A carer is pampered with a relaxing manicure
Federation and partners launch Carers' services in South Manchester
13-Apr-2010Jewish people living in South Manchester and caring for a family member or friend can now take advantage of a new support service.
The Federation of Jewish Services is working in partnership with Chai Cancer Care and The Morris Feinmann Home to ensure that members of the community South of the city, who look after someone with a disability or illness, will receive advice and support to help them cope with what is often a stressful and isolating role.
On Tuesday 9th March the trio of charities held a “Friends & Family Feel Good Day” at The Morris Feinmann Home, when unpaid carers were treated to a day of pampering; including manicures, reflexology, Indian head massage, head & neck massage, flower arranging and a sit down hot lunch. The event also had the important purpose of allowing carers an opportunity to voice their opinion about the support they feel Jewish carers need in South Manchester, and in this way to help shape the future of carers’ support services.
Additionally the Feel Good Day helped to create awareness in the community of what it means to be a carer. Johanne Harrison who is the Federation of Jewish Services’ senior carers’ advice worker explained,
“Having appropriate services in place to support carers is only half the battle. First of all we have to make people realise that they are in fact classed as “carers”. There are lots of people out there who don’t realise that they have certain entitlements – to benefits, to employment rights, to grants, to support services for example – by virtue of the fact that they are responsible for looking after another person who couldn’t manage without them. They tend to think – it’s my job..I’m his wife, I’m her son, I’m her Mum….they don’t think they are also that person’s carer…and as a result they can miss out on so many things which could make their life much easier.”