Hospice supports those who care this Carers Week

With Carers Week taking place this week (June 8-14), Dr Kershaw's Hospice is recognising the vital role of unpaid carers and highlighting the support available to them.

This year's theme, ‘Building Carer Friendly Communities’, focuses on the difference understanding, connection and practical support can make to carers' lives. Through services including its Caring Hands Team and therapeutic support groups, Dr Kershaw's works alongside carers to help ensure they do not face their journey alone.

Katie Stretton, counsellor at Dr Kershaw's Hospice, said: "As a therapist working with carers, I regularly see the difference that support can make.

"A carer-friendly community is one where carers feel heard, validated and able to ask for help without feeling alone. Small acts of kindness, connection and understanding can have a huge impact on the wellbeing of those who spend so much time caring for others."

The message is particularly relevant in Oldham, which has the second highest proportion of unpaid carers in Greater Manchester. According to the 2021 Census, almost 10% of Oldham residents – around 22,000 people – provide unpaid care to a family member or friend.

While caring can be rewarding, it can also take a significant toll on wellbeing. Research by Carers Trust found that people providing more than 20 hours of unpaid care each week are 96% more likely to report poor mental health, while Carers UK reports that unpaid carers are up to seven times more likely to experience loneliness.

One family who experienced the value of support first-hand was the Parker family. When David Parker was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, his wife Sue and daughter Vicky Dawson wanted him to remain at home, surrounded by the people he loved most. As his condition deteriorated, Dr Kershaw's Caring Hands Team helped ease some of the pressure on the family, allowing them to spend precious time together.

David died peacefully at home in May 2024, aged 74.

Vicky said: "In Dad's final two weeks, Caring Hands became part of our family. Because of them, we could step back from being carers and just be a family again. We spent quality time together and those moments mean everything to us now."

Dr Kershaw's also runs a free biweekly therapeutic support group for carers of people living with dementia, offering practical advice, emotional support and the opportunity to connect with others. The biweekly Thursday sessions will be starting on 30 July, running for 11 sessions.

For more information about the support available for carers through Dr Kershaw's Hospice, call 0161 624 2727 or email drkh.wellbeing@nhs.net.

 

 

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