Epsom homecare provider launches 'You Are Not Alone' resource hub and helpline for family carers

GoodOaks Homecare, which employs more than 400 staff in 22 franchises across Central and Southern England, including in their Epsom and Reigate regional office, supports over 500 individuals in need of care. They have launched the initiative as part of their 'You Are Not Alone' campaign, just two weeks after the Carer's Leave Act, which gives carers the right to a week of unpaid leave to provide or arrange care for a dependent, was introduced across Britain.

The launch also follows polling, comissioned by GoodOaks, which suggested that more than half of unpaid carers feel unable to meet their own health and wellbeing needs, and almost 90 per cent lack a ‘good understanding’ of the Carer’s Leave Act’s provisions.

In the South East , just 10 per cent of unpaid carers polled had a 'good understanding’ of the Act, and nearly two-thirds felt unable to meet their own health and wellbeing needs.

Online Resource Hub and Helpline

Hoping to provide much-needed support, the ‘You Are Not Alone’ campaign’s hub provides a range of services designed specifically for those providing care for their loved ones.

Among its offerings is a centralised helpline for family carers who wish to speak one-to-one with experts, providing a direct opportunity to talk with and receive advice from care professionals with extensive sector experience.

Also included are a range of informative video guides, tailored towards answering the key questions that individuals often have when it comes to providing care for their loved ones. One guide, for example, spells out in detail the funding options available to family carers, as well as comprehensive explanations of each individual support option to which carers may be entitled.

Targeted at health and wellbeing, the campaign also includes a guide on the practical strategies carers and their loved ones can employ to prevent falls and improve balance, as well as guidance on supporting nutrition and hydration at home.

The website offers visitors a selection of explanatory videos from experts, ranging from healthcare specialists to solicitors, including effective methods of financial planning both in advance of care provision as well as during and after.

Polling uncovers a ‘quiet crisis’

Polling commissioned by GoodOaks has uncovered a ‘quiet crisis’ unfolding across the country for many family carers.

It revealed that more than half (55 per cent) of carers felt unable to meet their own health and wellbeing needs, often instead prioritising meeting the needs of those they cared for.

It also found that just 12 per cent of unpaid carers across England felt that they had a “good understanding” of the provisions entailed within the newly introduced Carer’s Leave Act. Though this was the least well-known of support options offered, others such as Carer’s Credit, Attendance Allowance, Personal Independence Payments and NHS continuing healthcare were well-understood by only a minority.

The Caring Unseen report also found that unpaid carers were more than 50 per cent more likely to feel ‘stressed’ than the general public, and twice as likely to feel lonely.

Damien Green MP described the report as “not a cheerful and optimistic read”, which will “make politicians of all parties uneasy”. He said that the findings act as a “reminder to policymakers that the millions of unpaid carers deserve not just recognition but practical help to make their lives more comfortable.”

Ben Ashton, Founder of GoodOaks Homecare, said:

“We hope that our range of options will provide support, respite and empowerment to family carers in all manner of scenarios. We know how much they sacrifice for those they care for, and hope that the You Are Not Alone campaign can go some way to help.”