Macmillan Cancer Relief is using Carers' Week (14-20 June) to make the UK's six million carers aware that help is there for them.
Macmillan recognises the difficulties that those caring for sick relatives and friends face, particularly those caring for someone with cancer, and as a result developed a number of services to help carers share the challenges associated with caring.
Feelings of isolation are commonly experienced by carers and Macmillan's Befriending schemes are set up to tackle this. They link carers with volunteers to provide one-to-one friendship and emotional support, information and advice. Carers' Schemes, in partnership with other voluntary sector organisations such as Crossroads Caring for Carers, offer practical support in the home and enable the carer to take a much needed break from their caring role.
Another two such Carers' Schemes have just been set up by Macmillan in conjunction with Crossroads, one in Maidstone and another in Richmond, both offer support to those caring for people who may be in the final stages of illness. In each case a new team of carer support workers will visit people at home to provide carers with a much needed break for a few hours or overnight, and to offer them emotional support.