What is a Carer’s Assessment?
If you are caring for someone with dementia, you are entitled to an assessment of your own needs for support. Your health and wellbeing matters too.
A Carer’s Assessment is an opportunity for you to step back from your caring role and to recognise and value what you do. It’s a chance to see how caring is impacting on you. It should ensure that you find out about what help may be available. Steve Dubbins, Director of Services, Dementia Carers Count
Your right to a Carer’s Assessment
All carers have a right to an assessment of their needs for support as a carer. Different terms are used for this assessment, depending on where you live in the UK.
In England and Northern Ireland it’s called a Carer’s Assessment. In Wales, it’s a Carer’s Needs Assessment and in Scotland, it’s an Adult Carer Support Plan.
What’s the point of a Carer’s Assessment?
A Carer’s Assessment enables you to reflect on what care and support you are providing to someone and what you are willing and able to do.
It is an opportunity to set some limits to what you can do and to find out about available support.
When you have a Carer’s Assessment, you are not being judged on how good you are at caring. The assessment is designed to help identify what support you might benefit from and to see how your caring responsibilities are impacting on you as an individual. Rob Sherratt, Advice and Advocacy Specialist, Dementia Carers Count
Your wellbeing as a carer
Wherever you live, your wellbeing as a carer is important and recognised by law. Local authorities have a duty to promote and maintain the wellbeing of carers as well as people with care needs.
When we talk about your wellbeing as a carer, we mean your physical and mental health, how you’re feeling emotionally, your sense of personal dignity and what control you have over your day to day life. Dr Gemima Fitzgerald, Clinical Psychologist, Dementia Carers Count
A Carer’s Assessment will consider the impact of caring on your physical and mental health. It should identify if caring is having a significant impact on your wellbeing in areas such as being able to:
- work
- maintain personal relationships
- care for other family members
- take part in leisure activities, volunteering and training
Frequently Asked Questions about Carer’s Assessments
No. You do not need to be living with the person you are caring for to have a Carer’s Assessment.
Eligible support needs
There are three key criteria for having eligible support needs if you are caring for someone:
- You are giving necessary care
If you were not caring for the person, would they be able to manage without you? - Your caring responsibilities have or are likely to have a detrimental effect on your physical or mental health and/or it is preventing you from achieving some outcomes
For example: being able to work, being able to maintain and form personal relationships, being able to care for others in your family who need you - There is a significant impact on your wellbeing due to your caring role
Planning support
If you have eligible needs, a support planner will work with you to identify:
- what resources are already available to you
- what additional help you can access from community services
- what, if any, local authority funded services you need
Funded services might include a “sitting service”, counselling or a piece of equipment or small payment for an activity.
Local authorities have the power to charge carers for any services they provide for their support, but currently most of them choose not to charge, recognising the large contribution carers are already making.
If you need replacement care, which is more than a short sitting service, then this is a service to the person needing the care. There are charging rules that will then apply.
Call our Carer Support Line for advice
Call our Carer Support Line with any questions you have about Carer’s Assessments.
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