Alison's story: the difference a hand massage can make

Alison's story: the difference a hand massage can make

Alison cares for her elderly parents, one of whom has recently been diagnosed with cancer. Alongside her caring responsibilities, she works full-time as a hairdresser, balancing the demands of her job with regularly helping her parents with shopping, medication and household tasks. Although Alison feels she is managing well at present, she spends time with her parents most days and recognises that their needs may increase in the future.

Following a discussion with their social worker, Alison was encouraged to contact her local carers' centre to learn more about the support available to unpaid carers.

"I can cope pretty well with the responsibilities just now and with working. I know that this might change, so I reached out to the local carers' centre and they talked me through various areas of support, which was really helpful."

During her conversations with the carers' centre, Alison learned about the range of services and opportunities available to unpaid carers. While she did not feel she needed financial support or a grant at that point, staff spoke to her about the importance of looking after her own wellbeing and making time for herself alongside her caring responsibilities. To encourage Alison to take a small but meaningful break, the carers' centre provided vouchers that could be used with a local therapist for hand massage treatments.

"It was such a thoughtful gesture to receive these vouchers that I could take to the local therapist and use for hand massages. They were amazing. I'm a hairdresser, so my hands are my tools, but they can get sore sometimes too. These small gestures of support were a real treat for me."

The vouchers provided more than simply a relaxing experience. They reminded Alison that her own wellbeing matters and that taking time for herself is an important part of maintaining her ability to care for others. Most importantly, the support helped Alison build a trusted relationship with the carers' centre. Knowing that help is available when she needs it has given her confidence for the future as her parents' circumstances change.

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