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Important Messages from
Wirral Carers Alliance
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'Keeping Well in Hot Weather'
A Guide for Family & Friend Carers
Hot weather can be dangerous, especially for older people, young children, people with
long-term health conditions, those taking certain medicines, and anyone who may find it
difficult to keep themselves cool.
As a Carer, your support can make a real difference.
Simple steps to help someone stay well
• Encourage regular drinks throughout the day, even if the person does not feel thirsty. Water is best. Try small, frequent sips if they are struggling to drink.
• Keep the person out of direct sun, especially between 11am and 3pm when the heat is usually strongest.
• Help them wear loose, light-coloured clothing and use a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses and sunscreen if they need to go outside.
• Plan essential trips, appointments, dog walks or physical activity for early morning or evening when it is cooler.
• Keep living spaces cool by closing curtains or blinds on sunny windows during the day and opening windows later when it is cooler outside, if safe to do so.
• Use cool showers, damp cloths, cool packs wrapped in a cloth, or a spray bottle of cool water to help reduce body temperature.
• Check that medicines are stored safely, away from direct sunlight and heat. Ask a pharmacist for advice if you are unsure.
• Check in regularly by phone or in person, especially with anyone who lives alone or may not recognise they are becoming too hot.
Watch for signs of heat exhaustion
Heat exhaustion can include tiredness, dizziness, headache, feeling sick or being sick, heavy sweating, pale or clammy skin, cramps, high temperature, thirst or irritability. Move the person to a cooler place, remove unnecessary clothing, give cool drinks, and cool their skin with water and fanning.
When to get medical help
• Contact NHS 111 if symptoms of heat exhaustion are difficult to manage or you need urgent advice.
• Call 999 immediately if the person is still unwell after 30 minutes of cooling down, has a very high temperature, hot skin that is not sweating, fast breathing, a fast heartbeat, confusion, a seizure, or loses consciousness.
Remember to look after yourself too
Carers can become unwell in hot weather too. Drink plenty of fluids, take breaks where possible, avoid heavy activity in the hottest part of the day, and ask for help if caring responsibilities feel harder because of the heat.
Please share this message with anyone who supports, visits or cares for
a family member, friend or neighbour.
Do you want to take part in the Review of the current Wirral Carers Strategy?
If YES, use the
'Get in Touch' form at the bottom of the page
to register your interest
The Importance of Respite when
Formal Replacement Care is not available
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Respite means having a meaningful break from caring responsibilities. It is not a luxury or an optional extra; it is an essential part of sustaining care safely and compassionately over time. Caring can be rewarding, but it can also be physically tiring, emotionally demanding and socially isolating.
Without regular opportunities to pause, carers are more likely to become exhausted, overwhelmed or unwell, which can affect both their own wellbeing and the quality of support they are able to give.
Why respite matters
Respite gives carers time to recover, attend to their own health, maintain relationships, rest, think clearly and reconnect with parts of life outside the caring role.
It can also benefit the person being cared for by reducing tension, preserving relationships and creating a calmer, more sustainable home environment.
A break does not always need to be long to be valuable; even small, planned pauses can help prevent crisis and support day-to-day resilience.
When formal replacement care is not available
Where paid care, sitting services, day services or short breaks are unavailable, respite may need to be created within the home through small changes to routines, expectations and shared responsibility.
The aim is not to remove all caring tasks, but to build in protected moments where the Carer is temporarily relieved from being constantly alert, responsible or available.
What respite can look like at home
• Planned quiet time: a regular period where the person being cared for is settled with a familiar activity, programme, music, hobby or rest routine, allowing the Carer to step away mentally and physically.
• Shared household responsibility: family members, friends or neighbours helping with meals, laundry, shopping, school runs, medication collection or household tasks so the Carer has fewer demands to manage.
• Micro-breaks: short breaks of 10–30 minutes during the day for a cup of tea, a walk, breathing space, a shower, prayer, reading or simply sitting without interruption.
• Safe activity routines: using predictable, enjoyable activities for the cared-for person, such as puzzles, sensory items, television, audiobooks, gardening, crafts or phone calls with trusted people.
• Protected sleep or rest: agreeing a quiet period, rotating night-time checks where possible, or planning rest after difficult nights.
• Connection with others: arranging regular calls, online groups, peer support or visits that reduce isolation for both the Carer and the person being cared for.
• Practical planning: preparing meals, medication, emergency contacts and daily routines in advance so that short periods of support from others feel safer and easier.
Key principles
Home-based respite works best when it is planned, regular and realistic.
It should be treated as a legitimate need, not something the Carer has to earn after everything else is done.
The break should be meaningful to the Carer, safe for the person receiving care, and flexible enough to adapt when needs change.
Even when formal replacement care is unavailable, a structured approach to small breaks can protect wellbeing, reduce stress and help caring relationships remain sustainable.
Respite is central to Carer wellbeing and to the long-term stability of care at home.
When formal services are not available, families and support networks can still create meaningful respite by reducing pressure, sharing practical tasks, protecting short periods of rest and building routines that give carers time to recover.
Small, consistent breaks can make a significant difference.
Check out more information about the Carer Connection Centre
Every Wednesday
