Different ways of caring

Caring means different things for every carer. What it involves will vary according to the needs of the person you are caring for and what you are able to do.

Caring can mean:

• being a listening ear, someone they can bounce ideas off, or a shoulder to cry on
• giving physical nursing care, with or without support from professionals
• helping with personal care
• helping to find other sources of information or support
• providing transport
• offering a source of social contact, helping to prevent the person who is ill feeling isolated
• helping with everyday chores, or arranging things, like a child’s birthday party or the car being serviced
• helping the person who is ill to take a break when treatment permits, to maintain some of the ‘fun’ things in life.

It’s important to understand the needs of the person, and to find a good balance between what you think is right for them and what they want.

You should also try to be aware of the limitations of what you can and can’t do.

Remember that you don’t have to do everything yourself. There’s lots of help and support available.