Carers' Health and Wellbeing Project

Seeking Carers for Free Health Checks

A new Putting You First project is trying to contact Carers in order to offer them free health checks so they can stay healthy and well for longer.  The Carers’ Health and Wellbeing Project covers the whole of Dumfries and Galloway.

Keep Well Nurse Joanne Hird (pictured above with colleague Keep Well Health Coach Janice Bannister) will carry out the health checks.  She said: “Carers are an invaluable resource and we recognise that their contribution means many people can live independently for longer.   We know many people carrying out a caring role don’t see themselves as Carers and these are the people we are looking for.

“Carers may overlook their own health and wellbeing because their focus is on the person they are caring for.  Our free health checks are designed to help keep Carers as well as possible to enable them to carry on in their caring role. 

“The health check is free and completely confidential.  We look at physical health and wellbeing needs including general health and lifestyle.  We can offer appointments at an arranged clinic or even in people’s own homes, whichever is most convenient. “

Keep Well Health Coach Janice Bannister added: “We want to ensure that Carers in the region know what support and services are available to help them continue to fulfil their very important roles.

“We take a person centred approach and offer professional advice suited to each person.  I’ll be able to provide information on coping strategies to help reduce anxiety or stress as well as offering advice to help people to improve their physical health through healthy eating, exercise and a range of other options.”

If you are, or know of, a Carer living in Dumfries and Galloway and you, or someone else would benefit from a free health check please contact Joanne or Janice by email at dumf-uhb.Keep-Well-Project@nhs.net or by phone on 01387 272 718.