Carers: information for the public

Carers, people approaching the end of life and their friends and family might find the following resources useful:

 • Support for carers –  these pages on Marie Curie’s website provide support and advice for those caring for someone at the end of their life, including video guides for practical elements of caring such as helping a person to wash. Marie Curie has also produced some leaflets for those caring for someone using a Marie Curie Hospice or the Marie Curie Nursing Service. These leaflets give a summary of what support the charity can offer to carers and where else they may be able to get help. 

• Caring for someone at the end of their life – these pages on Macmillan Cancer Support’s website help carers to better understand the end of life care phase of cancer. Macmillan also produce resources called Caring for someone with advanced cancer and Hello, and How Are You?, hard copies of which can be ordered from their support line on 0808 808 0000 or at www.be.macmillan.org.uk

• Caring for someone with a terminal illness - listen to real people talk about their experiences of caring for someone at the end of life. Healthtalkonline.org produced these pages in collaboration with Marie Curie and interviews with 40 people about their experiences.

• One last thing, Remember when we and Thinking of you are leaflets produced by Dying Matters  that can be used by carers, family members and friends to open up conversations about dying and bereavement with the person they are close to.

• Carers Direct, part of NHS Choices, have a section on end of life care providing carers with a basic introduction to some of the support available and practical guidance on legal aspects such as registering a death.

A variety of support is also available in person and on the phone. The Carers Trust operates Carers’ Centres in many areas which can provide practical and emotional support to carers. You can find your nearest carers centre at www.carers.org. A range of other services are available from the other organisations who put these pages together – visit the Further information page.

More

• Understanding death and dying
• Practicalities to think about when someone is dying
• At the bedside
• Coping with family dynamics when someone is dying
• Further information and support