Government policy recognises the need to support caregivers in the community to ease the burden of caring. It encourages primary healthcare workers to explore the specific care needs of informal caregivers as part of the patient’s package of care. Nursing interventions that assess and evaluate carers’ needs can ensure that family caregivers are offered support. This article uses the example of caring for family members with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to examine the burden of caring, its assessment and how nurses can sensitively handle issues raised.