This Shared Lives Week, Derbyshire County Council is encouraging more people to open up their homes to give adults who need extra support the chance to lead an ordinary life.
Shared Lives offers over 18s who need support with day-to-day living the chance to move in with a carer and share their family home for a long term arrangement, short break or day support.
The authority is encouraging more people to consider sharing their lives with an older person who can’t live alone, an adult with learning or physical disabilities or mental ill health or a younger, vulnerable person leaving children’s support services.
Shared Lives Week aims to celebrate the work that Shared Lives carers do to support people with disabilities.
Shared Lives aims to:
• provide support and accommodation to enable people to move from their family carers to live with a Shared Lives carer
• offer an alternative to day care, residential or nursing care
• help people to maintain and develop their independence and life skills
• provide support to a family and offer reassurance that the person they care for is looked after
• provide family carers with a regular break from caring
Across Derbyshire, there are currently around 91 Shared Lives arrangements offering a safe, supportive home to an adult who needs extra support and the county council is always keen to hear from people who are interested in becoming a Shared Lives carer.
Councillor Natalie Hoy, Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Care, said: “Our Shared Lives carers do an amazing job and of course we are always looking for more.
“During Shared Lives Week it gives us an opportunity to highlight just how they can help to transform someone’s life.
“Our carers give adults with learning disabilities a life – not a service – which allows them to thrive and do all the things we take for granted in a safe environment with support when they need it.
“I’d urge more people to consider becoming a Shared Lives carer and we want to encourage people from across Derbyshire to apply.”
Derbyshire Shared Lives carer Gail Smith said: “We have been Shared Lives carers for many years. We began when our children were younger and we did short breaks and respite care.
"As our children got older we found we had more spare time and decided to become full time carers. This was the best thing we did!
“We have supported our current placement for the last three years. He fits perfectly into our family, not just with us, but our wider family also.
"He has brought us so much fun and supporting him, although not easy at times, is an absolute pleasure. The rewards far outweigh the challenges. It is particularly special to be such a huge part of someone’s life journey, and to watch the development and confidence grow with the love and nurture we provide.
“We are well supported by the Shared Lives Team and this helps everything run smoothly.”
To become a Shared Lives carer, people must be over 18 although there is no upper age restriction. The county council welcomes applications from people from all backgrounds who can be working, unemployed or retired and people can become a carer regardless of their gender, race, religion, sexual orientation or disability.
They don’t need to own their home but they need to be patient with a stable home life, flexible and willing to learn.
Full training is provided and support is on hand. Carers are paid depending on the type of support they offer.
Shared Lives is registered with the Care Quality Commission and carers are assessed and approved.
To find out more, visit www.derbyshire.gov.uk/sharedlives
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