If you became a Carer ...where could you get help from ?

[chenrezig]

As this is a public board I thought I would ask

1) - Non-Chill members … just think for a moment or two… if you became a (unpaid) family Carer, do you know where you could go for help?

2) - Chillers, how did you go about finding out where you could get help from?

[debzsanderson]

The Chill message boards are a wealth of information and of course if the answer isnt there normally there is a member who can help. As members drop in throughout the day its only a short time befor someone posts back with advice and support. The search box is so helpful - if you put in the topic it will bring up anything that contains that word or phrase.

debz xx

[maureenho]

Chill is a life line to many carers, anyone can become a carer in an instant.

[chenrezig]

When I left work to look after Dad it I got my info piecemeal a bit at a time ... my Bruv was helpful as he knew where to get quite a bit of info as he is a care worker...

I registered with my GP as the main carer for my father and I was given a "Carer Pack" which consisted of a few leaflets, but the best thing in it was a booklet by Norfolk County Council called "The Norfolk Carers Handbook" available online via this link to Norfolk County Council website

http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/view/ncc083633

Then by good fortune I found Chill4us ... an amazing bunch of people, who are there to support each other through the difficulties of being an unpaid Carer... they have been the best help ever, and the best Forum I have come across, they seem to generate such a positive feeling  ....

Liz

[annie]

It is not easy to find the correct and releveant informatin but as the others has pointed out, here is a very good plavce to start

[Misspears]

I get a lot of imformation on chill.

Ann x

[maureenho]

[b]


Q: How do I join Chill4us
A: Click on register, choose user name and password, submit.


Q.Why should I join Chill?
A. By joining Chill you would become part of a warm friendly site of like minded people who are unpaid carers


Q. Why should I join instead of just having a look at the part that is available to non-members?
A.By joining you would have access to all parts of Chill;  you would be able to reply to posts, take part in live chat, play games in the arcade  .............


Q. What are the members like?
A. The members support one another through good times and bad and have a wealth of experience to share


Q if I was having trouble as I don't know a lot about the Internet.
A there is always somebody on chill who will help you and explain how to do get the best out of chill.


Q. I am a former carer so is there any point in joining Chill?
A. There are a number of former carers who are members of Chill and are able to help and support one another to cope with loss and the difficult adjustment to life without the person they cared for.

Q: Who can join chill4us  any age?
A: carers or ex carers over 18 can join us.

Q: why join  the forum and what benefit would it be to me?
A: friendship and support, somewhere to chill out

Q: Is chill just about caring or do you discuss other things?
A: we discuss topics of all kinds, we have an arcade and a 24 hour chat room and the forum

Q: Is chill4us free to join ?
A:chill is completely free and always has been, no plans for any changes

Q: is chill4us secure and virus free?
A: Yes Chill4us is secure and virus free

Q: Is my  email or address  made public or is that only available for the administrator to see?
A: only the administrators can see your email address, unless you change the settings, and a guest is unable to see anything about you

[mumxtwo]

I am stumbling through the minefield of how little help & support is available when you become a carer.
After caring for my eldest son for over 2 years I have finally got an appointment for a carers assessment with IAPT this month - not to discuss financial matters, as far as I know, but hopefully to offer me tips on how to cope.

Finding Chill has ended much of the isolation I had been feeling.

Until you become a carer you have no idea how drastically your life is going to change, however much you love the family member you are caring for, round-the-clock care is so tiring & isolating.

I think the NHS & government need to pay more notice to carers - in the long-term it would benefit them because we end up exhausted & needing medical help ourselves!

[Jeanne]

I have never been given any kind of help, beyond a few leaflets that I picked up myself at the G.P.'s, Chill has been the only support I have ever had.  Also harder when the carer themselves is disabled, as in mine and many other cases. x Jeanne

[wendy]

Would anyone else like to say something to help carers.

[coffee]

[quote="coffee"]
When I became a carer full time for my Mom who was 74 then
In Wolverhampton was a carer's group set up especially for older people and this group helped me a lot plus regular phone calls twice a week  and any problems I could call them  but after a few years because of funding this group gradually closed and I felt lost
I was also on a carer's forum at the time - princess trust  and carer's uk  and Hal who was a carer and chatting to me suggested  look at chill4us a carer's forum it looked good.
 I left the princess royal trust site and have not been on carer's uk for years  and joined chill4us  and I have to say I have had support , phone calls , advice etc. a bill site  that not only says it cares, to me chill has been very  helpful also the carer's newspaper printed by chill so than999 chill and membersx
When you lose your loved one you are still a valuable member  of chill unlike some forums so chill  is really 24/7 to give you support , advice  whether you just became a carer ,-or you no longer care so along with  many others I would recommend chill4us 100%
Another place that was always there for me with regular visits and phone calls was the Renel Clinic( kidneys  problems) based at New Cross ( local hospital)  get there help if you  need them  also get your distict nurses involed if they to are needed they can help alot  and you can go to carers support  but they was not very helpful for me.

going abit off the topic
A tip I found useful  was carry in your pocket  some wipes so when you walk round the house and you notice a  mark on the walls floor etc. get a wipe out and clean it there and then  it will save you time later cos no doubt you will forget about it   coffee x
[/quote]

[wendy]

4999