Supporting family caregivers
Informal caregivers are very important to their loved ones. But providing informal care can also be hard. Who takes care of you then? You can sometimes get support through the municipality.
What support is there for everyone?
The Wassenaar Social Support Foundation (SMOW) can support you if you are caring for someone for a long time. This support is free and open to everyone. We call this general support.
SMOW, for example, offers this support:
- explanations, such as about rules and money matters
- advice on how to keep it healthy
- emotional support
- support in practical matters
- Helping with contact with organizations (mediation)
Check SMOW to see what support is available for family caregivers.
Support if your loved one has dementia
Does your loved one have memory problems or dementia? SMOW organizes the Odensecafé especially for people like you 3 times a year. You can learn more about dementia and share experiences and ideas with people going through the same thing.
- Check SMOW' s calendar to see when the next Odensecafe is.
- See Coping with Dementia to find out what support your loved one with dementia can get through the municipality.
What additional support can you apply for?
Sometimes general support is no longer enough for you as a family caregiver. You really need time for yourself, otherwise you won't last. Then you can also request extra support from the municipality. This is called special support or respite care.
In respite care, the municipality arranges for you to receive temporary help with Health for your loved one. So that you have time for your work, studies, family, family, friends and relaxation. You can unwind for a while, so that you can better sustain the informal care afterwards.
Examples of respite care:
- help at home
- someone to support your loved one at home (outpatient counseling)
- Daytime to place with activities for the elderly (day care)
- Daytime to a place with activities for people with disabilities (day care)
- staying somewhere for a few days so you can have a short vacation yourself (short-term stay)
- money to pay for support yourself (personal budget or pgb)
Respite care is paid in part by the municipality. Some health insurers also pay for respite care if you have supplementary insurance. See also health insurance under respite care.
How do you arrange for informal care support?
Contact the Wassenaar Social Team if you need support. They will arrange for SMOW to help you further or for you to get respite care.