Supporting carers who look after someone with dementia

The Carers Trust has published a series of booklets designed to support carers and family members of people living with dementia.

These resources provide guidance on various aspects of caring, from carers assessments, and understanding your legal rights to communication strategies, prioritising your own wellbeing and respite, and choosing a care home.

Booklets

1. Carers Assessments, Financial and Legal Rights

This booklet presents an overview of the legal rights of people with dementia and their carers in accessible and empowering language to help you make informed decisions.

2. Wellbeing and Respite

An encouraging booklet full of suggestions of how to manage your own wellbeing while balancing the emotional, mental and physical demands of caring for a person with dementia.

Time for you is vital for your sense of wellbeing - explore potential ways that you could create a wellbeing break today.

3. Communication in Dementia

Effective communication is crucial in dementia care. This booklet helps carers to understand and connect to people with dementia on a deeper level through providing practical strategies and insights.

4. Care Homes

Choosing a care home is a significant decision for carers and people with dementia.

This guide will help you to choose a care home that will not only suit the needs of the person with dementia but recognise them (and you) as individuals in your own right with a history beyond dementia.

These booklets serve as essential tools for carers, providing guidance and support to ensure both the carer and the person with dementia receive the best possible care, advice and support.

Remember you are not alone

Caring for a person with dementia can be rewarding, challenging and sometimes overwhelming.

It's vital for your wellbeing that you seek support from friends, family or organisations who can support you in confidence without judgement. The following organisations are here to support you.

Carers Trust is made up of over 126 Network Partners (Local Carer Organisations across the UK).

Admiral Nurse Dementia UK Helpline 0800 888 6678

Admiral Nurse Dementia UK support services

Wales Dementia Helpline (Welsh and English Language)

• 0808 808 2235

Dementia Support Line - Alzheimers Cymru (Welsh and English Language Dementia Advisors)

• 0333 150 3456

Samaritans helpline: If you are in emotional distress, struggling to cope, or at risk of suicide, call the Samaritans for free on at any time of night or day.

• 116 123

Independent Advocacy for Carers: Age Cymru Advocacy HOPE (Helping others participate and engage)

If you are struggling to get your voice heard by local services and would like to access the support of an independent advocate. HOPE is a partnership project between Age Cymru and Age Connects partners across Wales. HOPE delivers independent advocacy for older people (50+) and carers across Wales.

Find out more about the Age Cymru Advocacy HOPE project

Finally, if you would like to share your experiences as an unpaid carer with the Older Carers Project, a partnership between Age Cymru and Carers Trust Wales then please contact carers@agecymru.org.uk.

For information and advice please contact info@agecymru.org.uk.