One in eight adults are now caring for a relative with a long-term health condition or disability, saving the government over £100 billion a year. The pandemic has made it tougher for many family carers, isolating them from the support they need, as well as their friends and relatives. Over the past year, PramaLife with the support of other partners including BCP Council, have been helping over 100 carers who are most in need because, for example, they are caring for someone with dementia.
PramaLife provides a range of activities to help carers, including carer support groups, Memory Lane groups – for those who are experiencing memory loss or dementia and their carer, as well as one to one befriending support lines. These groups provide companionship, advice and practical guidance, for example, with how to claim welfare benefits.
Carers are very proud of their role, they are resilient and bring a lot of love and skill to what they do, but they need help. The support PramaLife groups and telephone support lines provide, is much appreciated by local family carers:
“My befriender helps me to feel more normal, especially when I know I can share my caring role with her because she has experience with caring for her own mum who has Alzheimer’s. Talking to someone else makes you feel they are in the house with you”.
“I don’t know what I would do without the support I gain from coming to the Carers group, it’s so great to speak to others in the same boat, to hear their experiences and be reminded that I am not alone, it keeps me going”.
If you think you can help PramaLife in volunteering to support local family carers please contact the team via email: befriending@pramalife.org.uk or phone 01202 207329. Alternatively you can input your details via the website www.pramalife.org