New support programme for carers

[HarrietD]

We've had the below message from the charity RSAS (Royal Surgical Aid Society). If this is something that interests you and you're able to take part, please consider getting in touch

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Are you a family member supporting someone with dementia?

Would you benefit from taking a break to learn more about dementia and develop your caring skills?

If yes, then RSAS would love to talk to you.

RSAS is looking for family members who support a relative living with dementia to take part in a new three-day residential support programme.

The programme aims to enhance your understanding of dementia and build on your skills and confidence in caring. We will work with you to unlock your own strengths and potential for a better future for yourself and the person you are supporting. Our courses have been developed in partnership with family carers and are led by skilled, compassionate and highly experienced experts in dementia care.

These free-of-charge courses are being held in hotels in Solihull, Birmingham and Wiltshire from November 2017 to April 2018.

RSAS is a long-established charity that is now focusing on supporting family carers of people with dementia.

For more information, please visit the website www.thersas.org.uk/support or email support@thersas.org.uk

 

[Agzy]

We've had the below message from the charity RSAS (Royal Surgical Aid Society). If this is something that interests you and you're able to take part, please consider getting in touch

*

Are you a family member supporting someone with dementia?

Would you benefit from taking a break to learn more about dementia and develop your caring skills?

If yes, then RSAS would love to talk to you.

RSAS is looking for family members who support a relative living with dementia to take part in a new three-day residential support programme.

The programme aims to enhance your understanding of dementia and build on your skills and confidence in caring. We will work with you to unlock your own strengths and potential for a better future for yourself and the person you are supporting. Our courses have been developed in partnership with family carers and are led by skilled, compassionate and highly experienced experts in dementia care.

These free-of-charge courses are being held in hotels in Solihull, Birmingham and Wiltshire from November 2017 to April 2018.

RSAS is a long-established charity that is now focusing on supporting family carers of people with dementia.

For more information, please visit the website www.thersas.org.uk/support or email support@thersas.org.uk

Would love to attend this as local society can’t afford to run courses any longer but at that time next year we will be away on holiday. Such a shame but thank you.

 

[HarrietD]

Thanks for letting me know, Agzy. Sorry to hear that you can't make it this time - hopefully there will be more opportunities in the future.

 

[Spamar]

And what happens to the PWD ?

 

[HarrietD]

Hi Spamar, if you email support@thersas.org.uk they should be able to give you more information about the arrangements that can be made so that carers can attend. In the future, they're hoping to offer programmes for both carers and the person they are caring for.

 

[Shedrech]

I did contact them to ask about respite arrangements and funding and whether they could help - in short the answer is no
I received a lovely e-mail in response, I hope they don't mind me sharing it:-

Thank you for your email and interest in our 3-day Carer Support Programme.
As you may know, the programme is designed for family carers of people with dementia, and the majority of people who have registered to attend so far are caring for one or more family member living at home.
You may have already seen this but Information about the programme is available on our website - please see here:
http://www.thersas.org.uk/carer-support-programmes/
We are running a number of programmes in different locations during the period November 2017 to April 2018 with more to follow during 2018/19. These are pilots and we are asking carers who attend to help us improve and develop the programmes for future carers by providing us with feedback and information before, during and after the programmes. The first phase of programmes are free but we anticipate that there will be charge for attendees at some point in the future.
We do our best to accommodate preferences for dates and venue and, at the same time, we are trying to group carers who are facing similar challenges together. So, for example, carers who are spouses/partners might form one group and carers who are adult children might form another.
In answer to your question about whether we can help with organising and paying for the respite stay that would probably be necessary for the person the carer is caring for, the answer is sadly no. I am sure you won’t be surprised to know that we have had quite a few enquiries so far asking the same question. We will be offering some programmes next year to which the carer and the family member being cared for can attend together. However, I appreciate that this may not be attractive or feasible for some carers.
For the longer term, we will be looking for avenues of funding to support carers to attend our programmes and lobbying for carers’ needs to be better understood and met. I appreciate that this does not solve the problem in the here and now for your friend and many other carers in a similar situation.
If your friend would like to get in touch, we will be happy to keep their details and notify them about the carer/cared for programmes when these become available.
You also mention that you cared for your dad in the early days and that he is now living in a care home. We are also considering designing a programme for family members of people with dementia who are living in care homes as it seems there are a some common issues for families in this situation.

 

[HarrietD]

Thanks for looking into this and for sharing the response @Shedrech

 

[HarrietD]

RSAS have been in touch to say that their next Young Onset Dementia Carers Support Programme will be at St Johns Hotel, Solihull between 27 - 29 April 2018.

All information about our upcoming programmes and further information about the charity can be found on their website here: http://www.thersas.org.uk/carer-support-programmes/