This week I had a chat with Rowena and Mary at the Age UK Salford Dementia Café, both have had a recent carers assessment and asked to use their Carers Personal Budget to pay for Empowered Carers sessions.
How did you find out about Empowered Carers?
Rowena: ‘After my husband’s diagnosis in 2022 a social worker suggested Empowered Carers, I never say no to anything that is free (with lottery support the team were able to offer these sessions for free). I don’t have any family or support and I didn’t have anyone to offload to. You don’t want to let friends know what’s going on’
Mary: ‘Maria had talked about Empowered Carers on a home visit and then I picked up a leaflet from the Memory Café run by Age UK Salford. Rowena had talked to me about her sessions as well. At the time I was having a really bad time and thought that it would be good for me. My husband was getting worse, the GP referred him back to Woodlands who then referred him to the Adult Mental Health Team. I didn’t know where to turn.’
How do Empowered Carers sessions help you?
Mary: I have my sessions on a Wednesday when my husband goes to Buddy Club. I offload to Amanda. I do have a son and a daughter who are very supportive, but they have very demanding jobs and their own families. I feel like I can tell Amanda how it really is, I’m delighted to have her.
Rowena: I tell him I’m off for a natter with Amanda. She’s a great listener, like Mary I can offload to her, discuss what’s going on.
How did you feel about using your Carers Personal Budget to pay for your Empowered Carers sessions?
Rowena: I wouldn’t have paid for it at the beginning!
Rowena helped to shape the ‘try before you buy’ offer developed for Empowered Carers. Any carers joining the service are offered 3 free sessions, if the sessions are helpful they can self-fund or use the carers personal budgets to pay for future sessions.
Mary: What would I have spent this on? I’m so pleased that I got involved with it.
How would you describe the service to other carers considering Empowered Carers?
Mary: life changing!
Rowena: It felt a bit dis-jointed at first but now it’s become a valuable service for me and I’m glad I’ve got Amanda.
Mary: Amanda offers constructive and helpful advice; I can offload to her. I’m so grateful for Empowered Carers. I would have paid for this service if I had to, and I would definitely recommend Empowered Carers for anybody who needs extra support when they are caring for a loved one with dementia.
To find out more about Empowered Carers – Click here