Whether you are a family member or a friend, caring for a loved one with a life limiting illness can be emotionally and physically difficult. You can often feel isolated with no one to talk to, and it is easy to forget about your own self-care or to seek carer support. It may be hard to think of yourself, but you need to look after your health and wellbeing too. Your emotional, physical and psychological state are all highly important. We recognise that here at Rowans Hospice, and so we offer support for not only those with a life limiting illness, but also offer carer support.
We offer various carer support groups through our Living Well Services. By attending a carer support group, you get to enjoy some time to yourself and meet others in a similar situation as you and share your experiences, in a relaxing, caring and supportive environment.
Activities include creative writing, pottery, jewellery making, a drawing group, sewing and more. These take place frequently throughout the month. You can see our full list of groups on our Living Well Services page.
Complementary therapies are perfect for creating a calming and healing environment and are available to not only those suffering with a life limiting illness, but family and friends who are carers also. Some of the relaxing therapies you can receive include massage, acupuncture, aromatherapy, reflexology, hypnotherapy, and osteopathy. Our complementary therapies can be accessed through our Living Well Services.
You can experience a lot of stress being a carer. You may be experiencing anxiety, depression, or fatigue for example. Rowans Hospice provide psychologists to both those suffering with a life limiting illness and their carers, whether this is a family member or friend. If you need a bit of extra carer support and wish to discuss how you are feeling, we provide a safe, confidential place where you can talk and be heard with no judgement.
Carol Gully is our Spiritual Chaplain. She and her volunteer team offer carer support around your spiritual needs. You may have questions or doubts around your spirituality and want someone to talk to. Carol and her team are here to listen and provide support when you need it. If you would like to reach out to Carol, her email is carol.gully@rowanshospice.co.uk.
When your loved one passes, it can be incredibly hard and upsetting. We offer bereavement support for carers of all ages who have lost someone close to them under Rowans Hospice care. You can reach out to our Living Well Services to book an initial assessment. We also have a child bereavement support service called the Rowans Meerkat Service for children who need support whilst experiencing bereavement.
You may be entitled to some financial support as a carer. If you would like to know what there may be available to you, you can talk to our social workers based at the Hospice; they will be able to offer advice, and provide resources. They can help you discover what you are entitled to and show you how to claim it.
Practical and emotional support – Practical and emotional support is another carer support service we offer at our Hospice through our social workers. We can help provide advice on how to adjust to your situation and how to arrange future plans. We can also refer you to other services or agencies that you may require. These can be within the hospice or elsewhere.
