Caring With Confidence

Main Category: Caregivers / Homecare
Article Date: 05 Jun 2009 - 0:00 PDT

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South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (SEPT) is hosting an all day event for carers on Wednesday 10th June 2009. The event - You care We care - is taking place at the Towngate Theatre in Basildon and doors will open at 09:30.

The event will showcase the new Department of Health backed Caring with Confidence (CwC) Programme for carers, part of the commitments made within the National Carers Strategy. SEPT is delighted to be named provider of the Caring with Confidence sessions for south Essex and wants to ensure that all carers are able to benefit from this programme.

As part of this special day for carers, staff as well as organisations from the statutory, voluntary, and private sectors within south Essex will help to help shape the event, which will be not only informative but an excellent opportunity for carers to network and find out about support available to them.

Everyday hundreds of carers struggle their way through different agencies and paperwork to try and find their way to the essential information and support they need to help them in their caring role. On top of trying to adapt to changing roles, and sometimes juggling family life, work and caring, many carers forget about their own heath needs and often become ill themselves.

The core aim of the You care We care event is to give the carers of south Essex the opportunity to find out as much information on the local support available to them to help them self-manage their situations with confidence. It is also an opportunity to find out about the new national Caring with Confidence Programme that will offer support and help to carers across England who don't know where to begin when it comes to accessing the services and benefits available to them.

In addition to Caring with Confidence, a range of organisations will display their services for carers and be available for information and advice, including the Alzheimer's Society, Carers UK, Thurrock Carers Centre, Essex County Council Carers Telephone services, Community Drug and Alcohol Services, Southend Carers Forum, Rethink, Mencap, Young Carers, Essex Libraries, Families in Focus, DIAL, CAB, Jobcentre Plus, voluntary services, Community Mental Health services, LINks, and many more. There will also be lively drumming sessions, and live music from a local carer.

SEPT Chief Executive Dr Patrick Geoghegan, OBE, said "The UK's carers are, quite literally, indispensable, and they are the heroes in our communities, often hidden and unaware of support available to them. Caring is a role that is often taken on at short notice and without preparation, leaving carers to struggle with the vital responsibilities that they have assumed - this is where Caring with Confidence can help.

With around 6 million people estimated to provide unpaid care in England, and close to 70 000 people in the south of Essex identifying themselves as carers, it is a situation that affects all of us. 3 in 5 of us will become carers at some point in our lives

Many carers are still hidden and 69% of those people asked in the East of England do not viewing themselves as carers - despite their situation.

Caring with confidence is knowledge and skills based learning experience, with the aim of helping carers make a positive difference to their life and that of the person they care for. The programme will allow those people who find themselves in a caring role the opportunity to meet other people in a similar situation".

The Caring with Confidence programme recognises the incredible contribution that carers make in the UK. By providing unpaid care for someone they know who is ill, frail or disabled, they save the economy an incredible £87 billion.

The new programme will be free to carers, giving them an opportunity to explore the services available to them, look at the essentials of looking after someone and how to communicate effectively with other people to help support their needs - which will improve their own health and wellbeing and that of the person they care for.

The Caring with Confidence programme is delivered through face-to-face local group sessions or from home for those carers who can't get out, using workbooks or the internet

CwC face-to-face group sessions will start to run from 15th June 2009 from a range of community venues across the south of Essex, including Basildon, Brentwood, Castle Point, Rayleigh, Rochford, Southend and Thurrock. The sessions will run at different times of the week including evenings and weekend and will be free. Where needed travelling expenses and replacement care cost for the cared for person, will be covered.

For further information please contact South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust and speak to Stephen Rabbitts on 01277-239109 or visit the Trust's new e-community for carers on http://www.carerschat.org.uk, or the national Caring with Confidence website on http://www.caringwithconfidence.net

Source
South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust