Taking care of your health

Being busy looking after someone else means that it can be hard to find the time or energy to look after your own physical and emotional wellbeing.

Research has found that caring for someone else can have a significant impact on a person’s health and wellbeing, and if you are a carer, you are more likely to be in poor health than people without caring responsibilities.

Staying well is not only important for you as a carer but it also helps the person you look after too.

We can support you to look after your own health through groups, activities and one to one support.

There are also good sources of online help such as Carers UK‘s “Looking after your health” web resources covering topics like: getting enough sleep, coping with guilt, coping with stress, looking after your back and more.

Tell your GP you are a carer

A good starting point is to make sure you let your GP know that you are a carer. They will record this on your Primary Care Record and may be able to offer you further support, and you’ll be offered priority vaccines. 

Whilst a number of GP surgeries have a simple form on their website to help you register as a carer, some GP surgeries don’t. If that is the case, Carers UK have a template letter which might help you in informing your GP that you have caring responsibilities.