Support scheme for north Cumbria carers starts today
A support scheme to help carers in north Cumbria begins today.
By Kelly Eve
Last updated at 11:35, Monday, 12 September 2011
The eight-week Sunflower Group led by the Eden Valley Hospice will cover a range of topics to help carers deal with some of the difficulties they will face.
Janet Ferguson, chief executive at the hospice on the outskirts of Carlisle, said: “The Sunflower Group is something we do on a regular basis, a recurrent programme. It has been designed to help people cope with the situations they will come across as they deal with a family member who has a serious illness and so that they are looking after themselves and are able to prioritise their needs too.”
She added: “When you are thrust into the situation of caring you don’t often know who to turn to and the health service and support agencies can be a bit of a maze.
“We use the programme to introduce carers to other people too, like Macmillan professionals and social workers, so they are not as frightening and people can put names to faces.
“We also talk about what they can do for themselves in terms of rest and relaxation.”
Mrs Ferguson says that the programme, run every couple of months with a new cohort of carers, also helps group members support each other by allowing them to share personal experiences.
Planned sessions include identifying benefits that are available to carers, complementary therapies, an introduction to social work, nutrition and how to address mobility issues.
The Sunflower Group is open to anyone who regularly cares for someone with a serious illness, not only those with direct links with the Durdar Road hospice.
Sessions last for two and a half hours, once a week. Refreshments are available.
To find out more about the Sunflower Group, call staff nurse Dorothy Haskins on 01228 817623.
