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The new force combining Age Concern logo & Help the Aged logo

Supporting carers in later life

 
 
An older man drinking a cup of tea.
 

This innovative project focuses on the practical and emotional needs of older carers, to help them provide better support for the person they care for who is nearing the end of their life.

This unique project focuses on the needs of older carers as they face complex and sometimes bewildering circumstances while coming to terms with the imminent death of a loved one. We empower older carers, not by providing medical support, but by focusing on their practical and emotional needs to help become more effective in the support they provide to their loved one.

This three year project is funded by the Department of Health to develop potential models to support older carers in these circumstances, to enable a loved one to die with dignity at home, or a place of their choice.

Local partners

We are working with six local partners (Age UK Leeds, Age UK South Tyneside, Age UK Leicester Shire and Rutland, Age Concern Kingston Upon Thames, Age UK Lancashire and Age UK Oxfordshire) who will be looking for volunteers to offer relevant services to carers and their loved ones. Volunteers will either provide support themselves or signpost the carers to a local Age UK or practical services such as:

  • shopping
  • gardening
  • food delivery
  • benefits advice

Volunteers will also arrange or provide emotional support to older carers such as:

  • advocacy services
  • counselling
  • bereavement services
  • befriending
  • spiritual assistance 

Case study: Mabel's story

Mabel is 70 years old and cares for her husband who was given 18 months to live, two years ago. Robert has cancer and frequent heart attacks. They go to hospital everyday, where he receives chemotherapy.

Mabel had stress-related ailments including severe headaches and panic attacks. Age UK helps Mabel have time on her own, which she calls her ‘pampering’ and has provided further services such as shopping.

The Age UK volunteer has personal and phone contact with Mabel, who values the emotional support through these regular chats. Mabel feels her headaches have lessened and she is having fewer panic attacks. She also looks forward to her time with the Age UK volunteer and feels confident that if and when she needs more help she knows where to turn.

For more information, contact services@ageuk.org.uk

For general information on looking after someone approaching the end of life visit the opens link in new window Dying Matters website.

Your Age UK

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Age UK Advice:
0800 169 6565

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Useful download

  • Download our Services for Later Life 2012 programme and booking form:
    opens link in new window Services for Later Life conference and booking form PDF (314 KB)
    Help with downloads

    Downloads

    What is a download?

    A download is a document (like a research report, a leaflet, or an application form) that can be transferred from our website to your computer. You can download a file, view it on your screen, print it, or save it to your computer.

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    PDF stands for ‘portable document format’.

    Most downloads on this website are PDFs. We use this format to ensure that the document looks the same on everyone’s computer (website pages, by contrast, appear differently depending on how people have set their computer up).

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    How do I install Adobe Acrobat Reader?

    The process is quite straightforward and is free.

    1. Go to opens link in new window http://get.adobe.com/uk/reader/
    2. Click ‘Download’.
    3. Wait for the window to offer you the option to ‘Run’, then choose this option.
    4. Click ‘Next’.
    5. Click ‘Install’
    6. Wait for the window to offer you the option to ‘Finish’, then choose this option.

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    You can convert a PDF document into a text file for use with other software and hardware such as Braille printers by opening the PDF and choosing ‘Save as text’ from the File menu.

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