Carers Assessments

If you’re looking after someone who couldn’t manage without your help, and caring has a big impact on your life, a Carer’s Assessment is a chance to talk about what support might make things easier for you.

At Cumberland Carers, we carry out assessments on behalf of Cumberland Council, and may be able to offer help for you, and sometimes for the person you care for too.

To understand what would be most helpful, we’ll talk through things like:

• What kind of support your loved one needs
• What help you’re currently providing
• How we or other local organisations could support you

This conversation is what we call an “assessment.”

A Carer’s Assessment is your opportunity to talk about how caring affects your life - your health, your work, your relationships, and your ability to take time for yourself. It’s not a test and there’s no need to prepare or worry. It’s simply a chance to explore what might help you.

If you’d like, you can look at a copy of the assessment form beforehand to get a sense of the topics we’ll cover.

• You might want to think about:
• Are you getting enough sleep?
• Is your health affected in any way?
• Can you get out and about?
• Do you get time for yourself?
• Are your relationships impacted?
• Do you need information about benefits?
• Are you worried about work?
• Is the person you care for getting enough help?

You might also want to consider what kind of support could make a difference, such as:

• Services that give you a break
• Emotional support from other carers
• Help with household or caring tasks
• Advice about benefits
• Activities for the person you care for

You’re entitled to an assessment even if the person you care for doesn’t want one themselves. And if it helps, you’re welcome to have a friend or family member with you during the assessment.