As a carer, your role may include helping someone move about.
Action for Carers Surrey’s Moving and Handling service provides safe solutions for carers who carry out moving and handling as part of their role. We offer information, advice, training and support to help carers prevent potential injury to themselves or the person they care for – adults and children. Whether it’s some simple tips, or discussing more specialised equipment that will help, our team can advise. Like all our services, this support is free.
Moving and handling tasks can include:
- Helping someone get into or out of a chair or bed
- Dressing
- Wheelchair transfers
- Car transfers
- Using a hoist or other equipment
Avoid the risk of damage to your own health
It’s important that you watch out for your own health. We are vulnerable to injury at any age. It’s not dependent on how capable or strong we think we are.
The effects of poor moving and handling can potentially build up over time and result in some of the following problems:
- Increased tiredness
- Reduction or loss of mobility
- Injury or strain to joints, ligaments, or your back
- Sharp or long-term pain or discomfort
- Potential damage to you or the person you are caring for
- Inability to work, be active or care
I was very grateful to the lovely lady that came out to show me how to move my mum. She was very helpful with lots of tips and advice.
How we can support you:
We can offer a lot of help and information that will help you in your caring role, and ensure you get the right support in how you move the person you support.
We can:
- Visit your home or the place where you do your caring
- Provide tailor-made solutions to your individual caring situation
- Give short-term loans of small handling equipment
- Train you on the use of handling equipment
- Give support at a pace which enables you to feel safe and confident
- Refer you to other support services, as well as signpost you to other sources of help
- Advocate on your behalf
- Liaise with other professionals
Your advisors were a lifeline – excellent advice and supply of useful equipment. We wouldn’t be managing without them.
Look out for moving and handling advice events – now on Zoom
NHS Falls prevention advice
Surrey Heartlands have some really helpful videos on preventing and managing falls.
Surrey County Council
SCC’s Adult Social Care team have helpful information on its staying independent section. This includes:
- Equipment to help you move safely and securely around your home
- Equipment to help with daily household tasks
- Personal care, and help with washing, dressing and using the toilet
- Information about the Community Equipment Service
- Social contact and communication equipment
- Help with getting online and using smart technology
Support where you live
Action for Carers works in partnership with charity White Lodge to provide Moving and Handling services in Surrey.
In Guildford, Waverley, Mole Valley, Tandridge, Reigate or Banstead…
If you provide care in Guildford, Waverley, Mole Valley, Tandridge, Reigate or Banstead, the support comes from Action for Carers. To find out more about how we can help, give us a call on 0303 040 1234 or drop us an email at MovingAndHandling@Actionforcarers.org.uk
To access the service, please complete our short registration form – then one of our Advisors will call you back.
In Epsom & Ewell, Elmbridge, Runnymede, Spelthorne, Woking or Surrey Heath…
If you provide care in Epsom & Ewell, Elmbridge, Runnymede, Spelthorne, Woking or Surrey Heath, the support comes from White Lodge. Call them on 01932 577993 or send an email to MHadvisors@whitelodgecentre.co.uk
About White Lodge
White Lodge provides services that enable those with a range of disabilities, their families and carers to lead fulfilling lives.
For more details of White Lodge’s services, call 01932 567131, email them, or visit www.whitelodgecentre.co.uk
Thank you for the sensitive and professional advice. The advisor was very helpful.