Carers and Family Members

We know that neurological conditions don’t just affect the person living with it; it affects the whole family too.  It is important that loved ones are also given the support they need to adjust to life living with and caring for someone with MS, Parkinson’s or who has experienced a stroke. You may not consider yourself as a carer, but simply as a husband, wife, child, parent or close friend.  You may not be paid for it, but giving regular support to someone, enables you to have support from the Centre as well.

As a family member or close friend, your wellbeing is just as important, especially if your loved one relies on you for their regular care.  That’s why we offer many of our services to you as well. Since the pandemic began, this is even more important, especially if you have been with them for all of these months with no break or much outside help.

As a Carer Member we can offer you:

Therapeutic Leisure

The Chilterns MS Centre hosts two art groups, the first on alternate Tuesdays (1-3pm) and the other on alternate Wednesdays (10am-12pm). We have a social group which meets on alternate Wednesdays from 10am-12pm and for the more active we have a Boccia group which runs on a Thursday from 12.30-4pm. All of these groups are held at the Centre. We also have a book club that meets once a month on Zoom, usually on a Friday afternoon.

Carers’ Workshops

The Centre runs a series of free workshops on a monthly basis specifically for carers and family members. The workshops will be informal, with time for tea and coffee and a chat, before a half hour presentation and question and answer session. The workshops will be as interactive as possible. You can find further information on each of the upcoming workshops by visiting our events page.

Therapies

Counselling

There is a qualified counsellor available at the Chilterns MS Centre. Counselling is a talking therapy that involves a qualified therapist listening to you and helping you find ways to deal with emotional issues.

Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy

There are several qualified Physiotherapists working at Chilterns MS Centre. Musculoskeletal physiotherapy is a combination of techniques and strategies to help restore movement and function. Techniques include teaching exercises, practising particular movements, and finding alternative ways of accomplishing a task. This form of physiotherapy is particularly helpful for sports injuries and muscle sprains.

Complementary Therapies

Complementary therapies offer a different approach to conventional or mainstream medicine. They include therapies that aren’t usually part of conventional medical care, such as yoga and acupuncture.

There are several complementary therapies available at Chilterns MS Centre. These include:

• Full body massage
• Indian Head massage
• Acupuncture
• Yoga
• Pilates
• Exercise classes

Buddy Scheme

The Buddy Scheme is designed to support carers on a 1 to 1 basis, providing a listening ear and helping the carer to set small goals that will help them feel less isolated, have more social contact, increase their confidence and knowledge about available support. The scheme offers the opportunity to be matched with another carer or volunteer for a regular chat over the phone

Please contact Cathy Garner, Family Support and Volunteer Co-ordinator, for further information or to book any of the therapies or social events. Cathy can be contacted by emailing CathyGarner@chilternsneurocentre.org or by phoning 01296 696133.

How to become a member

Family and carers can become members without the need for a referral, at any time, even if the person with MS is not a member.

You are more than welcome to chat with us about what we offer – simply call us or complete the Call-Back request form on this page.

Membership is just £25 per year.

Whilst we don’t make an additional charge for any of our treatments, classes or workshops, we do encourage people to make a regular donation if they can.  Receiving these treatments privately would be very costly, but asking for donations enables everyone to have access to the treatment and support they need.

Upcoming Events

Click the link to find Carer’s Workshop Events

Members Stories