This guide has been coproduced by families from the Essex Carers Network, Essex County Council and an Independent Consultant to help you think about the ways you can support your loved one to have the best health possible as they age. Whether they live with you, or you visit them elsewhere, we know that the families know their loved one best.  

• Being able to notice changes in health or behaviour may be the start to accessing treatment that will prevent serious illness.  
• Suggestions of healthier lifestyles are just another learning journey families can help to support with. 
• Knowing the questions to ask paid carers and staff to ensure they are supporting your loved one to Age Well 
• Understanding how to ask for reasonable adjustments & what the law says about the rights of people with a learning disability.  
• Knowing what services are out there to help support your loved one to Age Well and how to access them. 

“Essex Carers Network are a network of families caring for a family member with a learning disability. We work to ensure the lived experiences of our families informs and influences the future landscape and opportunities for people with a learning disability and their families in Essex. We work to support our families to have the tools they need to feel strong, resilient and empowered in order for them to advocate for their family 

One theme that is often of concern to our families is the long term health and wellbeing of their loved one with a learning disability, particularly when they are themselves no longer able to care or are not around. 

Our response is usually preparation. Having a plan and having systems in place will usually allow for a better transition into any situation for people with a learning disability and help to relieve the worry for families.

It is our hope that this toolkit will help families to feel they have done everything they can in order to support their loved one to age well with a learning disability. We explain the reasons why people with a learning disability often suffer inequalities around health; what Essex County Council are doing to address this and offer tips about ageing well.

We hope to support with information about the rights of people with a learning disability around things like reasonable adjustments and services they are eligible for. For example, the Annual Health Check will go a long way to support someone to age well by identifying early any potential problems that could be treated, and in this toolkit we explain what a ‘good’ Annual Health Check should look like. 

As you go through this guide, if you feel that we have missed anything, please get in touch.