New carers resource ‘a great support’

MINISTER Paul Kehoe says that a new online resource for carers will be of great support to people caring for relatives and loved ones in County Wexford.

The announcement of the new HSE resource came during the tenth annual National Carer’s Week which ended on Sunday.

‘ The new national website dedicated to carers can be found at www.hse.ie/carers, and it will be a great support to people in Wexford, who are caring for relatives and loved ones with a disability or illness.

‘ This new website will be a really useful one stop shop for carers, providing them with useful information. It is also a signposting service, pointing carers in the direction of relevant HSE services,’ he said.

These include community services, such as home support and respite; and financial benefits such as the Medical Card, Carers Allowance and the Carers Support Grant (formerly Respite Grant). The website also provides links to the statutory and voluntary organisations working to support carers such as the Family Carers of Ireland, the Department of Social Protection and Citizens Information. ‘ The site also offers practical tips for carers on looking after their own health and wellbeing, which as we know is hugely important and is something that is often overlooked by carers who are so used to giving their time and resources to others. ‘I hope that people working as carers in Wexford will really see the benefit of this new one stop shop.. It is so important that carers feel valued and supported and this initiative is an important element of that,’ said the minister.