of your role. It is important that you look after your health and consider your needs, as this will enable you to look after the person with dementia.
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