Carers

Carers Many of the patient self help and support groups provide information and help for carers. The following are more general resources for those caring for someone, or for those in need of care.

Main umbrella organisations and websites

 Carers UK

Carers UK is the voice of carers and a leading campaigning, policy and information organisation for carers.

 Caring about Carers

Government information for Carers. Includes the National Strategy for Carers.

 Crossroads

A national charity with 11 regional offices which offers practical help to carers. There are 7,000,000 people in the UK who are looking after a disabled relative or friend at home. Crossroads provides respite care for those carers through a variety of schemes which are aimed to be adapted to the needs of each individual family.

 Crossroads Scotland

Crossroads (Scotland) is the national organisation established in 1978 to develop local services for Carers throughout Scotland. .

 Counsel and Care

Counsel and Care is a registered national charity providing a nationwide service for older people and their carers. They are able to advise on a wide range of subjects such as welfare benefits, accommodation, residential care, community care and hospital discharge etc.

 Princess Royal Trust for Carers

The Trust exists to make it easier for carers to cope by providing information, support and practical help to carers. The national network of over 100 independently-managed Carers Centres across the UK currently reaches well over 100,000 carers a year.

 Young Carers

Part of the The Princess Royal Trust for Carers. Aims to make it easier for young carers to cope by providing information, support and practical help.

 Direct Gov

Directgov is the place to turn to for the latest and widest range of public service information. Includes a section for carers.

Other organisations dealing with caring issues

 A-Z Care Homes Guide

From Tomorrow's Guides Ltd. A guide to 6,660 Nursing Homes and over 12,880 Residential Homes throughout the UK. Each listing provides the telephone number of the home, its size and the patient/resident categories for which it is registered with its local/health authority.

 Abbeyfield

A national charity providing housing with support to older people. There are almost 1,000 houses throughout the UK run by some 600 Abbeyfield societies.

 Access Care

Specialise in providing care in the home of elderly or disabled people who need help with everyday tasks.

 Anchor Trust

The largest not-for-profit provider of housing, care and support for older people in England.

 Association for Residential Care

Supporting, developing and promoting learning disability services.

 Bettercaring.co.uk

The site hosts a fully comprehensive database of all 18,600 registered care homes in the UK and incorporates detailed information on each home as well as a wealth of information and advice resources aimed at care professionals and the general public (as well as home operators themselves).

  Bupa Care Homes UK

Provide private nursing care to the elderly and young physically disabled in residential homes across the UK.

 Cancerlink

Cancerlink is a leading national charity working in cancer Self Help and Support. All its work is based on the value of the shared experience of cancer and although it aims to complement medical help Cancerlink is very distinct from it.

 Care UK

Independent provider of person-centred health and social care,providing specialist care and support through community-based carehomes, independent hospitals and independent sector treatment sectors,and to people in their own homes.

 Care Directions

A guide to care and the rights of older people. Register for regular topical newsletter.

 Care and Health

A social work led organisation forged from an alliance of care, technology and business professionals committed to improving the quality of care delivered in the UK.

 Care Choices

Comprehensive information on finding and funding care for adults and elderly.

 Care Homes Guide Ltd

Provides an in-depth search facility for all typesof retirement, residential and nursing homes.

 Carers Christian Fellowship

The Carers Christian Fellowship aims to offer a link and support for Christians who are caring in some way for a relative, friend or neighbour.

 CAR-ES Group (The)

A selective range of Nursing Homes listed by area

 Cause

CAUSE is a charity in Northern Ireland directed and staffed by past and present carers. Providing practical and emotional support to relatives and carers of people with serious mental illness.

 Central Homecare

Provision of home therapy services. The company's objective is to make the administration of drugs at home as simple and stress free as possible. The therapies they manage at home typically include those for cystic fibrosis, nutrition, cancer, rheumatology, pain and endocrine disorders.

 Colvin Nursing

Colvin Nursing specialises in the placement of qualified and auxiliary nurses in the home on a permanent or temporary, live in residential or non residential basis.

 Community Care

Providing a service for organisations and charities involved in the health and welfare of the community

 Country Cousins

A UK specialist provider of temporary live-in care and companionship for the elderly and those convalescing in their own homes. A house and pet-sitting service is also offered.

 Dreamflight

A registered UK charity whose purpose is to send seriously ill children on their 'holiday of a lifetime' to Disneyworld in Florida.

 Future Care Assured

Financial advice from specialists in care fees planning.

 Grace Consulting

Consulting firm which advises to individuals and families on long term care.

 Holiday Care

A national charity based at Horley near Gatwick Airport in South East England. Founded in 1981 it is now a major UK source of travel and holiday information and support for disabled and older people, their families, friends and carers.

 Homeshare

Are you an older person living alone but finding it a bit of a struggle? Are you a young person looking for affordable accommodation, and prepared to help an older person? If the answer is yes then homesharing may be the answer you've been looking for.

  Long Term Care Online

Provides a wide range of information and free independent financial advice on the different issues surrounding long term care.

 Mangar International

Designer, manufacturer and distributor of portable and mobile lifting equipment for people with a disability.

 Next of Kin

A company providing a service to individuals so that next of kin can be contacted in cases of emergency. There is also a facility to hold medical information to be accessed by professionals if necessary. A range of services are available for children, those living alone, those with medical conditions and others.

 Nursing Home Register
  Nursing Home Fees Agency

A site aimed to enable older people to meet the cost of their chosen care whilst also preserving their capital.

 RESCARE

The national society for mentally handicapped people in residential care. It represents families who seek life long care and support for children and adults with a mental handicap.

 Signpost

A specialist quarterly journal aimed at those working with and caring for people with dementia, older people with mental health problems, and their carers.

 Southern Cross Healthcare

An independent provider of residential andnursing care services, meeting the needs of elderly and younger peoplein appropriately registered care centres in England, Scotland and Wales.

 St Vincent de Paul Society

The Society is a registered charity run by volunteers from all walks of life and has a worldwide presence. The work is coordinated by local branches, usually on a parish basis. It seeks to co-operate in shaping a more just and compassionate community. This works to deepen the faith of its members and to fulfill their faith in a practical way.

 Sue Ryder Care

Works to support people with disabilities and life threatening diseases. Provides a diverse range of health and social care to meet the needs of people throughout the UK and overseas. There are currently 20 Sue Ryder Care Centres and almost 500 shops throughout the UK.

 TOC H

TOC H tries to reach out to all. It offers friendship and neighbourly help when needed. It invites people to come and risk meeting others. There are long term groups, such as Branches, TAG Groups, Friendship Circles and Family Schemes.

 UCareWeCare

E-Brochures containing photographs, descriptions, contact information and a location map for each UK nursing home.

 United Kingdom Homecare Association (the)

National representative for member organisations providing care.

 UKCare.net

A UK care portal with resources for all matters relating to elder care. Visitors can find care homes nationwide, latest care news, retail products and services, healthcare job vacancies and the latest industry news.

 Vitalise (formerly Winged Fellowship Trust)

A leading provider of short stay residential respite care for people with physical disabilities. Also provides holiday breaks.

 With Respect to Old Age: Long Term Care - Rights and Responsibilities

A Report by The Royal Commission on Long Term Care.

 WRVS

WRVS is Britain's largest active volunteering organisation. Activities include: hospital services, community services, and food services including meals on wheels.

 3H

The 3H Fund aims to organise holidays for severely disabled children and adults considering those on low income. This allows a respite for their carers at the same time.

 Carers Northern Ireland

Carers Northern Ireland provides support and information to anyone caring for the sick, disabled or elderly.

Further sources / more detailed information

Some non-UK sites

The following list popular non-UK health information sites with content aimed at the general public. They are mainly from the US. They have not been checked to see if information about the above topic is included but these large sites are comprehensive.

• Non-UK disease / illness sites
• Non-UK self-help / support group sites

More detailed medical information

The following list online sources of more detailed medical information, mainly from the UK. These sites are mainly aimed at health professionals, but are of interest to all. They have not been checked to see if information about the above topic is included, but information about most medical topics can usually be found.

• PatientPlus - hundreds of medical reference articles provided by Patient UK.
• Evidence Based Medicine - such as from Clinical Evidence, The Cochrane Library, etc.
• Database of UK Clinical Guidelines - from NICE, SIGN, Clinical Knowledge Summaries, etc.
• Medline - abstracts available from thousands of journals.
• Sites listing free online medical textbooks and journals.
• Sites listing free medical images - pictures, atlases, anatomy, skin diseases, etc.