It can be an incredibly stressful and emotionally draining experience to have somebody relying on you for care. To ensure you are able to continue offering the best care you can, as well as looking after your own wellbeing, it’s important to have a carer support network in place to support you.
On this page, you will be able to find out what services are available from charities and other organisations across Norfolk to support your caring role. Additionally, you can take a look at Age Space’s guide to Respite Care Options in Norfolk.
Getting a Carer's Assessment in Norfolk
Carer’s Assessments are for anybody over the age of 18 who provides unpaid care and support. This can help you to find out how to make your role as a carer easier and how the County Council can put measures in place to support you. This can often be completed at the same time as a care assessment in Norfolk, but the result will not be dependent on whether the person you care for is deemed eligible for council support.
To get a carer’s assessment, the person you provide care for must:
- Live in Norfolk
- Be aged over 18
- Be disabled, ill, or elderly
To get a Carer’s Assessment in Norfolk, you will need to get in touch with Carer’s Matter Norfolk, who will carry out the assessment with you, as well as talking you through the support available to you. Get in contact using the details provided below:
- Telephone: 0800 083 1148
- Email: [email protected]
- Contact Form
- Visit Website
Preparing for your assessment
Before your assessment, it’s a good idea to consider how you’ll answer the questions you’ll be asked in order to make sure you don’t exclude any important details. This may involve keeping a day-to-day diary of the caring tasks you do to help the assessors understand how much support you require.
Norfolk County Council has a list of the topics you will be asked about through the assessment, as detailed below:
- Your personal and family situation and history.
- The people you care for.
- The care and support you provide, and which parts you think are most important.
- Your other caring responsibilities – e.g. for children or other family members.
- Your living situation, including any challenges you experience with finances, transport, domestic tasks.
- The impact of your caring role on your family, social life and work.
- The impact of your caring role on your mental wellbeing and physical health.
- What support you already receive from others – eg your family, community or GP – and what’s working well.
- Your ability to continue providing care.
If you are eligible
Carers Matter Norfolk will cater the assessment process to whatever your situation is, meaning it might just be one short conversation, or they might set up regular appointments to check-in with you and see how the support you receive is working.
Support you could receive – if eligible – can include:
- Putting you in touch with a local support group so you have people to talk to.
- Practical support, like arranging for someone to step in when you need a short break.
- Support to improve your mental health through counselling, peer-to-peer support or training.
- Resources to support your physical health and wellbeing.
- Carers breaks to give you time away from your caring role.
- A grant from the health and wellbeing fund which you can use to buy items or services to support your health and wellbeing.
This support will be free of charge, so a Financial Assessment is not necessary.
To find out more information about Carer’s Assessments, get in touch with Carers Matter Norfolk using the details provided above.
Find Carer Support Groups and Services in Norfolk
There a many support services and groups across Norfolk that can help you to fulfil your caring role, simply take a break from it, or talk with others who are experiencing the same things. You can also contact the National Care Line for more support and information, as well as being directed towards other carer support services (0800 0699 784).
Carers Matter Norfolk
As mentioned above, Carers Matter will be your first port of call for arranging a Carer’s Assessment. As well as this, though, they also offer a free advice line for anyone who needs independent or confidential support. This could include:
- Accessing local services and support, including Carer Peer Support Groups, dementia cafes or other local social activities or services
- Carers’ rights (including employment)
- Accessing health and social care services
- Social welfare (benefits) and housing
- Equipment and adaptations, including Assistive Technology
- Education, volunteering and training
- Emergency Planning
The Carers Matter Norfolk advice-line is available from Monday to Friday, 9:00am – 5:00pm on 0800 083 1148.
Caring Together
Caring Together is a leading charity for unpaid carers that covers Norfolk and Cambridgeshire. They work with and without the councils to provide support services with the aim of making your caring role more manageable.
These services include an advice line, which you can contact on 0345 241 0954 or email them at [email protected]. Their Listening Ear service allows carers to regularly talk to volunteers over the phone for a period up to three months. They are also able to connect you to carer support services and groups in your area.
They also regularly run events and support groups across the county that allow carers to spend some time with other people in similar positions, as well as getting opportunities for face-to-face advice. You can take a look at the pages listed below for an up-to-date view of their upcoming events:
Parkinson's UK Support
Parkinson’s UK has a helpline that you can make use of if you’re looking after someone with Parkinson’s disease. You can reach them on 0808 800 0303.
They also have local support groups available across Norfolk to help you in your role as a carer. Visit the Parkinson’s UK website to find out more or search for services in your area.
Other Carer Support Groups
There are also independent carer support groups across Norfolk, some of which Age Space has gathered below for you. It is worth noting that schedules can regularly change, so it’s worth contacting the service you’re interested in before attending.
Diss Carers Group
The Diss Carers Group is a carers only group that runs on the first Thursday of every month from 2.00pm-4.00pm. It is free to attend.
- Address: St Mary's Church, Mount St, Diss, IP22 4QQ
- Telephone: 01379 741087
- Email: [email protected]
Evening Carer's Group, Great Yarmouth
The Evening Carers Group is a carers only group, running on the first Wednesday of every month between 6.00pm-8.00pm. It is free to attend.
- Address: Louise Hamilton Centre, James Paget University Hospital, Lowestoft Road, Gorleston, Great Yarmouth, NR31 6LA
- Telephone: 01493 453100
- Email: [email protected]
Heacham Carers Support
Heacham Carers Support is a drop-in support and wellness group offering advice, activities and signposting or referrals to other support. All are welcome to attend a free drop-in sessions.
Heacham Carers Support runs every Tuesday and Saturday from 10.30am-2.30pm.
- Address: A Piece of mind, 4 Poplar Avenue, Kings Lynn, PE31 7EA
- Telephone: 01485 572707
North Walsham Fish & Chip Group
The North Walsham Fish and Chips Group is based at Sacred Heart RC Church in the town of North Walsham. There are no set activities, but those who join have the chance to discuss any problems they may have or just chat with their peers in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere.
North Walsham Fish and Chip Group is available to carers and cared for. The group runs the third Thursday the month from 12.00pm-2.00pm. It costs £5 per head, including lunch and refreshments.
- Address: Norwich Rd, North Walsham, NR28 9JP
- Telephone: 01692 403024 / 01263 519277
- Email: [email protected]
Thetford Carers Social Group
Thetford Carers Social Group is available to carers and cared for. The group runs on the first Thursday of every month from 2.00pm-4.00pm. It is free to attend.
- Address: King's Court, 49 Earl Street, Thetford, IP24 2AQ
- Telephone: 01842 879714
- Email: [email protected]
