Helping carers to stay connected online

The service supports unpaid carers who look after those living in the Barnsley community. From both a carers’ hub, and at multiple community venues across the borough, the service provides an extensive range of resources, designed to improve the quality of life of carers by connecting them with support and opportunities.

The service closed its doors on 19 March in line with government advice on social distancing. However, our staff and volunteers have continued working from their homes and have been supporting carers over the phone and online channels.

The outbreak of the Coronavirus and the associated measures of social isolation and social distancing has significantly affected the services. In an attempt to reduce social isolation, the grant, awarded by Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, has enabled the service to continue reaching out to thousands of carers through online virtual groups.

The service now have the opportunity to distribute up to 50 tablet computers with pre-paid sim cards, to some of the most isolated carers in Barnsley who may not otherwise have access to the internet.

Virtual coffee and chat and fitness sessions are already taking place each week to support carers who are at risk from social isolation, and using apps like Zoom, the grant will be used by Barnsley Carers Service to develop and provide a new programme of events and activities to support carers including:

• Mindful Mondays – mindfulness and meditation practices to help calm the mind and reduce anxiety
• One to One support via telephone, skype and WhatsApp
• Carers Coffee Mornings – via Skype group to keep carers connected and supported
• Fitness Friday – with video exercise and keep fit classes
• Show Us Your Pet and Show & Tell events – to keep people connected and to keep people’s spirits up

Service Manager, Tara Ramsden, said: "Carers are now coming under more stresses than ever, COVID-19 has caused disruption to their routine, community support, shopping visits, prescriptions and more.

“Our service is doing everything it can to support them, through one-to-one telephone support and virtual social and activity groups, we found many carers did not have access to the internet or a smartphone.

The service has extended its opening hours in order to support even more carers and is now taking calls from 9am-6pm Monday to Friday and 10am-2pm Saturday and Sunday.