Getting old affects us all eventually, but for some people looking after the elderly and infirm is a daily struggle. Jospephine Woode caught up with Lyn Hammond, the woman who has been given the task of making social care a daily joy.

The morale of carers in Hounslow will be boosted by Lyn's appointment, which sees her become the borough's first carer's rights worker.

The new recruit will be on hand with advice for new and current carers to explain the sort of financial support they can receive to help them.

With years of experience working with deaf people, refugees and even in the prison service, how difficult will it be to work her magic with the thousands of people needing her help in Hounslow?

She said: "A big problem is that carers can become socially isolated while they look after family or friends and this can have an serious impact on their own health and well being. My job is to step in and help them maximise the benefits they are entitled to and support them. We can't change people's problems but if you make it easier for them then that is a good accomplishment."

Working from her base in Hounslow Lyn works on a 36 hour flexible week, which means she can visit those in need of her help without the 9 to 5 constraints.

The Crossroads Care Scheme centre, in New Heston Road offers two services, the core service and the palliative care service.

The core service is where a staff member visits the home of a carer on a weekly basis to spend time with the individual by playing games, reading books, and generally takes the burden off the carers shoulders while they have a well-earned break.

The second service run by the centre - the palliative care service is for people with a terminal illness, who receive visits from a staff member with specialist training.

Before her appointment as carer's right worker, Lyn became inspired to learn sign language after meeting a friend of her daughter who was deaf. Over the next eight years, she added yet another string to her bow by undertaking a number of college courses in sign and deaf awareness. And this is where her career helping individuals in the community first started.

Lyn has also worked as a senior direct payments advisor, assessing the needs of the disabled and race relations in disability management at the detention and immigration centre. In her role at the prison she was also tasked with helping Kosovan refugees.

Lyn said: "I see my career as a stepping stone as once you step onto the first one, it quite often opens up another avenue. I enjoy helping others and can see why carers do not bother applying for the benefits available such as the carer's allowance and the disability living allowance, because they are so busy and isolated looking after a loved one.

"A typical scenario is that if a carer has endured a sleepless night looking after an individual, I am here to step in and say are you aware you are entitled to certain benefits? Here's the number you need to call to claim them.' "Another aspect of my job is suggesting to carers that they can work a flexible week, to enable them to attend doctor's appointments or visit the hairdressers. These are just some of the things which should be in place for carers."

The 50-year-old Bedfont resident was born in Cranford and has two daughters, Natalie, 21, and 18-year-old Victoria.

The 2001 Census indicated there were 18,291 carers in Hounslow. Of those, 3,583 spent 50 hours or more caring each week.

Lyn said: "They are valuable people who carry out a marvellous task in this country. They don't get a choice, they don't get training, they don't get paid. They do that role because they love and care for that individual.

As a consequence, they become invisible people', they put the needs of other people ahead of their own role. I think the caring role doesn't necessarily get easier, as a disabled child will become heavier and an older person will become less able to do things.

"While a carer lift's an individual, their body will undergo wear and tear in the process. It is a valuable role which often gets taken for granted."

On her hopes for the future, Lyn added: "My aim is to develop a strong structure for carers by identifying the people who are carers in the borough and offering them any help and advice I can.

For more information on benefits advice, supports groups and carer's assessments, call Lyn Hammond at Hounslow Crossroads on 020 8570 6963.