Local Support for Carers
Useful Information from BCP
BCP & Dorset Care Directory - Care Choices
Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole & Do… | Care Choices
- Details of local care providers
- Guidance on what support services are available
- Information on how to access social care in your area.
To get your free copy of the Dorset, Bournemouth and Poole care guide, please call:
- Care Choices Ltd on 01223 207770
BCP Carers Support (Previously CRISP)
This is a service for carers who care for someone within the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) area.
When registering with BCP Carers Support you’ll receive a welcome pack including information about a range of local events for carers, a carers discount card which can be used to get money off local services and suppliers as well as details on how to access carers respite breaks, free emergency back-up scheme for carers and free training to help you care.
Website: Home page | BCP Carers Service (bcpcarersupport.org)
If you are a carer over 18yrs old:
Tel: 01202 458204
Email: [email protected]
If you are a carer under 18yrs old:
First Response Hub Tel: 01202 735046
Email: [email protected]
Carer Support Dorset
This is a service for carers who care for someone in the Dorset Council area.
CSD help carers to access services, information, education and training, respite, and breaks from their caring role. They ensure carers have a voice that is heard and work with health and social care professionals and employers to raise carer awareness and develop best practice.
Website: www.carersupportdorset.co.uk
Carer Support Dorset Tel: 0800 3688349
Email: [email protected]
To sign up to the Carer Support Dorset newsletters please visit – Keep In touch | Carer Support Dorset
SWAN Carers Advocacy
The Leonardo Trust
The Leonardo Trust is an independent charity that helps carers in Dorset. They can provide funding for things such as respite breaks, educational courses, PPE, home repairs and improvements.
Website: www.leonardotrust.org
Tel: 01202 698325
Email: [email protected]
Dorset Carers Hub
Dedicated to making sure no carer feels alone. The Dorset Carers Hub is an organisation run by volunteers and is based in Dorchester but supports carers all over Dorset.
Website: www.dorsetcarershub.com/
Tel: 07989306322
PramaLife
The PramaLife ‘FOCUS befriending and mentoring scheme’ is available to carers. They can join you up with someone to regularly talk to or with a mentor who is an experienced carer themselves.
Website: www.pramalife.org
Tel: 01202 207329
PramaLife has developed 55 Clubs, groups and activities across Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch and East Dorset, including:
- Memory Lane: groups for people with dementia or memory loss (no need for a diagnosis of dementia) – everyone is welcome to attend and we always have quizzes, games, reminiscence and refreshments in a warm and friendly environment.
- Sporting Memories: groups for people who are interested in sport – all sessions include a quiz, a sporting news sheet, refreshments and an activity such as Indoor Curling or Bowling.
- Museum Memories: making use of the experience and collections of the Poole Museum.
- Coffee Mornings, Pop-in Groups, Soup Lunches, Cream Teas – all for people to come together and socialise over a cup of tea with friendly faces and chat!
- Knit and Natter groups – for people to produce woollen items and share tea and experiences whilst they do!
- Art and Craft groups – to get creative in a social environment!
- Care for Craft group – an opportunity for carers to bring the person they care for to a session with a craft activity at the centre of it. This also provides the opportunity for the carer to either join in the craft activity with their cared-for person, or step out into another area to talk with other carers in a similar position, get information from professionals or access information etc.
- Carers Support Groups – for informal carers to attend and gain the support of their peers over a cup of tea. These groups also have guest professionals and access to information.
- Ferndown Connectors – supports people to ‘get back out into the community’ by providing a volunteer who will come with them if they have lost confidence by being bereaved, made redundant, having a long-term health condition, or any other reason.
- Gardening groups – for those who are green fingered or just enjoy the outdoors.
- Telephone Friendship groups – Supported by a volunteer host, joining people together in groups over the phone. Can be topic-based or can just be for a friendly conversation over a coffee in your own home.
- Telephone Coffee Mornings For Carers – Hosted by a volunteer joining informal carers together over the phone.
- 121 Telephone Befriending – Volunteers supporting people who may be lonely, isolated or housebound by keeping in touch with a regular phone call.
- FOCUS Carers Mentoring and Befriending Scheme – Volunteers supporting informal carers as a telephone befriender providing a friendly voice on a regular basis, or, as a mentor who is able to empathise and provide the experience of being a carer themselves.
- Wimborne Area NeighbourCar – Drivers using their own cars to get people to activities.
- East Dorset Good Neighbours – Undertaking one-off tasks such as shopping, collecting a prescription, walking a dog etc.
Contact [email protected] Pathways Manager, for more information.
Prama are also offering a Friday Friends social group. More information can be found on the below poster:
Rethink Dorset Carers Support
Dorset Carers Support offers advice, information and peer support for people who look after someone living with mental illness throughout the Dorset Council area. We provide one to one and group support on a wide range of topics including, specialist emotional support, targeted 1:1 support to identify and achieve personal goals, navigating the mental health system, information on conditions, medications, as well as carers rights. Our service also offers group activities and outings so that our attendees can meet other carers in their local area. In addition to this we manage a carer respite fund providing respite for carers in order to improve wellbeing. We also provide specialist training to support unpaid carers of someone with a mental illness.
Our service is open to people based in Dorset except for residents who live in Bournemouth and Poole who can contact CRISP (www.crispweb.org)
Caring for Someone with Dementia
Dementia Carer Workshops
Are you caring for someone with dementia? If yes, you might be interested in attending the free workshops being held by the dementia information and wellbeing group.
To find out more, please check the poster below and contact Helen Richardson on 0300 303 5342 to book your place.
Dementia Cafe
Enjoy, support, make friends and most of all, don’t be on your own.
Telephone Groups for Carers