Fair Havens Hospice in Southend marked this year’s Carers Week by recognising the people who care for those it supports — and giving them the chance to find out more about the support available to them.

Carers Week is a national campaign recognising the millions of people across the UK who provide unpaid care for a family member or friend. This year’s theme, Creating Carer Friendly Communities, asked organisations and services to consider what more they can do to support carers in their everyday lives — something the Fair Havens Wellbeing Team has been doing for a number of years.

While it’s well known for its care of adults living with incurable conditions, the hospice recognises that serious illness doesn’t only affect the person who is unwell. It affects the people who love them too — the family member attending every appointment, managing the medication and sitting with someone through the hardest of times.

The Fair Havens’ Wellbeing Team has spent the past three years developing support that recognises this — working directly with carers to understand their needs and offering a range of services in response. This has included a dedicated Carers Support Group offering emotional, practical and social support, access to complementary therapies and creative wellbeing activities, one-to-one help from the hospice’s Social Worker and Family Support Worker, and regular outreach visits to carers who are unable to come to the hospice in person.

Beatrice Alberts, Social Worker, and Blessing Mlandeli, Family Support Worker at Fair Havens Hospice, say, “When someone you love has an incurable condition, the focus naturally falls on them. But caring for someone can take a real toll on the person looking after them, and carers often put their own needs last. That’s why Fair Havens is here for them too — offering the emotional and practical support they need, when they need it.”

During Carers Week itself, the team brought carers together for a programme of information, support and wellbeing activities. This included relaxation and creative sessions, a chance to speak with professionals from local services, including Community Palliative Care Nurses, Advocacy Services, Healthwatch, and the NHS Carers Crisis Team, and a complimentary meal at the Fair Havens Bistro. Fair Havens’ Social Worker and Family Support Worker were also available throughout the week for informal conversations, and outreach visits continued for carers in the community who weren’t able to attend.

Find out more about Fair Havens and the care provided.

Published 6th July