Welcome to May's Bulletin. With June just around the corner we'd usually spending this time gearing up for Carers Week, a chance to celebrate all those who provide unpaid care for a friend or family member and this year more than ever it's important that we need to be recognising the enormous value of carers across Coventry. Unfortunately the usual programme of events that we try and deliver across the city is not going to be possible but the Carers Trust have developed a "virtual programme" that means there will be plenty of opportunities to keep connected during carers week.
Not a great deal has changed in terms of government messaging for carers in the past couple of weeks and we know that for many carers the intensity of looking after someone is more profound than ever. This bulletin will look at what some services are doing to make sure carers do not feel isolated and can have a break if needed.
We try and keep are Carers COVID pages upto date so please check out our frequently asked questions page.
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There are approximately 34,000 people providing unpaid care in Coventry, that's about 1 in 10 people and we suspect right now that there are many more people providing unpaid care for a friend or a relative. People are likely to be providing more care in the absence of wider support networks and we know that caring roles are likely to be more intense than ever before. In Coventry alone we think that unpaid carers save the local health and social care economy £680 million per year.
The Carers Trust Heart of England will be hosting a range of events during the week 8-14th June and will shortly be publishing a timetable of events. For any further information you can contact the Carers Trust Heart of England on 024 7663 2972.
In partnership with Coventry City Council we want to offer some additional support whilst we are in the lockdown period.
We would like to help these carers who have been classed by the government as being the most vulnerable, or carers looking after someone with a high level of caring needs, to be able to still have a break from their caring roles. The support will be offered through our fully trained regulated staff in the CRESS team.
The criteria for this service are that you the carer
- Must be an unpaid carer living within Coventry
- Must have been recognised as vulnerable and so therefore have been told to shield for 12 weeks. Or The person you care has been told to shield for 12 weeks and your caring responsibilities mean that you are unable to leave them alone in the house
- You have high levels of caring responsibilities and need a break
- You must be registered with the CRESS service
- The person you look after must have been assessed by the CRESS team
The ways in which this service can be used
- To go out for a walk or to take exercise, or to have time alone in the garden or to do a hobby
- To be able to go to do your shopping and collect prescriptions
- For a member of our team to go shopping for you to collect essential supplies where a local community group, or family member is unable to support you
We will be operating in different areas on different days, once you are registered, we will inform you of your appointed time.
Restrictions
- Service is only available during lock down period
- Please note government guidance is that only 1 hour per day can be taken in exercise outside of the home, however due to constraints on the service we can’t offer this every day, only 1 – 2 hours over the week. Longer periods could be used for respite to do hobbies, again subject to service availability
- This is for essential shopping only and should not be more than once per week
To register or use the service for CRESS call 024 7625 8816 option 1 or mobile 07979 503133
Or go online and email us at referral@carerstrusthofe.org.uk
You might have seen in the past week that the government's eligibility for testing has increased to anyone over the age of 5 who are displaying symptoms. From 4 May unpaid carers became recognised as "essential workers" and therefore are eligible and encouraged to go for testing if displaying symptoms. You can book a test by accessing the government website through the essential worker route.
We've noticed that once you get to a certain point on the website it doesn't give you the option to say you're an unpaid carer, so our advice is to click the volunteer option.
PLEASE NOTE: If you suspect you have COVID-19 or are displaying symptoms it's essential that you do not provide care during this time.
SENDIAS will be hosting their first virtual coffee morning on Thursday 4 June 2020 between 10 and 11am. Please get in touch if you would like to know more about this or would like to join in then we will send out further details to you.
To request an invite and for further information contact SEND Information, Advice & Support Service; Telephone 024 7669 4307.
As the Carers Trust are unable to run their usual support groups due to the Covid-19 situation, they are holding a number of virtual catch ups via Zoom and Discord and they'd love for you to join them. Please see details below and if interested, please send an email for joining instructions and more information. Virtual catch ups are a great way of keeping in touch and gaining support from our team and other local carers.
We know right now losing a loved one is harder than ever without the usual support networks.
Coventry Public Health team has developed a number of leaflets alongside the Law Centre to help support people who may have been bereaved during the COVID-19 Pandemic. There is some specific information for carers in there.
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Do you want to speak to other carers who understand what you're going through? Join the Best-You Coventry Carers Group and gain FREE access to an online community of Coventry Carers - connect with others and realise you're not alone. You can join for FREE at: CovCarers
Go to 'groups & friends' and click on 'Coventry Carers' group, just like that!!
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Hope For the Community CIC have teamed up with Carers Trust Heart of England to deliver a 6 week online course for parents and carers of children with autism. The course is now fully booked for May but they are operating a waiting list for June-July. You can add your name to the waiting list.
Coventry Libraries Service
There is still lots going on online. Find out about the range of services available while library buildings are closed, including how to join online: www.coventry.gov.uk/coronaviruslibraries
Online Readers Group
Coventry Libraries Service now have an Online Readers Group on Facebook.
To join in with the online discussion of books and recommendations join the group here: www.facebook.com/groups/CoventryLibrariesOnlineReadersGroup
There are also opportunities to chat ‘live’ and our next live chat event will be
Tuesday 26 May starting at 12noon
Join online for a discussion of books which have been turned into TV programmes and films and your chance to suggest the next live chat theme. Join the event here: www.facebook.com/events/262651651543472
Free online resources
www.coventry.gov.uk/eresources
Reading Well self-help books
Reading Well books help you to understand and manage your health and wellbeing using helpful reading. The books are all chosen and recommended by health experts, as well as people living with the conditions covered and their relatives and carers.
Some titles are available to download for free as e-books www.coventry.gov.uk/ebooks
There are five book lists available:
- Reading Well for mental health
- Reading Well for young people
- Reading Well for children
- Reading Well for long term conditions
- Reading Well for dementia
It’s simple! Just add your email address in the top right hand corner and click GO!
You can also sign up or view previous bulletins from our Carers' website.
If you have any comments or wish to contribute something to the next bulletin, please let us know by contacting us at carers@coventry.gov.uk.
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