A helping hand for carers

1:29pm Tuesday 25th March 2008

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Caring for a loved-one is often something we do without thinking.

But for some people the need to look after a family member is a responsibility that cannot be carried alone and a problem which more often than not goes unrecognised.

Help is at hand thanks to Hertsmere Crossroads, based in Studio Way, Borehamwood, which aims to ease the pressure placed on carers.

A nationwide organisation, Crossroads was set up in 1974 after a disabled man wrote to broadcasters ATV to make a complaint.

Crossroads, the soap opera, had incorrectly portrayed the needs of someone with a disability and its makers subsequently donated £10,000 to set up the charity, which now receives a small amount of Government funding.

A branch of the caring for carers' group was established in Borehamwood 26 years later. Now more than 200 homes are visited by trained support workers who offer respite help to the family member acting as a carer, allowing them to have a good night's sleep or the opportunity to catch up with the routine chores of daily life.

The paid support worker carries out all the tasks usually taken on by the carer: offering help with personal care, feeding, washing, dressing, giving of medication and assistance with household tasks.

Leon McAuliffe, 74, cares for his wife, Patricia, 69, who suffers from Parkinson's disease.

The couple have been married for more than 50 years, but have recently moved home in order to make life more comfortable.

Before Crossroads came to Mr McAuliffe's aid, he valiantly attempted to care for his wife on his own.

He said: "I was beginning to come apart at the seams. It's not only the nights when you have to get up three or four times, but then you start all over again in the morning. I was doing it all, but as she got worse, she wasn't able to stand up. It was all getting a bit too much."

Their GP put them in touch with Crossroads, which provided Mr McAuliffe with the crucial support he needed.

"It has transformed my life, and Patricia's," he said. "We can't do without it - she would probably have to go into a home."

Maggie Lopez, 39, has been working for the McAuliffes on a daily basis for the past nine months.

The daughter of a nurse, she decided on a change of career, leaving recruitment to study social care through the Open University.

Crossroads believes in the importance of building up a relationship between its staff and the family carers it supports.

Ms Lopez said: "I see the same five clients every day. That relationship is important because they have to trust you. It's not easy to have someone else come in and do what we do. They need to build a trust.

"Some clients do have friends and family that help. I think it puts the family member at ease knowing there is a professional trained to do this job, they don't have to worry.

"It's rewarding, you get to help people and put a smile on their face."

A wealth of free support services are also offered by Crossroads.

On the first Wednesday of every month, carers can chat together about the difficulties they face and get advice from the charity's staff.

Barbara Kennedy, Hertsmere Crossroads' chief executive, said: "People have no idea of the impact of suddenly being responsible for somebody else's welfare 24/7. As a family carer, this is not a job you have applied for, there's no salary attached, no holidays, no time off. It's a 24-hour commitment."

A support group for ex-carers who have lost the person they were caring for runs on the last Wednesday of each month. There is also a dedicated member of staff who helps carers facing particular stress.

"We offer them advice, arrange a visit if necessary and give them a little bit of time to offload any stresses or worries that they have," said Mrs Kennedy. "It has proven very popular."

u Crossroads can be contacted about its events and services by calling 020 8905 1158 or emailing hertsmere crossroads@hotmail.com