His wife has dementia and is registered blind. He works full time nights but these are staggered and other organisation could not meet his or his wife’s needs and he was being forced to consider giving up his job.

During the assessment it was clear that he needed to continue to work full time both for economic reasons but for social and mental well being.

Crossroads was able to identify a Carer Support Worker to provide flexible overnight support.

Reviews of the service led to an occasional increase in hours to enable the carer to visit friends and family before going on to work.

More recently the carer became depressed following the death of his mother and Crossroads were able to support him through this with emotional support through his regular support worker.

Crossroads intervention achieved the following outcomes for Kevin:

• He is able to continue in full time employment.
• He was sensitively supported during is recent bereavement.
• He can continue to maintain social and family networks.
• He is confident that the care needs of his wife are being met.
• He now has a positive view of support services.

The daughter became increasingly concerned as she witnessed her mum in a distressed tearful state after her father had been shouting at her.

Linda decided to part fund the cost of the respite and Crossroads began providing a service to the carer who used the service on an ad hoc basis initially but came to trust the regular support worker who attended. He then began to use the service more frequently and became more relaxed and aware of his own stress levels and the need to take some time off to relax.

The family now receive a funded service on a weekly basis to meet his own needs.

The daughter has seen the difference the services has made and is now more confident in her father’s coping abilities and no longer fears a breakdown in the caring situation.