Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to frequently asked questions from family caregivers here. Also read our blog for more tips and inspiration.
Rule business
If you care for a family member, you are sometimes asked to prove that you are a caregiver. Think of an application for a parking permit, a home for informal care or co-housing. However, an official informal care declaration does not exist. Doctors do not issue a declaration on patients either. Surplus, as the informal care center, provides confirmation of application for appreciation, but also does not offer a substantive statement.
What can you do? Click on the link from MantelzorgNL: How do I show that I am a caregiver? - MantelzorgNL
Municipalities annually appreciate efforts of family caregivers. In Oosterhout municipality, caregivers could apply for a gift certificate until December 31 last year. This year another appreciation will be organized in the fall. You can apply for this through this website.
Municipalities annually appreciate efforts of family caregivers. In Oosterhout municipality, caregivers could apply for a gift certificate until December 31 last year. This year another appreciation will be organized in the fall. You can apply for this through this website.
These words sometimes cause confusion
Informal care = unpaid and long-term help or care for a family member or friend, based on the personal relationship you have with the person. You do not choose it, but often roll into it. We speak of informal care when more than 8 hours per week and/or longer than 3 months.
Volunteering = also unpaid, but takes place in an organized setting. You decide if and when you do these tasks and can stop it if you want to.
When the person for whom you are a caregiver moves into a nursing home, there are all kinds of regulatory issues involved. To help you with this, a checklist is available: regulation matters moving nursing home.
There is increasing pressure on informal caregivers to take over care tasks from the health care system. Care activities are for example: dropping eyes, giving injections or changing a catheter. But also dressing or washing someone.
Before you as a caregiver decide to take over caregiving tasks from the caregiver, you should know the possible consequences, risks and benefits involved. Because what if something goes wrong? Then who is responsible?
MantelzorgNL therefore developed a decision aid for informal caregivers. We therefore developed the Choice Tool for family caregivers. In it read about the legal consequences. But also you will find information about how to organize care, what to expect from care and what taking over does to the relationship between them.
You can download the Choice Guide for free at www.mantelzorg.nl/publicaties/keuzehulp-voor-mantelzorgers-handelingen-overnemen-van-de-zorgprofessional/
Are you no longer an informal caregiver due to death, moving to another municipality or because informal care support is no longer needed? We do not receive messages of death from the municipality of Oosterhout, because of the AVG.
Via mantelzorg.oosterhout@surplus.nl or Surplus Mantelzorg 0162-748600 you can provide the end date and reason for deregistration. We will then deregister the caregiver and care recipient.
MantelzorgNL: MantelzorgNL is the national association that advocates for everyone who cares for a family member, friend or neighbor.
Oosterhout for Each Other: Oosterhout voor Elkaar collects all volunteer vacancies, requests for help and people who want to do something good.
Surplus: Welfare, care and housing in West Brabant
Do you care for someone unpaid for at least 3 months and 8 hours per week? For example a partner, family member, child, neighbor, friend or acquaintance. Then you are an informal caregiver and you can apply for the informal care appreciation. The person for whom you provide care or support is the care recipient.
Staying in balance
There are various care leave options for informal caregivers: emergency leave, short- and long-term care leave, flexible working. MantelzorgNL has created a guide especially for you. Roadmap: How to combine work and informal care? - MantelzorgNL
Want tips on having a conversation with your loved one and/or employer? We are happy to think with you personally.
Also watch the video with 3 tips for combining (home) work with informal care:
Need a break? A night's sleep? Or do you need to go to the hospital for an operation yourself? Substitute care (also called respite care) can help. Check the “I'm looking for substitute care” guide for options: Signpost: I am looking for substitute care - MantelzorgNL
Read more about the local dementia planable lodge care project on the dementiacare.com website: Lodge care for people with memory problems and dementia - Dementia Care
As a family caregiver, things can get too much for you at times. Whether you are (almost) overburdened is not always easy to recognize. Martin Riswick, GGZ nurse practitioner explains what to look out for:
Informal care can be hard. A buddy or pal can support you (mentally) to get or keep your life on track. Watch the video for more information:
Most people want to die in their own familiar surroundings. Along with informal caregivers (partners, children, family and friends) and professional caregivers, volunteers do what needs to be done during this special and uncertain time. They do not perform medical, nursing or heavy household tasks, but complement what family members and friends do. The volunteers are well trained. The help they provide is free of charge.
Contact: Lydia van Doremalen, Regional Coordinator of VPTZ Department, tel. 06 28 12 15 48 or e-mail lydia.vandoremalen@surplus.nl.
Also view the video in which VPTZ volunteers themselves talk about what they do:
Family caregivers often face loss. Not only when their loved one dies, but also in life. Loss in life is often less recognizable. For example, parents with a child with a disability experience feelings of loss. But a diagnosis, the changes in a loved one's character, loss of social contacts and a shared future can also bring feelings of grief.
Kintugi is a symbolic way to reflect on this alone or with children, without talking about it. This is because in Japan they make shards/scars visible with gold. To do this, you pick a heart, bowl or vase. Break the material with a stone or smash it against the wall. After breaking it, write feelings or memories on the inside. In addition, you can insert a bill. Like loss, gluing with glue and gold dust requires gentleness and patience: “Break into shards, find the most beautiful ones and take them...”. Watch the DIY video below.
Want to talk about loss? Get in touch with team Informal Care.
Stroke and dementia
There are various care leave options for informal caregivers: emergency leave, short- and long-term care leave, flexible working. MantelzorgNL has created a guide especially for you. Roadmap: How to combine work and informal care? - MantelzorgNL
Want tips on having a conversation with your loved one and/or employer? We are happy to think with you personally.
Also watch the video with 3 tips for combining (home) work with informal care:
With questions about brain injury, you can contact the West Brabant Brain Line. You can also find more information at www.verdermethersenletsel.nl
Stroke treatment consists of several components. Medication, medical intervention and rehabilitation may play a role in treatment. Everything is aimed at recovery, but also at preventing another stroke.
If a person has had a stroke, the risk of a second stroke is increased. Taking medication can reduce the risk of another stroke. The chance of another stroke is also lower when the patient has a healthy lifestyle. Don't smoke, moderate alcohol, eat a healthy diet and get enough exercise.
A stroke has a major impact on the patient and their loved ones. The chance of a good recovery is affected by many things. Sandra Merijnes of Amphia explains in the video what the chance of recovery depends on, and when the greatest recovery occurs.
A clear explanation video by Dr. Anneke van der Plaats about what exactly happens in the brain when someone has dementia. And what happens then less and less. From her book ‘De dag door met dementie’. Anneke van der Plaats is a social geriatrician and is a nursing home physician, scientist, lecturer and consultant in the field of dementia.
Can a person with dementia do anything themselves to counteract the dementia process? Getting plenty of exercise and staying mentally active is helpful for health in old age. Dominique de Lange, Geriatrician at Amphia talks about this. Also check out the GGD website: www.wezijnzelfhetmedicijn.nl
That someone would want to remain independent and drive for as long as possible after a diagnosis of dementia is understandable. Do you have questions about this? Then watch the video below. With dementia, it must be assessed whether driving is still safe. It is not the doctor who determines this, but the CBR. The doctor gives you a letter and information for the CBR. The CBR determines whether driving is still safe. This is often determined by a driving test. Does someone drive professionally? Then unfortunately this authority expires after the diagnosis. Read more at www.cbr.nl/nl/rijbewijs-houden/nl/hoe-kan-ik-rijden-met/dementie.htm or www.dementie.nl/veiligheid-en-zelfstandigheid/autorijden-en-vervoer/autorijden-en-dementie
A separate section of the library in Oosterhout is set up as a dementia library, with information but also objects from the past. Photos, Books, games, themed bags are available for family caregivers as well as people with dementia.
Jet Vissers of Theek5 explains more about the materials in the video below.
If you care for a loved one with memory problems, they probably want to remain independent for as long as possible and continue to do the things that are important to them and you together. Surplus thinks along with you! Drop in at Activity Center De Slotjes for The Meeting Place, the Alzheimer's Café or course Dementia and (N)u, among others.
In the video below, Wim (visitor of The Meeting Place), Anna (caregiver of her husband Hans) and Ellen (coordinator of Slotjes) talk about their own experiences.
Mantel Care Appreciation
Municipalities annually appreciate efforts of family caregivers. In Oosterhout municipality, caregivers could apply for a gift certificate until December 31 last year. This year another appreciation will be organized in the fall. You can apply for this via this website.
Do you care for someone unpaid for at least 3 months and 8 hours per week? For example a partner, family member, child, neighbor, friend or acquaintance. Then you are an informal caregiver and can apply for the informal care appreciation.
The person for whom you provide care or support is the care recipient. The care recipient lives independently or in a care location in the municipality of Oosterhout (Den Hout, Dorst, Oosteind, Oosterhout).
As a caregiver, you do not have to live in the municipality of Oosterhout yourself. The place of residence of the caretaker is decisive. The caretaker can live independently or in a care location in the municipality of Oosterhout.
You can apply for the Mantelzorgwaardering through the website www.mantelzorgoosterhout.nl between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31.
The Mantelzorgwaardering consists of a Mantelzorgbon of €50. The Mantelzorgbon is a gift card of the Fine of Oosterhout. You can redeem the Mantelzorgbon at local entrepreneurs in Oosterhout. For more information see: https://fijnoosterhout.nl/
As a caregiver, you apply for the caregiver appreciation.
Do you care for the care recipient with several family members? A total of four people may apply for a Mantelzorgwaardering for one care recipient. One of the family caregivers completes the form for the care recipient and all family caregivers.
A total of four people may apply for Mantelzorgwaardering for one care recipient. One of the informal caregivers completes the form for the care recipient and all the informal caregivers.
No, this is not possible. Each informal caregiver is entitled to one informal care voucher.
If the caregiver died after April 1, you may still apply for Mantelzorgwaardering for this year.
You will receive the Mantelzorgbon between January and March 2026. You will be notified when you can pick up the voucher or receive it by mail.
The Mantelzorgwaardering must be reapplied for every year. Even if your situation has not changed.
Are you no longer a family caregiver due to death, moving to another community or because family care support is no longer needed?
Via mantelzorg.oosterhout@surplus.nl or Surplus Mantelzorg 0162-748600 you can deregister as a caregiver. We do not receive messages of death from the municipality of Oosterhout, because of the AVG.
