Advice from other carers

Hear from other carers on Healthtalkonline

Marie Curie Cancer Care has awarded funding to a research project by the Health Experiences Research Group at the University of Oxford/DIPEx.

The aim of the project is to improve understanding of lay carers’ experiences providing end of life care in the community, and offer an online resource to help other carers with or without professional input.

People from across the UK were interviewed about their experiences of caring for someone with a life-limiting illness in the context of their family, work and social lives.

You can listen to some of the experiences of carers below. To hear the experiences of other carers, visit the Healthtalkonline website.

Introduction by Edwina Currie
Marie Curie Cancer Care ambassador Edwina Currie introduces the project and talks about her husband’s experience as a carer.

On planning for deterioration and death

Dick and Di planned a formal, ritual goodbye, so they would not have any last minute awkwardness with a long drawn out goodbye.

On dying

Sarah remembers her mother’s death at home as very peaceful and very natural, with her family around her.

On advice to other carers

Katie wishes her sister-in-law had made use of the hospice services earlier on, but Sarah had not wanted to admit that she was dying.

The person who does the caring needs support as well. Poppy was lucky to have friends and family as her support system.

On the end of a loved one’s life

When Pat said she wanted to come home Keith didn’t hesitate. Pat was a home bird and coming home raised her spirits.

Saba’s mother chose to go to a hospice where she had received good care before. Saba was relieved and thinks her mother would have felt it was like ‘she was going home’.