Carers Information

Are you caring for a family member or friend? Do you live in the Fife area?

Fife Carers Centre is an organisation in Fife that can help you with a variety of things. To find out more, click on the link below.

Fife Carers Centre or visit their website by clicking here.

Fife Carers Centre also have weekly drop-in sessions for family members and unpaid carers, every Tuesday at the Ciswo.

Circles Network provide an advocacy service to assist carers in understanding the importance of having a power of attorney.

This is to help ensure that carers have the legal powers they need to make decisions should the person they care for lose capacity, and to support the carer and cared for person to arrange a suitable power of attorney.

For more information regarding this service please visit the Circles Network website or contact them on 01592 645360.

Are you a carer?

If you are then please let us know – we may be able to help you.

There is a wealth of information on NHS Choices about carers and caring. Below are some links into the site that we hope you will find useful.

• Caring for a parent – Watch this video on: caring for a parent at home
• Telling people – Caring responsibilities can make it difficult to maintain friendships or develop new ones. Telling your friends you’re a carer is important so they understand and can support you.
• Taking a break – Caring for someone can be a full-time job, but it’s essential that you take time out for yourself too. Read our guide to accessing breaks and respite.
• Housing and carers – Do you know your tenancy rights as a carer? Are you aware of all your care at home options? Do you need tips on moving someone around the home?

Finance and Law

Help claiming benefits, looking after your bank balance and understanding the legal issues of caring.

• Benefits for carers – Directing carers to the benefits that can help them in their caring role
• Benefits for the person you care for – Advice and information on helping the person you look after get the benefits that they are entitled to
• Death and benefits – How your benefits maybe affected after the death of the person you look after and what happens to their benefits
• Managing someone’s legal affairs – Advice for when carers find they have to take over the legal affairs of the person they are looking after
• Other benefits – Advice for carers and the people they are looking after on claiming a whole host of other benefits unrelated to their disability or caring
• Personal and household finance – Advice on keeping a tight rein on household and personal finance for carers
• Social fund
• Tax credits – Information on claiming tax credits and whether you might be eligible

The Dementia Friendly Glenrothes initiative is a partnership between Alzheimer Scotland, Fife Health and Social Care Partnership, Fife Sports & Leisure Trust, Active Fife, Fife Forum, Fife Cultural Trust and other local organisations with support from Fife Council Local Area Committee.

Organisations from across the town including, shops, sports centres, libraries and other local businesses and services have all shown their support to the local initiative to date.  

Rothes Medical Practice are proud to announce that we are now part of the “dementia friendly community” this was given to us for changes we implemented throughout our busy reception area, notice boards and and waiting area.  We were given a very interesting talk giving an insight into living with dementia and the challenges that the patients face on a daily basis, we all agree that we have learned from this and feel that this knowledge will be beneficial to us in our workplace.  We were inspired to change some of our posters and signage throughout the practice: they are now brighter clearer and easier to understand. If you have any further suggestions or ideas that may be useful please don’t hesitate to contact reception.

We are also delighted to announce that we were able to donate a total of £155 to the cause by donating the money we raise from selling second hand books.  Thank you so much to everyone who donates books and buys them, you can be assured that this money always goes to a really good cause.

TIDE is a unique UK-wide charity that aims to support carers and former carers of people living with dementia.

TIDE organise focus groups that allow you to to talk through your feelings with others in the same position as you. Focus groups include dementia diagnosis-specific, and groups for carers at home, carers who care for someone in a care home, a group for dealing with feelings of living grief, and a group for male carers.

For more information about TIDE and how they can help you visit https://www.tide.uk.net/.