0 Help is on hand for when you need it

Support is out there

As we get older, we all need some extra support from those around us. Perhaps we've become a little unsteady on our feet, and can't manage the household tasks as well as we used to. Or maybe our eyesight has suffered and we no longer feel able to drive ourselves around as we once did.

It's very important that we acknowledge when we need help, and find out what services are available locally that may benefit us. For example, if you are in Essex and are suffering from age-related macular degeneration, you may like to call upon the Macular Disease Support Group based in Clacton. You will be able to meet people in the same position, and find out what local services could help you further.

Or you may be worried that you are showing signs of dementia, in which case you could get in touch with your local branch of the Alzheimer's Society for advice and support.

The vital thing to remember is that Essex care services are abundant, so you will always be able to find someone who can help you in your particular situation. You won't be alone and shouldn't worry about calling on others who might be able to provide support. You may feel you are too proud to accept help but it won't benefit anyone if you don't take up the opportunities that are available to you.

It's also really important to remember that a problem shared is a problem halved - whatever your personal situation it's very likely that someone else in your neighbourhood is going through exactly the same thing. Talking things through with someone who really understands is extremely useful and often very liberating for both parties.

Conversely, you may decide that you are in a position to help others that need a bit of a boost. There are many care services in Essex that would welcome the efforts of someone who is willing to do their bit for those in need.

Perhaps you could find a befriender scheme, where you visit someone in their own home to give them a bit of company or do some odd jobs for them. Often, the help people need isn't on a grand or dramatic scale - they may just want someone to help them change a lightbulb or put the bins out on the right day. Sometimes, they just want to tell someone about their day and hear all about theirs.

Or you might have access to a car or minibus in which you could provide transportation for people who are no longer able to make it to church or to groups like the Women's Institute. People who have to rely on public transport, especially in rural areas, can feel very isolated so the good will of a volunteer driver can make a huge difference to their lives.

Whether you feel you need support or would be willing to give your time to others, there are many opportunities available within the care services Essex has to offer.

Care Service in Essex

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