Family Caregiving
Supporting an Older Person With Poor Appetite
Caring ways to help an older relative eat and drink more, with a food and fluid chart, small meals and a weight check log.
£12.99Buy
Courses for family carers, and for looking after yourself too
Help for unpaid carers: plan care with the rest of the family, support someone who is eating less, and keep your own health and energy in view.
- 3 courses
- Tools in every course
- Certificate included
If you look after a family member, partner or friend who could not manage without your help, you are a carer, even if you have never used the word. Carers have rights. In England, the Care Act 2014 gives any carer who appears to need support the right to a carer's assessment from the local council. Similar rights exist under the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 and the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014, and through Health and Social Care Trusts in Northern Ireland.
Financial help may be available as well. Carer's Allowance is paid in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to people who care for at least 35 hours a week and meet the other conditions, and Carer Support Payment has replaced it in Scotland. The person you look after may be able to claim benefits of their own, such as Attendance Allowance. Rules and rates change, so check the official pages.
Our caregiving courses focus on the practical side: writing a family care plan with a rota and key contacts, helping an older person who has lost their appetite, and noticing when caring is wearing you down. They sit alongside advice from the GP, social services and carers' organisations rather than replacing it.
All family caregiving courses
Family Caregiving
Managing Carer Stress
For unpaid carers running on empty: track the pressure, plan real breaks, map your support and build a self-care plan that fits.
£14.99Buy
Family Caregiving
Building a Family Care Plan
One clear plan for caring as a family: who does what and when, key contacts, an emergency sheet and a rota everyone can see.
£14.99Buy
Choosing a carer course
- Building a Family Care Plan: one shared plan with roles, a rota, key contacts and an emergency information sheet.
- Supporting an Older Person With Poor Appetite: small meals, a food and fluid chart and when to involve the GP.
- Managing Carer Stress: a stress tracker, breaks planner and support map for you.
Just starting to support a parent? Supporting an Ageing Parent, in the healthy ageing topic, covers the first conversations and care options.
What the caregiving tools do
- Family care plan and roles and rota planner: who does what and when, in one document everyone can see.
- Key contacts and emergency information sheets: GP, pharmacy, medicines list and next of kin, ready for a hospital visit or a stand-in carer.
- Food and fluid chart and weight check log: a few days of records give the GP a clear picture.
- Respite and breaks planner: plan time off before you reach breaking point.
- Carer stress tracker and support map: notice the warning signs and list who you can call on.
When to get help
Contact the GP of the person you care for if they:
- are losing weight, eating or drinking much less, or seem dehydrated (dark pee, dizziness, confusion)
- cough or choke when eating or drinking
- become more confused, drowsy or unwell than usual
For sudden confusion, a fall with a head injury or difficulty breathing, call 999. For your own sake, if you feel exhausted, low or unable to carry on, talk to your own GP, ask the council for a carer's assessment, and call NHS 111 or Samaritans if you need to talk to someone now.
Caregiving courses: your questions
Am I a carer if I do not live with the person?
Yes. Caring from a distance, by phone, regular visits or managing appointments and money, still counts, and you can still ask for a carer's assessment.
What is a carer's assessment?
A free conversation with the local council (or a Health and Social Care Trust in Northern Ireland) about how caring affects you and what support could help, such as breaks or practical help. You can ask for one even if the person you care for has not had an assessment.
Can I get paid for caring?
You may be able to claim Carer's Allowance in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or Carer Support Payment in Scotland, if you meet the conditions. GOV.UK and mygov.scot have the current rules and eligibility checks.
Do the courses cover dementia care?
They give general caregiving skills that apply to many situations, including dementia, but they are not specialist dementia training. The NHS dementia guide and your local memory service can help with more specific needs.
Can the whole family use the care plan?
Yes. The plan, rota and contact sheets download as PDFs, so you can share them by email or print a copy for the fridge.
What if the person I care for can no longer make decisions?
The law sets out how decisions are made for someone who lacks capacity, and a lasting power of attorney lets someone choose in advance who can decide for them. GOV.UK explains how to make one; the rules in Scotland and Northern Ireland differ.
Official sources
Share the load with a plan
Start the family care plan this week and send the rota to everyone who helps.