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Maywood Healthcare Centre
FacebookYou care, so we care
If you look after someone who could not cope without your support because of illness, frailty, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction, whether that's a family member, partner or friend, then you are a Carer.
If that's you, and you are not already registered as a Carer with us, please let us know by filling out this online form. As a Carer, you are entitled to specific support, such as health check-ups and free flu vaccines, so we want to make sure we can support you.
Local Support
Carers Support West Sussex
Carers Support recognise that being a carer comes with many different challenges. They have a range of services that can help support you, from counselling and access to relaxation therapies to a Carer Wellbeing fund, Support Groups and Carer Response Line.
They also have many drop-in events, including the Yeh Dosti Support Group for South Asian carers.
Carers Health Team
A team of health professionals who aim to promote the health and wellbeing of carers.
The Carers Health Team provide a free service, working directly with carers to help them develop strategies to reduce the strain of their caring burden. They can provide information and advice on specific health conditions, as well as practical advice on the caring environment (safe lifting and handling, healthy eating, risk minimisation).
National Support
Carers UK
Caring will affect us all at some point in our lives. We’ll be here for you when that happens. With your help, we can be there for the 6,000 people who start looking after someone each day.
Carers Trust
Carers Trust is a major charity for, with and about carers. They work to improve support, services and recognition for anyone living with the challenges of caring, unpaid, for a family member or friend who is ill, frail, disabled or has mental health or addiction problems. Their vision is that unpaid carers count and can access the help they need to live their lives.
Planning Ahead
Power of Attorney
Even if you don't think it will be useful yet, it's a good idea to speak to the person you care for about getting a Power of Attorney sorted as early as you can. Power of Attorney lets them appoint one or more people to help them make decisions, or make decisions on their behalf. It only becomes active at the point where they can no longer decide for themselves.
They can choose whether they want a Power of Attorney for health and welfare, for property and financial affairs, or for both.
It costs £82 to register a Power of Attorney unless you get a reduction or exemption.
Your Care Matters
You may find it helpful for the person you care for to set up a "MyCareMatters" profile. This tells hospital staff and other healthcare professionals about the things they want staff to know about them as a person. It can also be a useful tool to help friends, family and carers understand what a person would want to happen if they need more care in the future, or if they needed to go into hospital.
The MyCareMatters profile is of particular value to people with communication challenges, such as those living with dementia, but there may come a time in any of our lives that we are admitted to hospital, for a planned visit or in an emergency and may, temporarily or otherwise, be unable to communicate. MyCareMatters provides the opportunity to tell hospital staff that you drink your tea black, that you have a fear of needles and like to wear socks in bed because of your poor circulation. For carers, it can help to have all of this information in one easy-to-share place.