Carer breaks

Choices for Care

If you would like information and advice about what support is available for carers without going through a full carer’s assessment, please visit our Choices for Care page.

Choices for Care, provides you with online support to help you to identify the support you need. This includes relevant services from the Live Well directory.

You can also choose to submit the information you provide to the Council’s Adult Social Care service, who will then contact you to consider your situation further.

Being a carer can be emotionally and physically very tiring. Many carers don't think enough about their own health and well-being and may suffer from exhaustion or stress as a result. Taking a break from caring is essential, even if it's only a few hours. It allows you to see friends, relax and meet new people - all the things that most of us take for granted. Everyone needs time to recharge their batteries.

A break might be just an hour or so to go shopping or visit a friend, or it might be for a longer period such as a weekend away.

Help from your family and friends

Many carers find that a friend or family member may be able to provide care or support for a few hours or more so that they can take a break. If you have no one who is able to do this, you may still be able to take a break in other ways.

Arranging care and support yourself

• you can arrange for a care agency to support the person you care for and keep them company so that you can have some time to yourself
• the person you care for may be able to attend a day centre, activity, group or club during the day and sometimes in the evening
• if you need a longer break, both day and night, you could arrange for a short-term placement in a care home (called Carer respite) depending on the level of the person's needs. This gives you a complete break from caring. 

Cheshire East Carers Hub is a single point of contact for all carers, their families and professionals and can offer carers a range of support.

Carers UK can provide information and advice to help you take a break.

How to spend your break

You may have spent so much time caring for someone that when you finally get a break, you are unsure what to do. You may decide to spend your time resting or seeing friends and family or you may enjoy a number of activities including: 

• going on holiday
• arranging relaxation therapies such as massage or reflexology
• attend a local carer support group
• going to a museum, gallery, the cinema or theatre
• enjoying your hobbies