Support for carers

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About this service

Caring for someone can be very isolating. The Carer Support Agencies in Wiltshire are able to help you:

• By providing advice, information and support;
• Home visits;
• Cope with your caring responsibilities;
• Meet other carers through Carer Support Groups for mutual support, share experiences and chat in an informal and friendly setting;
• Have time out for yourself.

Index of Content

• Carer Support Agencies
• Carers Emergency Card
• Libraries
• Support for Carers
• Young Carers
• Caring for Someone with Dementia
• Carers of disabled children
• More Useful Numbers

Carer Support Agencies

Carer Support Wiltshire
Freephone:  0800 181 4118
Email: info@csww.co.uk
Web: Carers in Wiltshire

The Bridge Project
Tel: 01225 358564
Email: mail@thebridgeproject.org.uk
Web: The Bridge Project
(support for carers looking after someone with a functional mental health problem)

Carers Emergency Card

The Carers Emergency Card will identify you as a carer in the event of an accident or emergency. It is a credit card size so it will fit in a wallet or purse; there is also a key ring issued and additional card for use in a car or your home. They only have your unique PIN number and contact details for the Carers’ Emergency Scheme. No personal information is recorded on the card. The leaflet below gives more details about this free scheme

You can download our carers registration form below or to request a registration form to be sent to you by post please send your details to carersemergencycard@wiltshire.gov.uk or telephone 0800 066 5068.

Carers emergency card registration form 118kb

Or print the leaflet, complete your details and send it to the address on the leaflet

Carers emergency card scheme.pdf 97kb

Libraries

Libraries also hold a wide range of information about local services, Helpline:s and support groups. Please contact your local library to find out more. Alternatively you can search for information on the Wiltshire Clubs and Organisations Directory.

Support for Carers

Below are National Helplines that specifically offer advice information and support to carers.

Carers UK
Tel: 020 7490 8818
Email: info@ukcarers.org
Carers Line
Tel: 0808 808 7777
Web: Carers UK

Princess Royal Trust For Carers
Tel:: 0207 480 7788
Email: info@carers.org
Web: Princess Royal Trust for Carers

Caring about Carers Governemnt website offering advice and information
Web: Caring about Carers

Young Carers

A young carer is a child or young person (aged form 5 to 25) whose life is affected by caring for a family member, over and above just “helping out”. Young carers have the same rights as other carers under the NHS and Community Care Act 1990.

Young carers face serious caring responsibilities. In addition to the daily tasks they complete for their parents or another family member such as housework, cooking and bathing, they live with the added pressure of school and, often, a lack of understanding from schoolmates and teachers. The physical and emotional strain is sometimes too much - many skip school and suffer depression.

Youth Action Wiltshire is somewhere young carers can go for:

• Advice and support
• The opportunity to meet other young carers
• Regular trips and activities
• Young carers pack

How to contact Yout Action Wiltshire:

Tel: 01380 729813
Email: enquiries@youthactionwiltshire.org
Web: Youth Action Wiltshire

Caring for someone with Dementia

The following organisationsare abel to provide you with information support and advice

Alzheimers Society North Wilts

Tel: 01249 443469
Email: alznwilts@lineone.net

Alzheimers Support (West Wilts and Devizes)

Tel: 01225 776481
Email: asww@bigfoot.com

Alzheimers Salisbury & District

Tel: 01722 326236
Email: alzheimers_salisbury@talk21.com

Carers of disabled children

The Parent Carers Power Group provides a unified voice for parent carers of disabled children and young people in Wiltshire, and is involved in attending and making recommendations to the Children and Young People's Trust Board Disability Group.

For more information please see the Parent Carers Power Group website

More Useful Numbers

Below are services, Helplines and support groups that offer support, help or information for carers and/or the person cared for

ASK (Advice on Services for Kids)
Tel: 01380 871027
Fax 01380 871027
Email: info@askwiltshire.org
Web: Ask Wiltshire

Age Concern Wiltshire
Tel: 01380 727767
Infoline: 01380 735500
Email:admin@acwilts.fslife.co.uk
Web: Age Concern

Alzheimer's Disease Society
Tel: 020 7306 0606
Helpline: 0845 300 0336
Web: Alzheimers Society

Arthritis Care
Tel: 020 7380 6500
Helpline: 0808 800 4050
Web: Arthritis Care

British Association for Counselling
Tel: 0870 443 5252
Web: www.bacp.co.uk

British Heart Foundation
Tel: 020 7935 0185
Web: British Heart Foundation (BHF)

British Lung Foundation
Tel: 020 7831 5831
Web: British Lung Foundation

British Red Cross
Tel: 01962 865174
Web: British Red Cross

CJD Support Network
Tel: 020 7306 0606
Helpline: 0845 300 0336

CRUSE (bereavement counselling)
Tel: 020 8939 9530
Helpline: 020 8332 7227 Monday to Friday 9.30am to 5pm
Web: CRUSE (bereavement counselling)

Headway (National Head Injuries Association)
Tel: 0115 924 0800
Web: Headway (National Head Injuries Association)

Help the Aged
Tel: 020 7278 1114
Helpline: 0808 800 6565
Web: Help the Aged

Independent Living Centre
St Georges Road Semington
Tel: 01380 871 007
Web: Independent Living Centre

MENCAP (Royal Society for Mentally Handicapped Children and Adults)
Tel: 020 7454 0454
Web: MENCAP (Royal Society for Mentally Handicapped Children and Adults)

MIND (National Association for Mental Health)
Tel: 020 8519 2122
Web: MIND (National Association for Mental Health)

Motor Neurone Disease Association
Tel: 01604 250505
Helpline: 08457 626262
Web:Motor Neurone Disease Association

Multiple Sclerosis Society
Tel: 020 8438 0700
Web: Multiple Sclerosis Society

NHS Direct
Tel: 0845 4647
24 hours a day, seven days a week
Web: NHS Direct Online

Parkinsons Disease Society
Tel: 020 7931 8080
Web: Parkinsons Disease Society

RADAR (Royal Association for Disability and Information)
Tel: 020 7250 3222
Web: RADAR

Rethink (support for people with severe mental illness)
Tel: 0845 456 0455
Web: Rethink

Relatives and Residents Association
Tel: 020 7359 8148
Web: Relatives and Residents Association

RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People)
Tel: 0303 123 9999
Helpline: 0845 766 9999
Web: RNIB

Samaritans
Tel: 08457 909090
Web: Samaritans

Saneline (Helpline: on mental health matters)
Tel: 0845 767 8000 everyday 12noon to 2am
Web: Saneline

Social Security – Benefit Enquiry Line
Tel: 0800 88 22 00 - for disabled people only

Spinal Injuries Association
Tel: 020 8444 2121
Helpline: 0800 980 0501
Web: Spinal Injuries Association

Terence Higgins Trust
Helpline: 0845 1221200
Web: Terence Higgins Trust

Vitalise (A national charity providing breaks for disabled people and carers formerly the Winged Fellowship Trust)
Tel: 0845 345 1972
Email: info@vitalise.org.uk
Web: www.vitalise.org.uk

This list is not intended to be comprehensive. We hope that the organisations listed may help you to find others if you need a specific source of help.

Related information

• Alternative providers of care

Last updated: 12 January 2012