During this challenging time, when all our lives have changed significantly many unpaid carers will face difficulties providing their normal levels of care and support. Fife HSCP is urging carers to develop an emergency plan in case they become unwell or self-isolate. An emergency plan sets out the details of the care provided and how their caring situation and relationship works. It offers guidance to anyone who reads the plan if the carer needs someone else to step in. It is an effective way of letting others know, what needs to be done to continue supporting a vulnerable cared-for person and can help prevent an emergency from becoming a crisis.
Fife HSCP has a toolkit for creating a carers emergency plan go to – www.bit.ly/careremergencyplan
Our partner organisations aim to provide a service along similar lines to that which they provided before the lockdown observing the requirements for social distancing, self-isolation and shielding of the most vulnerable in society. Below is an update of each carer organisation’s position at this time.
All staff are working from home and all appointments that were booked with carers have been converted to phone appointments. Fife Carer’s centre staff are continuing to:
Telephone: 01592 205472
Email: centre@fifecarers.co.uk
www.fifecarerscentre.org
Fife Young Carers are offering telephone and online support and maintaining a social media presence. They are also offering to deliver essential items from shops to doorsteps whilst staff feel safe and able to do so.
Telephone: 01592 786717
Email: admin@fifeyoungcarers.co.uk
www.fifeyoungcarers.co.uk/
The Respite Fife service has temporarily closed. However, phone lines are open, and services users are asked to call if they have any concerns or just need someone to talk to.
Tel. 01592 269399
www.respite-fife.org.uk - To send an email go to the website and fill in the online form.
CARF is continuing to provide support but not on a face to face basis. The service is continuing via telephone and referrals are being picked up when they come in. For more information visit www.cabfife.org.uk
The carers service is currently offering telephone support and where possible an essential shopping service.
Telephone: 0330 303 0302
Email: enquiries@linkliving.org.uk
www.linkliving.org.uk
The Kindred team is continuing to provide help using phone and email as much as possible. Families will be supported to:
www.kindred-scotland.org
Telephone: 0800 031 5793
Carers UK’s Digital Resource for Carers (DRC) is an invaluable tool for carers that can be used in any place, at any time and on any device. It combines resources developed by Carers UK with links to information and support available in Fife.
It is available to anyone in Fife, FREE of charge to carers and non-carers, including our workforce, by using the access link which is: www.carersdigital.org and the code which is DGTL6234
The Carers UK’s Digital Resource for Carers (DRC) includes:
There is also has a link to Carers UK’s COVID-19 guidance for carers, including support for mental health, and a link to Carers UK’s online forum so that carers can connect and offer each other peer support.
www.carersuk.org
Email: advice@carersuk.org
Telephone: 0808 808 7777 (Available on Mondays and Tuesdays, 10am – 4pm)
The ‘Jointly’ app combines group messaging and to-do lists with other useful features, including medication lists, a calendar and more. It makes communication and coordination between those who share the care as easy as a text message. Also handy for lone carers keeping all information in one place.
Jointly features include:
