Crossroads Story

Crossroads Care Wessex is Bath and North East Somerset’s leading provider of support for carers and the people they care for.

We frequently hear about people having to leave their homes to move into residential and nursing care, and we hear about government intentions to keep people ‘in the community’.  Very often, the thing that makes this possible is the hidden army of unpaid carers who give up their time to look after family and loved ones. In Bath and North East Somerset alone there are an estimated 16,500 people caring for someone who would not be able to manage without them.

Often working without support, it is not unusual for carers to neglect their own health, becoming exhausted and in need of help themselves. It is a sad reflection on our society that many people feel they have failed in some way if they say they cannot cope. But the fact is, people are much more able to manage their responsibilities with the right kind of support in place.

Registered with, and monitored by, the Care Quality Commission, Crossroads Care Wessex is part of a national charity network and has worked in and around Bath for over 15 years, assisting people in many different ways with personal and therapeutic care, domestic assistance and social support.  Employing a team of committed and trained Carer Support Workers, they are able to step into the shoes of a carer  providing a real carer replacement service, allowing the carer to have a break which will make a big difference.  This is usually provided for a set number of hours per week but support and cover can also be arranged to help carers attend  special occasions such as family weddings etc.

Many people who need care are older and need support for age related conditions, including dementia.  But older people are not the only ones who have care needs and Crossroads Care Wessex works with people of all ages, including children. The staff can draw on so much experience that, although each person’s circumstances are unique, they can sensitively apply their skills in the most appropriate way according to the individual situation.

The service begins with the Carer Support Manager meeting each family and/or individual to produce a care plan to cover the needs, likes and dislikes of the person receiving care.  She will consider the best member of the team to work with the client, taking into account the care skills required and individual personalities. This working relationship is closely monitored as the service progresses.

Many people benefit from the care that Crossroads Care Wessex provides and if you go to the 'My Story' section on the website a number of them tell their story in their own words and explain how our organisation has helped them to cope.

Key Facts About Carers and Crossroads Care

• Nationally, Crossroads Care consists of approximately 84 member schemes throughout England and Wales. Over 5.2 million care hours are provided every year to more than 50,000 carers - the equivalent of over 600 years of care.
• A carer is defined as a person who provides unpaid support to family or friends who could not manage without this help. This could be caring for a relative, partner, child or friend who is ill, frail, disabled or has mental health or substance misuse problems.
• Research by Leeds University in 2007 shows that carers save the state £87 billion a year. The value of care is greater than the annual budget for the NHS (£82 billion in 2006/2007).
• Over 6 million people in the UK are carers – that’s around one in eight adults. (Census 2001).
• Nearly 3 million people in the UK juggle care with work. (Census 2001).
• 66% of carers are of working age. (Census 2001).
• The main carer's benefit is £50.55 for a minimum of 35 hours, equivalent to £1.44 per hour.
• 3 in 5 people will at some point in their lives become a carer. (Carers UK 2002).
• There are currently 175,000 young carers who are under 18 (Census 2001). 
• Access to carer support services can delay residential care/hospital admission by up to 500 days.
• Supporting carers leads to a significant reduction in carer stress. 
• 46% of residential care admissions are due to carer breakdown.