“I would have collapsed in a heap if it wasn’t for their support” – meet the Weldmar team who care for the carers

As their loved one becomes less well, we know that picking up caring responsibilities can place a real strain on relatives – emotionally, physically and financially, and we understand the many challenges and struggles they face on a daily basis. It is easy for carers to get lost in all the demands made on them. It is also not unusual for carers to feel isolated and frustrated, particularly as a lot of their time is spent at home with their loved one, and they are left with minimal time (if any) to themselves.

The Carers’ Support team at Weldmar is there to offer help and support. The team consists of Chloe Hook, Carers’ Support Coordinator, and two Carers’ Support volunteers, Jo and Liz, who have been introduced into the team within the last year.

What they do:

Provide a listening ear, it’s a safe, non-judgemental space for them to offload and talk about what’s going on for them (they often have worries around the end and what that will look like for their loved one). All support for carers is offered on a 1-1 basis. Often, they might be able to identify potential problems early on, and can sometimes help to solve them with a multidisciplinary team approach

Help them to recognise and understand the anticipatory grief they experience and how this is affecting them.

Point them in the right direction of where to access support (through different agencies and charities, or suggest when it might be appropriate for clinical professionals to get involved).

Help to identify the need for a package of care and also to organise respite so that carers can have a break.

Help to facilitate Advance Care Planning discussions around thinking about their loved ones funeral, Wills etc. and getting their ‘ducks in a row’.

Advocate for carers when appropriate to do so, remembering that not all family members are happy to take on every aspect of caring but also that their own mental health and wellbeing comes into it, and so sometimes the team might be their voices when it comes to things like multidisciplinary teams, explaining to other professionals what the carer is or isn’t happy to do.

Summarise that it’s a safe space for them, with the sole interest of how the carer is doing and how they are coping, the team remain a point of contact for them going forwards so they can contact us any time, but they do keep in regular contact with them anyway.

Meet Jo, one of our Carer Support Volunteers (pictured above)

Jo started as a Carer Support volunteer back in October, supporting carers in their role for caring for their loved one at home, making phone calls to the carers and signposting them to the relevant help and support. “They’re having a lot to take on and not every not not everyone sort of appreciates the role that they do and how hard they work and how emotionally tiring it is.”

Prior to retirement, Jo was a Palliative Community Nurse Sister. Initially, Jo spent retirement looking after her grandchildren but as they grew up she realised she had some time free and wanted to fill it with something fulfilling. She initially applied for the ward volunteer role at Weldmar, but realised this wasn’t the right fit for her but then moved into the Carer Support team.

Jo likes the role as she feels like she is giving something back, she said “It’s got it’s huge responsibilities, however, I’m very well supported by the rest of the team, and it’s not like doing the role I had prior to retirement where the responsibility fell completely with me but I did want to do something that gave back and it’s something that I felt familiar with and comfortable doing and I missed actually I missed having that people contact.”