Online Help

Out of hours help

Some organisations that can offer support outside of Care for the Carers’ office hours:

• Samaritans – for emotional support 24/7, on the phone and online
• Carers UK online forum  lets you talk to other carers and see what they are saying about a range of topics.
• Macmillan Online Community – Carers Group. With thousands of users, many of whom are very active in the chatroom, this online community also offers a dedicated carers group, in which carers of people with cancer can offer peer support.
• Age Space: a friendly online conversation space where anyone can ask a question or find the answer to something of concern.

Coronavirus help

Find out the latest information and support during the coronavirus pandemic here.

Coronavirus anxiety workbook to help with mental health during the pandemic.

Working and caring

Download this flexible working guide from Carers UK, with practical information to help you start the conversation with your employer. Further information to help you as a working carer is available here.

Online information and support for carers

• Care Community online forum is a place to discuss health and caring for loved ones, particularly in later life.
• Links on the NHS website of organisations to speak to about social care and support.
• Marie Curie gives advice and help for carers supporting someone with a terminal illness. A range of information for carers is available here.
• Independent Age information about getting help if you’re a carer.
• Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) have useful videos for carers about caring safely at home, staying healthy, dementia and common caring scenarios.
• Macmillan online resources
• Care for the Carers is a founder associate member of the Eastbourne Dementia Inclusive Community Charter, to help to make Eastbourne a place where people living with dementia and their family, friends and carers can live their lives in the way they wish to live them. Find out more about the charter and Eastbourne Dementia Action Alliance here.
• Care for the Carers have signed up to and are a supporter of the Wealden Dementia Action Alliance, offering support and information to carers who look after someone with dementia. More information here.

Residential home help

Supporting Carers Identify & Plan Residential Respite (SCIPRR). SCIPRR is a short term service offered through Association of Carers,  where a volunteer helps a carer through the process of looking for a suitable residential home for the person they care for. They support them through identifying where would be most suitable and can accompany them on viewing visits. The volunteer can also visit the cared for person in residential respite if the carer is going away. There is a directory of care homes and services in East Sussex available online here.

Incontinence information and support for carers

East Sussex Community Bladder & Bowel Advisory Service: www.esht.nhs.uk/service/continence-advisory-service/

Contact: Hastings and Rother area. Phone: 0300 131 4356

Eastbourne, Hailsham and Seaford area. Phone: 01323 446990

Bladder & Bowel Community: www.bladderandbowel.org

Bladder & Bowel UK: www.bbuk.org.uk/; www.bbuk.org.uk/adults/adults-resources

Concessions on water bills might be available to reflect the high water usage resulting from laundry and bathing. Speak to your water company to discuss options. Southern Water information on help with paying your bill.

Proctor Healthcare supplies continence pads and equipment and offers a 10% discount to East Sussex Carers Card holders, with free delivery for orders over £30.  You can apply here for a Carers Card.

Supplier of incontinence products online. www.incontinencechoice.co.uk

Age UK incontinence shop online.

Boots incontinence shop online.

Accessible Toilets

Radar Keys (also known as National Key Scheme) fit public toilets managed by local councils. Many public venues also use Radar locks. Keys available at: www.disabilityrightsuk.org/shop/official-and-only-genuine-radar-key

Technology making carers’ lives easier

• Carers UK Modern solutions for you booklet covers some of the tech solutions and devices that can help in your caring role, for example remote monitoring and alerts and managing medication.
• My Care Matters is a secure online place to record the information you want health professionals to know about you or your loved one as a person – whether in hospital or in a care home.
• Home safe shows you how to turn a spare phone into a security camera for your home or to keep an eye on someone at home.
• GARI online database provides information about accessibility functions on mainstream smartphones.
• Coping with hearing loss and computing.
• Association of Carers has a Computer Help at Home service.
• Independent Age’s list of podcasts may be the perfect introduction if you’re new to listening online. Podcasts can inform, entertain, and engage, particularly those who might have trouble reading.

Financial help

• You may find that as a carer you only have the opportunity to catch up with admin when the person you care for is asleep, so the free c-app for benefits ESA and PIP may be of interest, for online financial information out of hours.
• BBC Radio 4’s Money Box Live covers finance for carers, aired July
  2018. Listen again via iPlayer.
• Search for grants and check your benefit entitlement via Turn 2 Us charity.
• The Money Advice Service offers free and impartial money advice, set up by the government, including tools and calculators and phone support.
• Money Saving Expert website is full of tips to get the best value for your money.
• Thinking Ahead is a free online resource that aims to prepare people for the potential costs of caring for a family member or loved one to help them plan ahead.

About other carers

• View our carer videos where carers talk about their experiences and stories.
• Carers UK has some first-hand accounts from carers about their experiences of using technology to help them.
• Invisible Army Podcasts share emotional accounts from caregivers who share their experiences, alongside major carer charities and information about the healthcare system.

Online learning for carers

• Alzheimer’s Society videos, podcasts and audio factsheets.
• Explore key issues related to caring for a relative with psychosis or schizophrenia, in a short, free online course.
• Videos resources designed to help people look after someone safely at home in any situation. The videos cover how to help manage certain conditions and help with providing everyday support for the person you’re caring for. Provided by Social Care Institute for Excellence.
• Free online learning and resources to support carers. This e-learning will help you take care of yourself and carry out your day to day caring role. Provided by e-Learning for Healthcare.

Digital skills and training

• Computer Help At Home. Carers are offered six, one-to-one sessions on how to use your computer, tablet, or smart phone with a trained and fully vetted volunteer.
• Learn My Way. Access free digital skills courses, including using a computer/device, online basics, finding a job online, office programmes and online safety.
• Barclays Digital Eagles. Provides free digital training videos covering a range of topics including cyber security.
• BT Skills for Tomorrow. Free courses to help improve confidence and digital skills for home and work.
• Lloyds Bank Academy. Provides free lessons on understanding digital basics, communicating with others and staying safe online.

Staying safe online and ‘how to’ guides

• Sussex Police Little Book of Big Scams [PDF]
• Age UK resources for staying safe online and finding your nearest computer courses
• The Child Exploitation and Online Protection tips for keeping you and the person you care for safe.
• Digitalunite has more than 400 how to guides on everything from choosing a phone to creating documents, taking pictures and watching TV or downloading music.

Resources for carers of people with dementia, autism and Parkinson’s

• Music Memories website from the BBC helps people with dementia reconnect with their most powerful memories.
• Brain in Hand gives personalised support from an app on your phone, including diary, notes and reminders, and a traffic light system to help monitor anxiety.
  You can buy Brain in Hand directly from the Brain in Hand website, but is it expensive. Alternatively it’s available through schemes, including Access to Work for those starting work. University students can fund Brain in Hand through their Disabled Students Allowance, while schools can support students to fund Brain in Hand via Education Health and Care Plans, or it can be included in the person’s personal budget support plan.
  Support providers can also buy Brain in Hand for the person with care and support needs to use, and the National Autistic Society recommends sending their care provider information about Brain in Hand.
• The Molehill Mountain app helps autistic people understand and self-manage anxiety.
• Parkinson’s UK shares details of Apps and devices that can help with the day to day management of Parkinson’s.
• M4D radio is part of the Music for Dementia campaign to make music available to everyone living with dementia, and includes music from a range of time periods.

Resources for health and social care professionals about technology for carers

• Technology for carers – toolkit for professionals