After some treatments (though not normally hormonal therapy and bisphosphonates) you will need time to recover and much of this may be at home. You may be a very independent person and not want people around to look after you; but at the same time, for a while, you may not be able to do all the things you would usually do in your home.

For many women, the people who help most are family, friends and neighbours. Having them to help with practical tasks as well as support you emotionally can speed up your recovery. However, resting at home can be difficult, especially if you have a young family who may not fully understand the situation. It may also be hard to ignore the housework.

Don't feel embarrassed about accepting offers of help or even asking people to help. Friends and neighbours sometimes prefer to be asked to help in a specific way − getting some groceries or doing the vacuuming.

If you live alone, home-help and meals-on-wheels may be able to help you. They can be arranged through a social worker, your GP or your palliative care nurse (sometimes called a Macmillan nurse). If you have been assessed as having a need for social services, you may be entitled to get direct payments from your local authority. This means that you are given payments to organise social services yourself, rather than the local social services organising and paying for them.

You can get information about direct payments from the Department of Health website at www.dh.gov.uk or from your local social security office. If you are not eligible, it may be an idea to pay someone for a few hours each week to help with heavier tasks like shopping and cleaning.

In some parts of the country there are local authorities and services available to help out in the home, particularly if you live alone or have young children. The social workers in your area will be the best source of advice about what is available locally. A social worker will also be the best person to help if you need financial advice. Many support groups offer practical help – we can give you details of those in your area. Your local Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) can give advice on sources of practical and financial support.

Hospices provide day care services for people with cancer and can often give short-term care or respite care, as well as care for people in the last few weeks of their life.

Hospices specialise in the control of pain and other symptoms and in supporting the person with cancer and their family. People can go into a hospice for a short time to have any pain or other symptoms controlled before going home again. Hospices are not just places where people go to die, although many people think that this is the case.

Many hospices are purpose-built in pleasant grounds and are designed to be attractive and comfortable. Many have kitchens, sitting rooms and accommodation for relatives. Activities are provided for people who are well enough to take part. They are smaller and quieter than hospitals and work at a gentler pace.

Accommodation and care in a hospice is always free of charge. Some are set up by the NHS and others are funded by charities. Sometimes there is a waiting list, but this is not usually longer than a few weeks. Many hospices also have nurses who go out to visit people in their own homes, and day care centres for people who are living at home.

Whether you have been in hospital or not, you may benefit from a visit from a district nurse, a palliative care or Marie Curie nurse, or a hospice nurse. The hospital nurses or your GP can make the arrangements for you. It is also possible to have a private nurse at home, but this can be expensive. Nursing agencies are listed in your local phone book.

Our section on caring for someone with advanced cancer gives more information on services available to support you.