Course for Carers

Sam and Kerry

Being a carer for someone you love can be very demanding: emotionally, physically and mentally with highs and lows that often requires resilience, strength, huge amounts of patience and a good sense of humour!

Whether you are new to caring or already have some years of experience in the role, this course recognises that being a carer is a skilled and valuable role and aims to empower you with knowledge and skills that will help you to confidently support yourself and the person you care for.

This is a four-week course open to all adults who provide informal (unpaid) care to adults accessing ELFT Mental Health Services.

SYLLABUS

Week One: Carers Rights

· Duration: 2 hours

· Description: Week one will offer carers a brief look back at the fascinating history of Carers in the UK. How have attitudes to carers developed over time? How has this translated into carers rights and entitlements now.

· Learning Objectives:

o Attendees will be aware of the ‘carers movement’ and what steps have been taken in the campaign for the rights carers now have and that this work continues.

o They will be aware of the legal duties the local authority has to carers

o They will be aware of how those legal duties are delivered in Hackney.

Week Two: Diagnosis

· Duration: 2 hours

· Description: Week two will provide attendees with an understanding of how Mental Health conditions can develop and the impact that Mental Health conditions have on the person’s body and their behaviour.

· Learning objectives:

o Attendees will have an understanding of the physical impact of Mental Health conditions on the brain and the body.

o Attendees will explore the ‘Stress-vulnerability model’ and psychoeducation to gain insight into why some people develop Mental Health conditions.

o Attendees will be provided with information about some of the common symptoms of mental health conditions.

o Attendees will understand the impact and importance of treatment and medication.

o Attendees will understand that although there are some common identifying factors, everyone is unique and will experience Mental Health conditions differently.

Week Three: Communication

· Duration: 2 hours

· Description: Communicating with the person carers care for can sometimes be challenging. Week three will provide carers with an understanding of why communication can be difficult, techniques to use when communicating with the person they care for and how to create healthy boundaries.

· Learning Objectives:

o Recognise how Mental Health impact on communication and household dynamics.

o Learn skills and strategies to effectively communicate with the person you care for.

o Explore how and when to set healthy boundaries in service of your health and wellbeing with practices you can incorporate right away.

Week Four: Hope and support

· Duration: 2 hours

· Description: Week four will focus on the many ways in which carers can manage challenges and maintain hope. Guests will join the group to share positive stories and support plans the developed that help them achieve their goals and be ambitious for the future. Week four will also be a place to reflect on areas of caring. When developing this course, carers themselves have requested we cover.

· Learning Objectives:

o An understanding of how important it is to maintain a sense of hope for themselves and the person they care for.

o To gain an understanding of what support is available to them, the Triangle of Care, and how to develop a person centred support plan.

o Address gaps that they raise which can help their wider understanding of being an informal care