Training

Reports on what the proposed legislation Carers (Equal Opportunities) Bill, will mean for the provision of services to carers. It aims to provide carers who end their caring role with information on opportunities for education, training and employment.

This article describes a caregiver education program that includes both family and professional caregiver issues developed by the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Human Development in the United States. In the program there are modules designed too bring professional and family caregivers together for a better appreciation of collaboration and teamwork; discussions of the meaning of caregiving; a module looking at how well carers are looking after themselves; modules focusing on building collaborative relationships with other caregivers; problem solving; and accessing resources.

The title introduces care workers to dementia and aims to: Develop an understanding of the condition and how it affects the person; Explore myths and stereotypes and consider how these can influence the quality of care given; Introduce the person-centred qualities that a skilled carer would reflect in their day-to-day practice Show how person-centred values and modified techniques can improve carers’ ability to provide responsive and supportive dementia care.

Background: Nonpharmacologic strategies to manage dementia-related behavioral symptoms depend upon caregiver implementation. Caregivers may vary in readiness to use strategies. We examined characteristics associated with readiness, extent readiness changed during intervention, and predictors of change in readiness.

The Caring with Confidence scheme, launched in April 2009, is described. The scheme had been designed to improve support for carers in England over 18 by equipping them with skills to help them in their role. The scheme operates group sessions and online interactive sessions on subjects such as the emotions involved in caring for someone and how to develop coping strategies.

The author examines how a government-backed scheme is helping to give carers the skills to sustain them in their roles.

Little is known about those employed to support family carers of disabled people or those with longterm care needs. The term ‘carer’ is used in England to refer to family members and others who provide unpaid regular and substantial support to adults with disabilities, including older people and others unable to live independently. Among the wider social care workforce some staff are employed to provide support for these carers, but little is known about the composition and characteristics of this group of staff.

Background Menstruation has been shown to be problematic for many women with intellectual disabilities. There has been a greater focus on menstrual suppression or elimination than on help and training to manage menstrual care successfully. Method A cross‐sectional questionnaire survey was conducted in England to investigate the help and training currently given to women with intellectual disabilities. Results Twenty‐nine percent of the women had never been given the opportunity to learn how to manage their own menstrual care.