Do you help someone in their day-to-day life? Perhaps with their shopping, getting out and about, keeping on top of their bills or medication? Or perhaps you keep them company if they can’t get out much, or help them with personal care or housework?
It could be a member of your family that you help, or a friend or neighbour. You may help them occasionally, or it may be that most of your time is spent looking after them because they are unable to take care of themselves. You may receive some kind of payment for helping them, or like many in our community, you do what you do simply because you care. Or perhaps you are a former carer, with experience of caring for someone at any point over the last five years?
Healthwatch Essex has launched an exciting new opportunity called ‘Carers Voices’ and would really like to hear from you about your experiences. They want to know what you feel works well, or not so well, for you and the person you are helping/have helped.
As part of this work, there is a focus group for unpaid carers, where you can share your lived experience and hear from others who may be in a similar situation. The topic for this event is ‘Emergency planning’.
There is free parking on site, and light refreshments will be available.
Find out more about Carers Voices