carers

Seeks views on a new strategy for carers that will set out how more can be done to support them:

Shared Lives schemes are increasingly being used to support people with dementia and they are providing cheaper than alternative forms of help, reports Natlie Valios. 

Behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are common and problematic in clinical practice and represent a significant part of the day-to-day workload of the old age psychiatry team in hospital, institution and community settings. Improving recognition and management of BPSD can have a positive impact on the quality of life of patients and their carers and potentially delay the transition from home to institutional care.

Carers play a central role in many healthcare users' lives. Although services are recognising that they must be valued and supported, there is much more to be done to ensure this unpaid workforce's wellbeing, reports Jennifer Taylor. 

This study reports on the experiences of 25 family carers of the hospital discharge planning process for their family member with a dementia. Analysis of the data indicates that the needs of family carers were not always addressed in the hospital discharge process and that discharge planning and execution is in need of improvement.

Drawing on the case of a women who was brain injured following a traffic accident being cared for by her husband, this article highlights why it is important that social workers listen to carers when assessing caring situations. Carers need social workers who can listen to them and can learn from them.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to assess the impact of a mental health carers’ research reference group on mental health research in the Heart of England region. Design/methodology/approach: The methodology was a co-produced participatory evaluation, and the research was co-produced by the group. The design involved a literature review of carers’ involvement in UK mental health research, and collection of secondary data (group records) and primary data from researchers, group members, and facilitators. Analysis was initially thematic, then synthesised.

As part of its National Strategy for Carers, the Government developed and approved in 2000 a set of fixed quality standards for local services to support carers - family and friends looking after those who are sick, disabled, vulnerable or frail. How Good is Your Service to Carers? is designed to help individuals, local groups and service organisations assess how well they meet these quality standards, which cover: information, providing a break; emotional support; support to care for and maintain the carer's own health; having a voice.