Carers

The National Strategy for Carers has raised the profile of carers needs, but does social services really treat carers as co-workers. The article looks at the impact of other initiatives, such as a Welfare to Work, and the way in which policy and practice may affect attitudes to carers.

This resource is aimed at both care providers and carers focusing on the key messages from the dementia quality standard and explaining how each quality statement relates to each audience. It provides links to key resources, further information, and practical tools which are relative to carers and care providers as appropriate. Drawing on existing guidance, NICE quality standards describe the high priority areas for quality improvement using a set of specific, concise and measurable statements.

'Family care gap' requires rethink of how social care for older people is delivered, says Institute for Public Policy Research. [Journal abstract]

Presents an easy read guide to obtaining direct payments and choosing a carer. A Direct Payment is a cash payment from a Local Authority, to enable people to purchase their own services. The power to make Direct Payments is given to Local Authorities under the Community Care (Direct Payments) Act 1996, which came into force on the 1st April 1997. Guidance to accompany the Act specifically included people with a learning disability.

The Executive commissioned this report in recognition of the contribution which unpaid carers make to the provision and quality of care in Scotland. Unpaid care is likely to grow in importance as people live longer and receive more care at home. The study was commissioned to help the Executive  consider the main factors which need to shape the development and funding of services so that they can best support the contribution of unpaid carers over the next 10 years.

In Bath and North East Somerset, Dementia Support Workers help people with dementia and their carers to live well by providing personalised support and advice. The video describes the benefits of what they do and how their work integrates with other local services.

In this film academics, policy makers, service users and carers describe their hopes for the future development of user and carer participation in social work education in this film. This includes developing further ways for users and carers to participate in the degree and ensuring there is consistency in participation across all higher education institutions. The film will be of potential interest to social worker educators, students on social work courses, people working more broadly in co-production/participation and service users and carers.

This updated briefing looks at benefit changes that can make it easier for service users and carers to get involved in paid participation for social care consultations and events. It includes details of changes to simplify the process secured through legislation in 2009 and further legislative changes in 2013 and 2014.

In this video we meet Jim and Janet Swift, both keen travellers until Janet was diagnosed with dementia at the age of 58. Jim’s account of their experience illustrates the widespread effect of a very rapid deterioration, and explores the sense of loss and loneliness that can be part of the caring role. His account also highlights the need for skilled, experienced support for carers – in this case provided by an Admiral Nurse – together with access to regular breaks from the caring role.