Thousands of unpaid family carers across Devon, who were already experiencing financial hardship after having to give up paid work to perform their caring role, are being pushed deeper into debt and poverty, according to Devon Carers. Devon Carers is a service provided by local charity Westbank Community Health and Care, based at Exminster, near Exeter.
Even before the pandemic, a funding crisis in the social care system meant thousands of unpaid family carers in Devon and across the South West were under real pressure. Funding cuts and the closure of local care services have...
Exeter MP Ben Bradshaw has been striding through Westminster - walking A Mile with a Smile - to help raise awareness of the everyday challenges faced by unpaid carers and the enormous contribution they make to families and communities throughout Devon.
It’s the first time Ben has taken part in the awareness raising event organised by Devon Carers, which was started during Carers Week two years ago. Devon Carers is a service delivered by Devon-based charity Westbank Community Health and Care that supports over 22,000 unpaid carers across the county. Carers Week is an annual national...
An online series of webinars starting next month aim to help parents and carers understand and support their teenagers to navigate the challenges they might face as they grow up in today’s world .
‘Let’s Talk Teenagers’ is a three part webinar for parents and carers of teenagers or pre-teens. The sessions cover different subject areas starting with communities and family life (March 8) and followed by respectful relationships (March 15) and building stronger families (March 22), all at 7pm.
It’s the result of a Devon partnership of professionals and local networks that...
Over two consecutive nights (21st - 22nd October, 6.15 pm - 10.15 pm) a large, hand-drawn animation of a Devon carer and her son will be projected onto the Exeter Phoenix Building as part of a collaborative project to celebrate the millions of unpaid carers who work around the clock looking after their friends and family at home. Research shows their role has been made even harder by the closure of support services during the COVID crisis.
Spotlight on Care is an emotive contemporary art project inspired by a collaboration between Exeter-based illustrator-animator Leo Jamelli and...
Exeter-based illustrator-animator Leo Jamelli is collaborating with University of Exeter academics Dr Siobhan O’Dwyer and Dr Catriona McKenzie on an emotive contemporary art project entitled Spotlight on Care.
He's created a hand-drawn animation of an unpaid carer from Exeter which will be projected onto the Exeter Phoenix after dark in late October. The two-storey high projection will celebrate the millions who work around the clock caring for family and friends at home. Research shows their role has been made even harder by the closure of support services during the COVID crisis...
Devon’s care workers need to be recognised now for their vital contribution during the COVID-19 pandemic by being better valued and rewarded, according to Devon County Council’s (DCC) Cabinet Member for Adult Health and Social Care, Councillor Andrew Leadbetter.
More care workers are needed to provide care to older people and those with disabilities or mental health needs.
There are currently approximately 1,500 permanent care vacancies in Devon, and many other additional temporary vacancies due to COVID-19.
And Cllr Leadbetter says that unless the government...
A SOUTH Devon home care provider is stepping up its support for a charity campaign for people each lunchtime to open their windows and shout ‘hello’ to their neighbours (December 2020).
Guardian Homecare, which operates in Exeter and surrounding areas, says it’s continuing to back the initiative throughout winter when elderly and vulnerable people could be feeling at their lowest.
Manager, Catherine Porter, explains: “We provide an invaluable lifeline to the people we visit each day to help them with their medical, emotional and physical care. Before the Coronavirus, our...
DEVONIANS are being encouraged by a care provider in the county to spread some festive cheer this Christmas among any elderly and vulnerable neighbours or relatives they might have (December 2020).
Christmas can be a bleak time for anyone living alone and Guardian Homecare, which provides care in south Devon, is asking people to check on relatives and neighbours.
Catherine Porter, Manager for the care provider, said: “Christmas is all about spending time with friends and family, but there are some people out there, our service users included, that do not have many, if any,...
A LEADING home care provider is creating 100 new roles this month (November 2020) to help meet growing demand for its services in south Devon as winter begins and the pandemic continues.
Guardian Homecare, which cares for people in the Exeter and surrounding areas, says it needs to boost its staff numbers as the colder weather creates a greater need for services.
Manager for the care provider, Catherine Porter says: “We’re fast approaching winter, which is our busiest time of the year because, as the temperatures drop and the night’s close in, elderly and vulnerable people...
A CARE company in south Devon is urging anyone being made redundant from a customer-facing role in the county to get in touch as their skills are needed in the sector (October 2020).
Guardian Homecare, which cares for people in the Exeter and surrounding areas, wants to reassure job seekers thinking of a care role that the skills they already have are transferable.
Manager for the care provider, Catherine Porter says: “At the moment there are many companies in the retail and other customer-facing sectors such as Marks & Spencer, John Lewis, Boots, Topshop and the Co-op...
