What a carer does

Depending on the type and severity of their condition, people with arthritis can have a very broad range of medical, personal and emotional needs. So caring for them can be an equally varied and demanding job.

As a carer you could find yourself doing some or all of the following tasks:

• basic help: with everyday jobs such as opening jars; shopping, cooking and cleaning
• personal care: helping with more intimate tasks such as getting out of bed, washing, dressing and eating
• everyday admin: including paying bills, responding to letters and helping the person with arthritis take care of their finances
• helping someone get the most from their healthcare: going with them to their GP or hospital appointments; discussing the questions they want to ask beforehand; and taking notes during the consultation
• finding out about equipment and adaptations: such as walking frames; raised toilet seats; lightweight, easy-grip kitchen utensils; grabbers and reachers
• taking on the ‘system’: making sure you both get the support you are entitled to by law, for instance a health and social care assessment or the benefits you and the person you care for could be eligible for. This is often referred to as advocacy
• managing medications: perhaps collecting prescriptions and making it easier for the person with arthritis to get into a good routine with their medicines
• being a friend: just being there to listen and to talk to can be a lifeline for someone who finds it hard to get out and socialise because of their arthritis, or because they lack confidence or feel depressed
• being a motivator: helping the person you care for think about what they want from life and how they can get it. This could mean finding out about the huge range of practical and emotional support, often offered by people who have arthritis themselves, for instance through the free and confidential Arthritis Care helpline and our self-management programmes
  

Caring not controlling

One thing unites this long list of roles: they are all about helping someone with arthritis to be as independent and in control of their own lives as possible.

As a carer you may well be overworked, tired and frustrated, and the temptation to take over and make decisions for the person with arthritis, rather than with them, can be a real and damaging one for you both.

That’s what makes your job as carer even more challenging, and makes getting the right support even more important.