Help & Care

Help and Care's Top Tips for Carers for the festive season!

Help us to Help Carers this Christmas

This can be a challenging time of year if you're a carer.

How can you keep your head while all around you others are taking advantage of the festive spirit?

Help and Care has put together this 4 point plan to help you stay fit and well over this busy time of year;

1. Put yourself first!

This may seem like a strange piece of advice but by if you are fit and healthy then you are better set to look after your loved one.

• Make sure you have had your flu jab! Talk to your practice about how you can get yours...
• Consider having a check up at your practice - your practice nurse should be able do this for you...
• Make sure you have enough of your medications to see you through the holiday period - trying to get a repeat prescription over a bank holiday weekend can be a nightmare!
• At the first signs of feeling poorly get some advice straight away! Don't wait until you are really unwell. People who can give yo advice for coughs, colds and other minor illnesses are your local pharmacist or NHS Direct. If you feeling very unwell then see your GP straight away!

2. Plan to give yourself some time off!

It is so important to make sure you get a few precious hours to yourself over this busy time of year. If you re-charge your batteries then you will have the energy to keep on being there for the person that needs you...

• Book a proper break NOW. It's not too early and the you can have some time off to look forward to... Your local social services will be able to advise you. If you live in Poole or Dorset phone us to book some time off through our Sitting Service. 0845 4500 418
• Ask a relative or neighbour to help out by sitting with your loved one or taking them out for an hour or two. Have your hair done, do some shopping, catch up with some friends. But ask them and arrange it now before they are too busy...
• If you can't leave your loved one for too long why not arrange for someone to come to the house to pamper you! We can give you names and numbers of people we trust who provide hairdressing, chiropody or beauty treatment amongst many other things! If you can't get to them - they could come to you! Phone now to find someone near you... 0845 4500 418. Or download one of our Factsheets to find out more..

3. Find out what the plans are to keep your care coming in over the holiday period!

If you or your loved one receives care on a regular basis it is important for your piece of mind that nothing will change to your arrangements over the Christmas period.

• Telephone your Care Manager and have a chat about arrangements for your care over Christmas.
• Talk to the agency that provides your care about what changes there might be, if any, over the holiday period; particularly the bank holiday weekends. Make sure you know what is happening so that you can make plans and make the most of any extra hours in bed!

4. Have a plan for emergencies!

Of course no-one actually wants a crisis at any time but over Christmas dealing with a crisis can be so much harder than at other times of the year.

• Make sure that the medication that both you and your loved one takes is written down clearly somewhere; so if someone else has to help out with it they would know exactly what is needed when. Your pharmacist could help you with this. Put the information somewhere sensible like with your Single Assessment Folder, by your telephone or in your fridge!
• Write down the details of someone to contact in the case of a crisis or emergency. Put this by your telephone or somewhere else where someone could find it easily.
• Talk to your Care Manager or Care Agency about how to organise emergency care in the event of a crisis. You should have a plan so that you know exactly what to do if anything does go wrong...