Carers - How to Survive the Cost of Living Crisis

Aim

To support unpaid carers to afford household bills, food, heating and wellbeing activities whilst they care for loved ones.

Demands of the Caring role

Caring for a family member, neighbour or friend can be rewarding but caring for someone day in and day out, putting your own needs and interests aside, can be extremely challenging and frustrating.

Physically demanding

Day to day tasks of getting someone up, washed, dressed, cooking and general household chores can be physically demanding.   There is a constant round of medication, personal care and health appointments to attend, plus lots of form filling for assessments, health and benefits.  Carers are left feeling exhausted with little time for their own self-care and whilst caring for someone can be rewarding it, it can also be demanding and isolating.

Emotionally draining

Not only is caring for someone physically demanding but also emotionally draining as often carers are the only regular social contact the person they are caring for has.  This can put a strain on relationships and keeping a positive and caring disposition all day every day, can be exhausting and pushes carers to breaking point.

Changes in relationships

Caring for someone who used to be a partner and who is now dependant on you for all their needs, or caring for someone with dementia who may not recognise you as their wife or husband means that carers also have lost their loved ones and friend.   Those they care for are also struggling with their own change in health and independence and this can make them depressed and fearful for their loved ones, leaving them.  

Giving up work to care

Many carers have to give up work in order to care, and this brings its own challenges in terms of financial difficulties and not being able to do the things that would make life a little easier, such as popping out for a coffee on your own, paying for a taxi to get the person you care for to hospital or buying in nice food and having a break from cooking meals.

Carers Lewisham can help

Carers Lewisham can help.  Our Information and Advice Service can offer support with applying for a Carers Assessment, which the council has to provide to ensure the person they care for gets sufficient support, so the caring role isn't too onerous.

We can also help people apply for benefits for the people they care for and to apply for Carers Allowance or small grants for when emergencies arise.    Many carers don't identify as Carers, they think they are mum, husband, sister, friend - and so don't access the help and support that is available.   Carers Lewisham strives to identify unpaid carers so they get the help they need to continue to care, longer term.

Cost of living crisis makes it doubly hard

The current cost of living crisis is making the caring role even more difficult.  We want to offer free Workshops for carers that will encourage them to recognise themselves as unpaid carers and to access the support they are entitled to.   

Funding for Workshops

Workshops topics will be informed by Carers themselves, and we'll ask them what they think might help.  Topics are likely to include:

- how to reduce energy bills and use of smart meters to help keep on top of escalating bills

- applying for welfare benefits and hardship grants or using local charity befriending services to get a short break

- local organisations that can help with installing free fire alarms, advising on green energy, insulating homes and grants for energy efficient boilers to reduce annual bills

- budgeting and managing the household finances and spotting where efficiencies can be made, eg changing supermarkets, paying things by direct debit which can bring discounts, using comparison sites to get the best deals on insurance etc.

-saving a little bit for an occasional treat or day trip so that caring is also about enjoying time together.

The funding will pay for workshop session leaders who are experts in their field, venue hire, refreshments and goodie bags offering sample products to give carers a treat.

Peer to peer support

The workshops will teach new skills and share information and local resources and will also offer an opportunity for peer support.  Carers will get a break from their caring role, a chance to leave the house and be with other carers who understand just how difficult caring for someone can be.  They can share experiences in a safe, non-judgemental environment and ask for tips on how other carers cope with certain situations.

Vision for supporting unpaid carers

Our vision is for all unpaid carers to be visible, valued and supported.  To have opportunity to recognise the benefit of their role to those they care for and to have the information they need to limit financial difficulties and enjoy a good quality of life.  This will enable them to continue to care longer term and reduce the likelihood of the caring relationship breaking down and the cared for needing to access residential care or other social care support.

Personal Story - Anne and Rick

A\nne, a carer for her husband Rick says, 'we'd looked forward to our retirement after working hard all our lives, raising our family.  But only a year after we retired, Rick had a stroke.  All of a sudden all our dreams of travelling, looking after the grandkids and relaxing were gone.   He was physically disabled, incontinent and unable to speak more than a few words.   I'd lost my partner, my best friend and it was like going back to looking after a child again.   He hated the change in our relationship as he'd always looked after me, and losing his independence made him depressed and anxious all the time.   I had to learn how to lift him, change him and do all the cooking and cleaning as well.  I had to fight to get him the support he needed.  I was exhausted and wasn't getting time to look after myself or see friends, so we had nothing to talk about.  It was so hard.  But attending the Carers Lewisham coffee mornings, and being to say how I was feeling without people judging me was a huge relief.  I made friends with Maggie who was in a similar situation and we'd laugh about some of the predicaments we'd find ourselves in.   We'd meet for a quick coffee or just to go for a walk ever now and then and it gave me something to tell Rick and make him laugh too.  I was supported to get Carers Allowance, its not much but it takes the pressure off a bit and Carers Lewisham put me in touch with the Stroke Association and they helped me find some useful aids to help him eat and drink more independently.  Small things that can make a big difference to how Rick feels about himself and allows me a bit of freedom too.

This project successfully funded on 20th September 2022