New Carers Companion Service
The Association of Carers have been providing respite with befriending for many years and in that time they have recognised that some caring situations are unable to benefit from this service due to a variety of circumstances e.g. feeling uncomfortable with the presence of a stranger in their home, or personal care needs that need attending to.
We have recently received one year’s funding from the Clinical Commissioning Group, to support carers of people with dementia in the Bexhill area and Carers who are caring for people with any condition, in Hastings and St Leonards on Sea.
The new Carers Companion Service would be a long-term service, the carer could receive support for as long as they need it. There may be a wait for the service for the Association of carers to identify the best suited volunteer.
A carefully matched and vetted volunteer would spend time in the carer’s home, or would take the carer and the person they look after out, for example, going to the cinema, theatre, garden centre, café, pub etc., with the aim of creating a relationship with both the carer and the person they look after.
The long term aim, for those who are uncomfortable with the presence of a volunteer in the home, is for the person being cared for, to build up a relationship with the volunteer and accept them in the home, eventually enabling the carer to have some time to themselves.
If there are personal care needs in relation to continence, medication etc. the volunteer may be able to spend time with the cared for person, whilst the carer stays nearby, either in the home, taking a rest upstairs or spending time in their garden. The volunteer is able to call the carer if any personal care is needed.
The number of hours support provided would vary between 1 and 4 depending on the circumstances. For example, a trip to the theatre or cinema may take up to 4 hours.
For more information, please contact us.
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