Caring for those who care
Caron Cares. Advice and information if you are caring for someone elderly or with dementia.
CaronCares is here for you. If you need information or advice about anything to do with caring for someone elderly or someone with dementia you should find it here.
Working as a self-employed personal assistant to elderly people for over 20 years I saw the struggles they faced on a daily basis. Reduced mobility, pain, impaired sight, and hearing. Many elderly people are also increasingly isolated and lonely.
When I started this blog in 2012 health and social care services were at a breaking point. Then factor in the huge financial cost of COVID in 2020/21 and the exodus of care workers, social care provision is lacking, to say the least.
I am personally here to help.
There are currently over 900 articles here with ideas and suggestions on how you can help older people independent and safe at home.
I write with passion and insight because I genuinely care about the well-being of elderly people and carers who are also often lonely, isolated and exhausted. My work is recognised in both the care sector and further afield. I use the word “sector” because I believe something as personal as care should not be referred to as an industry. In December 2018 my work was recognised by the then Prime Minister.
Contact me!
It is my passion to help elderly people live happy fulfilled lives. If you have problems or questions please feel free to email me directly at caroncares01@gmail.com I am personally here to help.
Socialise with me!
You can find me on Facebook and Twitter (@caroncares2).
About Me
Married to Paul, we have two successful adult sons who have fled our Devon nest. I also had the privilege of being the care columnist for Devon Life magazine from 2016 to 2021.
Past History.
For 23 years before this, I worked as a self-employed personal assistant which allowed me more freedom than being employed. I absolutely loved my work. It was more like having an extended family than working and over the course of time have helped hundreds of people.
I have worked in a caring role for most of my adult life and do truly believe it to be my vocation. This has also seen me witness failure by carers, care companies and care homes. This resulted in me becoming a vocal campaigner for quality care for elderly people.
My earlier care career
- At 14, I helped in a school for children with severe learning difficulties. This was an inspiring experience.
- At the age of 17 I cared for PC Philip Olds QGM, who had been shot and paralysed.
- I cared for my Grandparents in the Scottish Highlands for a period of time.
- I worked in a Residential home caring for disabled adults which I loved.
- I started Registered nurse training which I loved but my career was sadly shortened by back trouble. Probably a blessing in disguise now as I would be a frustrated “form filler”.
- I cared for my blind, disabled Mother-in-Law for 15. This allowed her to stay at home until she passed away. I did this whilst juggling work and a young family. As a result of this, I fully understand the pressure unpaid carers face.
This blog was my first online project started in 2012 when I had no idea what I was doing! It’s come a long way since then.
Being self-funded any income generated from adverts and Amazon affiliate membership pays for hosting costs.
Our newly launched and free website for seniors who live alone might be of interest to your subscribers. Please let me know if you would like further information.
https://world.einnews.com/pr_news/617540802/a-free-service-for-seniors-to-bring-peace-of-mind?fbclid=IwAR0rp3t2r9j8L4UYHpOzGdeLrI6THptp0hdqL1ClyEZtyVaTKvDiryIZleM
Your blog is very informative & you pick important topics! Thanks
Thank you Tamsim. Good luck to you as well. Look forward to meeting you
Hi Caron! Congrats on your Bloggers Lounge award, and for getting through to the UK Blog Awards final, again! All the best, lovely lady. Tamsin xox
Hello Sally
Many thanks for taking the time to leave me such a lovely comment about my work at Caron Cares and I am so pleased you find it useful. I love discovering new products and services to help the elderly, as by nature I am a problem solver!I look forward to being in touch with you more also.
Hi Caron, I enjoy your blog very much and the products you seem able to find always seem to be great solutions to problems we encounter a lot. The no nonsense way you review them is spot on. Keep up the great work Caron and we look forward to being in touch with you more.
This message is from my contact in Nairobi at the disabled fellowship. They kindly donated one wheelchair and I am continuing to work and support them. It was really sweet to receive this comment from them.
Thanks Caron for thinking about the elderly who are mostly left without much help when they need most care and support from the community.
Thank you for your comment Robert. I am pleased you enjoyed the newsletter. I don’t consider myself to be a good writer however I am passionate about my work and write from the heart.
Hi Caron
What an excellent “Caron Cares” newsletter – you are magnificent, a very good writer, and a very touching story about your 97-year old!!
Keep up this great work!
Robert
Hello Lucy,
I am glad you like Caron Cares and thanks for leaving me a comment. You may find my newsletter interesting too.You can sign up for this on the site.
Please help me spread the word via FB, Twitter, email and with work colleagues.
Best wishes, Caron.
hi Caron,
I work for a care home company and am always looking for ways to keep the guys entertained and keep their minds active, I refer to your blog frequently for sources of inspiration. Keep up the great work 🙂
Hi Pedro,
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave me your kind comment. I am so pleased you like the site. Please help me spread the word and introduce more people to Caron Cares. Thank you.
Best wishes, Caron.
Sign up for my weekly newsletter for more insightful articles.
Hi! Found your website through Webituary. Just wanted to say, good idea you have had. Nice and useful website, just like Webituary. New idea, and nice idea! Keep going!
Hi Adrian and I am pleased you like the site. Please help me spread the word?.
A long brush is a solution to reaching ones feet, however in a shower this worries me in case the person topples over when leaning forwards. There are some foot brushes that have suckers that attach to the shower tray or bath.I am very ticklish on the soles of my feet and some of the ones I have seen would be a challenge to me!However for many they have been a fantastic solution to a common problem shared with those with back pain and pregnant women.
I will write a post today and publish it tomorrow with the items that are available.
Hope this will be helpful to your friend.
Best wishes,
Caron.
Hi Martyn,
Thanks for the kind words and for signing up to my weekly newsletter. I hope you will find it interesting and lighthearted?.
I couldn’t agree more with you regarding the more resources available to carers the better which is why I distribute the room thermometers at my own expense on behalf of Age Uk. We are all in this together, Sharing is Caring.
I look forward to your blog and will write a post about it on Caron Cares for you and a link.
Best wishes,
Caron.
Caron
Liked the site; lots of information.
Have you come across a gadget that could be used by an elderly relative of mine in the bath to clean her feet? A long brush is the obvious answer but she wants to clean the soles of her feet.
Hi Caron,
Yes it’s the one who added to your post about clocks for people with dementia. I’d love to share the Day Clock for Digital Photo Frames with others, and will be setting up a blog where the images and instructions can be downloaded. I’ll post you the link when it is ready.
As a carer for my Mother who has vascular dementia, I believe that the more resources available to both carers and the elderly is priceless. Keep up the good work.
Martyn
Hi Helene,
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment on Caron Cares and I am pleased you think the site is a good source of information.I see on a daily basis working as a home help what lies ahead for us as we age …..and I am in no hurry !
Best wishes to you and please help me spread the word about Caron Cares in any way you are able, especially via Facebook.
Caron
As the carer for an elderly parent (like most Baby Boomers nowadays) I am on the learning curve of what else lies ahead in this stage of our parents lives.
This is a very good resource site, hope it does well for you too.
hello please can i have a room thermometer for my nan she is 75 and cannot order 1 herself.
Many thanks John for your kind comment. I don’t consider myself a good writer,however it does come from the heart.
Please help me spread the word about Caron Cares in any way you can and sigh up for my weekly newsletter which keeps me in touch with my readers and with whom I share a little of what goes on behind the scenes of the blog.
Thanks again,
Best Wishes, Caron.
Interesting blog with lots of great topics and information. Keep up the great writing Caron!
Hi Veronicah,
So that I can point you in right direction for getting your mum a wheel chair I have sent you a brief email.
Best wishes,
Caron
Hi Caron,
you are doing a great job. May God bless you abundantly.
Please can I get a elderly wheel Chair for my mom.
thank you and May God bless you.
Hi Sidney,
Thanks for visiting Caron Cares. I shall take a peek at your blog too. Hope you do find something of use for your mum on my site.
Best Wishes
Caron
Great website Caron. I found this through Tiffany’s Chanllenge…I need info on my elderly mom so finding this was perfect timing. Looking forward to checking out the info you have here.
Many thanks David for your kind words.
It truly is a labour of love for me and I love being able to share the things I discover for the benefit of others.
Until this morning I also knew nothing about The Silverline. It is a wonderful resource for the lonely and isolated elderly and I shall be spreading the word.
Hi Caron,
Thank you for emailing me via Linkedin. Your website looks great with excellent content. I also checked out Silverline, which I didn’t really know much about.
The work you do is fantastic!
Best wishes
David
Hi Caron, great website! I wondered if you could please send me a free age uk thermometer please?
Also see http://www.onlinenexus.co.uk
Good work you are doing. Also love the SW and come by Exeter often in the Spring and Summer. Meantime, I am working on a project to do with
> Activities – reminiscing
> older people talking about their history, perhaps showing old photo albums. Recording some stories and pics for sharing
> bridging the digital-divide because of course spartphones which record voice and have cameras can be used, also to show folks lucky enough to have online friends and family members to encourage Skype and FB etc., may also point to ever more online resources for elder care.
More anon
Meantime let me know if you have any thoughts on the above
best wishes
Peter
can I please have a free ageuk thermometer for my 80yr old mother
Thanks for that comment Ambrose and nice to meet you via Linkedin.
Caron, I think you are doing a great job and it’s a fulfilling one. I hope the MP of your constituency have seen your work and commend it? You really need funding and help from them rather cutting services and compromising care of the elderly. I think you are blessed. Keep the good work on.
More grease to your elbows. God bless you abundantly.
Thank you for contacting me Anne,I have posted it to you today. Please allow a couple of days for delivery. Please help spread the word about Caron Cares and the thermometers.
Best Wishes, Caron.
23rd January, 2013
Dear Caron would you please send me a free room temperature
thermometer. thanking you
Could you please send me 2Not too cold, not too hot free room thermometers for the elderly. I have elderly parents and they would benefit from one of these. The other one is for my mother-in-law.
Many thanks A concerned Daughter and Daughter-in-law.
Hi Caron, great looking web site! What an exciting new venture!!
with all good wishes
Robert
Interesting website Caron. I hope you get lots of hits.
Best wishes, Alison
Well done Caron – excellent site! Very informative about so many issues and very user friendly.