Carers Support Service - Vale of Glamorgan

Lead service provider/commissioner

Name:

Vale of Glamorgan Council

Type of knowledge

Type of knowledge:

Project description only

Prevention service description

In terms of support for individual carers, a key piece of work has been the introduction of the carers’ emergency card. This is a credit card sized piece of plastic that denotes that the carrier is a carer and provides a number to contact in case of emergencies (24 hours per day). Ringing this number enables contingency support to be arranged. The service is run jointly with Cardiff Council using existing record management systems and out of hours arrangements, and provides carers with reassurance that the person that they look after will be cared for if anything should happen to them.

The service also provides help with carers in managing their health and wellbeing needs. For those with relatively low level needs, the service enables them to experience a range of alternative therapies such as massages and holistic treatments. These provide an immediate relief from stress but during the course of the treatment, the carer is also given practical tools that they can take away that will help them to take care of themselves, e.g. in relation to their sleep patterns, diets, and nutrition. The key is to help them to recognise the importance of looking after themselves. Where a carers needs appear to be more acute the service encourages them to seek medical advice.

Intervention/service type:

Befriending, mentoring and peer support; Information and advice; Community services; Low-level support; Carers support

Target client group(s):

Carers in Wales