Carers

Carers Break

As a carer, there are different ways you can take a break. This depends on your own needs and circumstances, as well as those of the person you look after.

Some carers may choose to go on holiday with the person they look after while some may choose to go away alone. A short break or holiday may not always mean going away. Some carers may enjoy taking a break at home while the person they look after goes away.

If the person you are caring for meets the relevant eligibility criteria, we may be able to:

• Help you to organise a short break or holiday
• Arrange care for the person you look after, to enable you to have a break
• Help you with the cost of a holiday or with other costs.

Respite Care

A short stay away from home for the person you care for can provide a much needed break to you (the carer).

A short break in a residential or nursing care home, sometimes known as ‘Respite care’ can often be arranged on a temporary basis.

Respite care can provide a welcomed change for the person you care for.

If the person you care for is eligible for and receiving adult social care support, the carers breaks described above will be free of charge to you.

Note though that these ‘breaks’ will only be provided by Newham Council after you have had a carer's assessment.

The carer’s assessment will help work out how much support you need to continue your caring role, and how you can maintain your health well-being including having a life of your own outside caring.

You will also discuss how any support you are eligible for can be provided.

Time out or a short break for you

Carers break

We know that caring for someone else can be hard. Sometimes having some time out to do something you want to do can make a real difference.

Providing a break from the pressures of caring is a vital part of supporting quality of life for both carer and the person being cared for. There are a number of organisations that can provide services to help you to take some time off from your caring role.

They offer:

• Information
• Advice
• One-to-one support
• Group support
• Help to access other services that can help carers.

There are a wide range of carers breaks services including:

• Sitting services that could include somebody to 'sit' with the person you care for, to let you to have some time for yourself in the daytime or evening
• Practical support to give you a break from other tasks
• Group meetings with other carers or organised activities
• Funding towards things like gym membership, relaxation treatments, sports tickets or outings to the theatre
• Funding towards longer holidays with or without the person you care for
• Additional support for the person you care for when you go away.

Support from Adult Social Care

If the person you care for is eligible for social care help, you (the carer) may be eligible for support from Adults Social Care. A carer's assessment would need to be done with you.

The carers assessment will help work out how much support you need to:

• Continue your caring role
• Help you maintain your own health and well-being
• How best this can be provided.

There will be no charge for any additional care services provided directly to the person you care for whilst you take your break. For example sitting services or a short stay in a care home.

Temporary Services

Temporary services are often needed for other reasons for example, if you go into hospital or are unable to provide normal carer support due to illness or other commitments. In these circumstances, we will provide additional support to the person you care for, either in their own home or in a care home as necessary.

The person you care for may need to contribute towards the cost of this care. For care home services, we will work out the charge using the same calculation we do for a permanent stay, which is based on income and savings.

For other services, a charge will be calculated according to our non-residential charging policy.