An adult carer is someone aged 18 years or over who helps to support someone. This can be a family member, friend or neighbour, and they do not have to live in the same home. The person receiving care might be older, younger, or the same age as the carer.
Adult carers do not have to be the main provider of care - someone else may be responsible for providing most of the support. There is no minimum amount of care required; what matters is that you are offering support, whether it is a little or a lot.
Carers may also have health issues of their own, can also be cared for. Many people are unaware they are carers and can become carers overnight, possibly due to a medical diagnosis or accident.
Each carer and the person they provide support for is an individual so the support that is provided will be unique to them. However, there are certain roles and tasks that many carers can and do provide, and these can typically include the following:
Personal care, such as helping someone to get washed or dressed
Supporting someone to eat/drink
Helping someone to have social opportunities
Doing household tasks such as cooking, cleaning, washing and shopping
Collecting prescriptions and dispensing medications
Supporting with budgeting and money matters
Supporting someone with letters, phone calls and emails
Accompanying them to appointments
Providing general company and companionship
Helping someone communicate by translating due to a language barrier, helping someone read or write due to a literacy barrier, or signing for someone.
These are just some examples, there are many ways adult carers can provide support.
Why might someone need the support of their carer?
There are lots of different circumstances that can lead to a person being supported by a carer, and these may include any one or more of the following:
dementia;
frailty as a result of ageing;
physical disability;
learning disability;
sensory impairment;
acute episode of illness/disease;
long term health condition;
mental ill-health;
alcohol or drug misuse;
terminal health conditions such as cancer.
Providing care and support for individuals with a range of complex health conditions can be challenging. Due to a variety of unforeseen circumstances the level of input an individual requires, and the subsequent demands on the carer, can change frequently. We recognise a change in circumstances can have a significant impact on the carer in respect of their own health and wellbeing.
Support available
We believe there are between 11,000 and 17,000 adult carers in South Ayrshire, but not all of them are claiming the support they're entitled to. So, if you recognise yourself as possibly being an adult carer, find out how below how you can access a range of supports and help with your wellbeing.
In addition to Carers Gateway South Ayrshire, many other organisations provide information and advice for carers who are supporting people with a range of specific conditions. Information on these organisations can be found on here.
