English

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.

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. 

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. 

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.

Objective: When it comes to dementia, caregiving can have adverse effects on the psychological and physical health of the informal caregiver. As yet, little is known about the impact of caring for a young dementia patient. This review provides an overview of the literature concerning the impact of early onset dementia (EOD) on informal caregivers and on children of EOD patients. The available literature comparing the impact on EOD and late onset dementia (LOD) caregivers will also be provided.

This guideline covers preventing, diagnosing, assessing and managing dementia in health and social care, and includes recommendations on Alzheimer’s disease. It aims to improve care for people with dementia by promoting accurate diagnosis and the most effective interventions, and improving the organisation of services.

This literature review is concerned with the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of support and services to informal carers of older people in England and Wales. It has been undertaken by the Personal Social Services Research Unit at the request of the Audit Commission (the Commission). The review is divided into three parts. It begins with an introduction summarising key issues that need to be considered when looking at the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of services for informal carers.

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of an education programme for patients and carers recovering from stroke. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Subjects and setting: One hundred and seventy patients admitted to a stroke rehabilitation unit and 97 carers of these patients. Interventions: The intervention group received a specifically designed stroke information manual and were invited to attend education meetings every two weeks with members of their multidisciplinary team.