Caring for carers

Many people rely on carers to make everyday things possible – from having a bath to putting food in the fridge. In fact, the 2011 census found there were 5.8 million unpaid carers in England and Wales. But what happens when carers are hit by a crisis themselves?

In Wrexham the British Red Cross is giving carers vital help so they can look after themselves and the people they support. The scheme is run in partnership with charity Wrexham Carers, and funded by Wrexham Council. It gives carers:

• help at home after setbacks such as bout of illness. Help includes transport assistance or a hand with the shopping
• an emergency card system, so that if they are affected  by an accident or sudden illness, a back-up carer can quickly take over their caring responsibilities
• therapeutic respite sessions for the person they look after, giving them a gentle massage and someone to chat to for a couple of hours while their carer takes a much-needed break
• tailored everyday first aid sessions, where they can learn life-saving skills specific to helping the person they care for.

What’s the result?

In just three months this year, the service gave vital help to about 50 carers. One, Sheila Whalley, said: “I can’t praise the Red Cross enough. They have been absolutely wonderful – I’m very grateful for everything they’ve done.”

Since the scheme started, volunteers have gone above and beyond to ease the pressure on carers. One made weekly visits to a woman with brain damage, to talk and play board games and cards while her husband left the house for some much-needed respite.

Other volunteers helped a carer whose severe back pain meant she struggled to get her clothing washed. They collected the clothing and took it to and from the dry cleaners.

http://blogs.redcross.org.uk/uk/2013/07/caring-for-carers/