Carer's guide to winter support
Winter can pose additional challenges for us as carers. Whether it's becoming more challenging to leave the house with the person we're caring for, or the financial strain of extra heating and seasonal gifting.
Managing our mental and physical health is particularly important through these darker months when we can find ourselves feeling a bit flatter.
So with the help of the Mobilise Community, this guide explores five practical ways we can prepare for, and embrace winter.
A five-part guide to supporting unpaid carers' wellbeing through winter
1. Financial support for carers through winter
The End Fuel Poverty Coalition estimated that 4,950 UK deaths over winter 2023 were caused by cold homes. It’s essential that, if needed, we know how to find financial support to both keep us, and the person we care for, warm through winter.
There are a number of UK heating benefits we may be entitled to as carers which can make all the difference, along with other winter specific discounts and schemes.
Read: Financial support in winter for carers
In addition to winter, there is also other financial support to help with our utility bills all throughout the year.
2. Winter wellbeing for carers
Supporting our wellbeing is important at any time of year, but winter does bring additional challenges for many of us. Putting ourselves first is never selfish. It can help us to avoid carer burnout, and is vital to be able to keep on caring for someone.
“You can’t pour from an empty cup.”
Find simple ways to support our wellbeing, including a daily healthy habits tracker to get us started.
3. Carers' guide to winter health and saftey
A simple guide to staying healthy, and reducing risks. From taking vitamins and getting flu jabs, through to gritting pathways - and everything in between - there are lots of things we can be doing to support ourselves as carers.
4. A carer's home during winter
As much as we may love our homes, for many of us, keeping on top of the household chores can be hard to juggle alongside our long to do lists. And we know that maintaining our homes during the cold, wet season can make things even trickier.
So from keeping clothes dry without getting mould, to cleaning the carpets after muddy wheelchair wheels track over them, read various tips that were helpful for other carers in the community.
5. Carers' guide to getting stuff done without leaving the house
It can be trickier to get out and get jobs done in the winter, especially if we need to take our ‘cared for’ with us. The weather and the shorter days can add extra challenges to what may already be a difficult logistical situation.
And, while we would always encourage getting outside when we can, here is a guide to making life a little easier from home.
Read: Carer's guide to getting stuff done without leaving the house.
And if we do find ourselves staying inside more we might be looking for ways to embrace the colder months without going stir crazy.
Read: Free and low-cost ways for carers to feel cosy this season
