A NEW STRATEGY in Moray will seek to aid the health and wellbeing of adult unpaid carers through the ‘Carry on Caring’ initiative.
The initiative is to be launched on November 25 and will coincide with Carers’ Rights Day, which each year seeks to bring together organisations around the UK to help carers in their own communities.
Quarriers Carer Support Service will be hosting a series of ‘Carers Cafes’ in Forres at the Mackenzie and Cruickshank Garden Centre, Café Coull in Buckie and at the Harvest Centre in Elgin from 10am until 12noon.
At Buckie and Forres a Citizens Advice advisor will be on hand to speak on welfare rights, although not on individual cases, while in Elgin there will be a representative from Housing Options Scotland to discuss available options for older people in terms of rental, owners, adaptation and other housing issues.
Aimee Borzoni, carers strategy officer for Health and Social Care Moray, said: “Carry on Caring sets out to provide opportunities for unpaid carers to have a life outside of their caring role, as it is vital that carers are supported to feel less isolated and overwhelmed.
“Within the strategy, the aims and principles are clearly laid out to inform carers how they can receive support over the next three years and I would urge anybody with a caring role to read Carry on Caring.”
The strategy was developed with people with experience of caring and people involved in health and social care.It has been approved by Moray councillors and noted by the Moray Integration Joint Board, which has budget and decision-making responsibility for a wide range of health and social care functions for adults.
Ivan Augustus is a local unpaid carer who sits on the Integrated Joint Board to represent the wider unpaid carer community.
He said: “Good communication is key between unpaid carers and services and my aim is to provide a link between the two so that services are clearer regarding the wants and needs of unpaid carers.
“The carer voice is vital and we need to truly be heard in order to receive the support we need.”
Mr Augustus will be at the Carers Café in Forres on Carers’ Rights Day and is keen to hear the views of other unpaid carers.