Carer’s are adult and young individuals who help to support those in need (friend, relatives, those who have mental issues or need that extra bit of care).
The following are the most commonly used organisations that support carer’s throughout the the country;
- Carer’s First – You can contact us by calling our Carer’s Hub on 030 0303 1555 where someone will be available to take your calll. Our Carers Hub team are available Monday-Thursday 9am – 5pm, Fridays 9am – 4:30pm. For more information visit; www.carersfirst.org.uk/waltham-forest.
- Carer’s UK – You can contact us by calling our carer’s Hub on 020 7378 4999 where someone will be able to take you call. For more information visit; www.carersuk.org/home.
Coronavirus – Further Support
The NHS has written to everyone considered to be at risk of severe illness if you catch the coronavirus. You may have received the letter yourself, either as someone in this ‘high risk’ group or as the named carer of someone else who is.
If a person you care for has received this letter, the instructions are very clear. They must stay at home at all times and avoid all face-to-face contact for at least 12 weeks, except from you as their carer and healthcare workers continuing to provide essential medical care.
However, if you start to display any of the symptoms of coronavirus you must suspend your face-to-face visits. If this means that the person you care for will be even more vulnerable, for example because they will no longer receive the essential supplies that you bring them, the government has set up a dedicated helpline for vulnerable people seeking additional care.
If you have received an NHS letter or are caring for someone who has, you can register for further support here www.gov.uk/cornonavirus-extremely-vulnerable or call 0800 028 8327, the government’s new dedicated helpline.
People at high risk from Coronavirus
People at high risk from Coronavirus include people who;
- Have had an organ transplant
- Are having chemotherapy or antibody treatment for cancer, including immunotherapy
- Are having an intense course of radiotherapy (radical radiotherapy) for lung cancer
- Are having targeted cancer treatments that can affect the immune system (such as protein kinase inhibitors or PARP inhibitors)
- Have blood or bone marrow cancer (such as leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma)
- Have had a bone marrow or stem cell transplant in the past 6 months, or are still taking immunosuppressant medicine
- Have been told by a doctor they you have a severe lung condition (such as cystic fibrosis, severe asthma or severe COPD)
- Have a condition that means they have a very high risk of getting infections (such as SCID or sickle cell)
- Are taking medicine that makes them much more likely to get infections (such as high doses of steroids)
- Were born with a serious heart condition and are pregnant
- Are pregnant
If you’re at high risk from coronavirus, you should have received a letter from the NHS.
Speak to your GP or hospital care team if you have not been contacted and think you should have been.
People at moderate risk (Clinically Vulnerable)
People at moderate risk from Coronavirus include people who;
- Are 70 or older
- Are pregnant
- Have a lung condition that’s not severe (such as asthma, COPD, emphysema or bronchitis)
- Have heart disease (such as heart failure)
- Have diabetes
- Have chronic kidney disease
- Have liver disease (such as hepatitis)
- Have a condition affecting the brain or nerves (such as Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis or cerebral palsy)
- Have a condition that means they have a high risk of getting infections
- Are taking medicine that can affect the immune system (such as low doses of steroids)
- Are very obese (a BMI of 40 or above)
It is currently recommended that you follow the following advice; General Health
- Wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds
- Always wash your hands when you get home from work
- Use hand sanitiser, if soap and water are not available
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing
- Put tissues in the bin straight away and wash your hands afterwards
- Prepare a hospital bag, including a list of the medicines you’re taking, in case you need to go into hospital
- Stay at home at all times – do not leave your home to buy food, collect medicine or exercise
- Get food and medicine delivered and left outside your door – ask friends and family to help or register to get coronavirus support on GOV.UK if you need it
- Spend as little time as possible in shared rooms, for example, the kitchen and sitting areas
- Stay at least 1 metre (3 ft), 1m plus rule in close contact areas, away from other people in your home as much as possible
- Use separate towels, including hand towels and tea towels
- Make sure anyone who comes into your home washes their hands with soap and water for 20 seconds
- Clean objects and surfaces you touch often (such as door handles, kettles and phones) using your regular cleaning products
- Clean cutlery, dishes and pans thoroughly
- Clean a shared bathroom each time you use it, for example by wiping the surfaces you have touched
Do not do any of the following;
- Do not touch your eyes, nose and mouth if your hands are not clean
- Do not go to work
- Avoid public transport
- Do not have visitors in your home, including friends and family, unless they’re providing essential care
- Do not stop taking any prescription medicines without speaking to your doctor
What shall I tell people who are visiting as care workers?
Let friends and family know that they should only visit if providing essential care such as washing, administering medication, dressing and preparing meals. The government has provided specific guidance about this on this page – see ‘What is the advice for visitors including those who are providing care for you?’
If you have a care worker employed by an agency, check what their policy is. Also check how the person being cared for feels about any decisions you need to make. Their welfare is of course paramount and they should be part of any decision made.
If in the instance a regular paid care worker was unable to come in because of contracting the virus, check whether anyone else would be able to step in temporarily if needed to provide essential support such as administering medication, obviously taking the utmost precautions.
I care for someone who is considered to be in the “high risk” group for Coronavirus, should I self-isolate?
At the moment, government guidance only requires people to self isolate if they are displaying symptoms of coronavirus or someone in their household is displaying symptoms. If you are self-isolating, you need to stay indoors at all times. See this NHS website page for more details. If the person you are living with and caring for has received a letter from the NHS, they must stay at home at all times and avoid all face-to-face contact for at least 12 weeks, except from those providing essential medical care which may include you as their carer (unless you develop symptoms).
Further Information
For further information, please speak to one of our receptionists.