Through July Good Care Month is aimed at those who work tirelessly as paid or unpaid carers. Celebrating and promoting the great work that they do. To engage and inspire others to enter the profession and continue the great work already being done in all types of settings, groups of people and with a full range of LTHCs, disabilities and age related deterioration in health. With the impact of the COVID pandemic and the increase in life expectancies, there is more pressure than ever on carers in both paid and unpaid care related roles.*
Part One - Good Care Month
In Part One we focus on what the month is all about and celebrating the carers who make life so much more for-filling and meaningful. Looking at;
Types Of Carers
Being/Becoming A Carer
Being Cared For & The Need For Emotional Support
Emotional Support For Carers
Part Two - A focus on the Emotional Support Options for Carers and those being cared for.
Looking at the emotional support for carers and those being cared for with particular attention to the additional effects of the pandemic. With support from Mental Health Charity mind, patient blogs and agency interventions.
Part Three - Self Care Mechanisms
What is self-care?
Why is it important?
How can we incorporate this into our everyday lives?
Glad to Care Awareness Week is a celebration of resilient care workers, following what has undeniably been a trying period for the industry. The aim is to show appreciation for the extraordinary contributions that carers make to the lives of recipients of care and reassure families currently looking for care, in turn, resulting in improving occupancy for care providers.
Types of Carers
In one family I can note myself as having a carer, I am a carer, I have a sibling who also has a family carer, a family member who had care support in assisted living, and a relative who relies on carers fours times a day and, another family member who has care support from a mixture of family and outside carers! The type of carers available is vast and perhaps often overlooked.
Most likely people will identify and recognise care workers in care homes and family carers looking after those with LTHCs and disabilities but the industry is vast, offering many opportunities for those needing care, working in care or wanting to work in care.
What Type Of Carer Are You?, by The Carers Outreach Centre highlights 13 different types of carers such as; carers from a distance, dementia Carers, a sandwich carer and parent carers. They also recognise that these are not an exhaustive list. The celebration of Good care month incorporates anyone in these roles, With the pandemic in full flow many additional carers have been required and the number is ever increasing. Coronavirus itself taking the lives of many carers selflessly continuing their crucial work, whilst others have been pushed away from jobs if they wish not to be vaccinated.
However, there are some amazing carers out there and these should be celebrated, regardless of what kind of care they provide and whether that is paid or unpaid. For those who have previously cared for a relative and perhaps through death or recovery are no longer needed those skills and compassion could be put to great use in a new role within the caring spectrum.
Being/Becoming A Carer
Some key characteristics of a great carer include; being respectful, empathetic, reliable, patient, bubbly, practical, observant and of course crucially caring! It also requires the ability to develop relationships not only with the person being cared for but the whole family with the person being cared for at the centre of it all.
Mind is quick to identify that there is a crucial role to play in helping others, family and friends but also looking after yourself as a carer. You can access that here. Something to consider.
Being Cared For & The Need For Emotional Support
Accepting help is very difficult and for many, a loss or grief may be felt for the life they once had before a diagnosis and there may be resistance to getting help. How To Persuade Someone To Accept Support produced by Home care UK. It looks at ways that focus the person on the research and facts of care that may be of concern. Addressing the benefit of a care assessment and allowing privacy to be considered within decision making to ensure the right kind of care is chosen. Of course, others may have been cared for throughout their lives and there are bound to be challenges that need to be addressed with age.
As a carer coming into a new environment you would need to be prepared for some resistance in the initial stages and be able to understand and respect the feelings and emotions of those you care for. There will certainly be a lot of variety and transferrable skills that could be learnt with the wide range of care opportunities available.
Emotional Support For Carers
Whatever kind of carer you are or decide to become, your needs for emotional support are extremely important. Developing relationships, interacting with others, witnessing distressing situations, entering people's private space, creating trust, friendships and, the potential change of a relationship when you become a family carer can have a significant impact on health and wellbeing. Although on the other hand, it can be a very for filling career. Making a real difference in people's lives.
There is also a great support package from Carers UK via the Activity Hub. There are some fantastic online exercise classes including some from Mr Motivator! Then you can explore activities that you can do alongside the person you are caring for and an exercise Activity Ideas Section. Really good ways to support your mental health. In
addition there is a specific section for Professionals which includes supporting carers at work, research, publications and a digital resource for carers.
So we conclude!
Elements of Acceptance, Support, and self-care are very important for all parties involved. From us here at Time To Heal we would like to thank you all! You are doing an amazing job, even if sometimes it may not feel like it, you are making a huge impact on the lives of those that you care for. The industry offers so much variety and options. So if it’s something that sounds like you good luck and thank you for trying!
*As you read our blogs please remember that we are all on the same pathways as you. Sometimes we find what we convey helpful but at other times we don’t. However, we include it because everyone's journey is different and we like to have this passionate perseverance to help others as much as possible. To dispose of it all would be a waste and a disservice to our readers.
Carers Out Reach - What Type Of Carer Are You?
Mind - Being A Carer
Homecare UK - Helping someone To Accept Support/Carers
Carers UK - Homepage
Carers UK - Activity Hub
Carers UK - Professionals