Wednesday 30 May 2012

Reablement?

I remember this one. It caused so much confusion among the team as to what to do and how to go about it. For years we had toddled along 'providing homecare' very much with the attitude of doing as much as you could in a visit so that the service user didn't. After all, didn't they deserve to be pampered and looked after?

So, reablement....whats it all about?

' developing specialist home care re-ablement teams that worked intensively with new service users to increase their skills, confidence, and ability to live independently.-Social Policy and Research Unit'

As a carer you had to have a change of mindset as to how the service was delivered.Admittedly, it was hard to begin with to take a step back and not get towels ready, or have breakfast waiting on the table...would it be a role reversal and the carer saying, 'Come on Gertie get the kettle on, i'm parched!'

I loved it. There is so much satisfaction having encouraged someone to do as much as they are able to do. That is the key to getting it right and making it work.However, the rest of the team going in also have to be consistent with the progress. This can only be attained by reading the notes in each visit to see how things are going. Of course it doesn't help if all you see is 'made c.o.t, got breakfast, helped to dress'!

Who made the tea? Who got breakfast? What did they have? How much of getting dressed did the service user do on their own? The notes aren't about what you as a carer does....it is about how the service user is progressing.As a carer you need to know this information and the notes are the only contact you have between yourselves. It was so easy to be doing the first few days and getting a routine together and a real picture of ability. You have a day off and the next time you are in... you see that most tasks have been done for them. How frustrating this could be!

I hope things have changed. I hope that with each person the time is taken to continue to encourage.I hope communication between teams and officers or supervisors is acted upon. After all, its not about the paperwork and emails its about the service users....People.


'Individually, we are one drop.Together, we are an ocean.' - Ryunosuke Satoro






http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/spru/index.html    SPRU Social policy research unit

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Monday 28 May 2012

Carers Week 18th - 24th June 2012

Carers week this year is 18-24 June 2012. The theme is in sickness and in health. I urge you to take a look at the following link for further information on events taking place round the uk. 

 carersweek.org/
Doing what you love is the cornerstone of having abundance in your life.
Wayne Dyer

Friday 25 May 2012

Is it ok to grieve?

It was just gone 7.00am, spring in my step,sun shining,a beautiful start to the day.  I'm about to set off for my first visit of the day. The mobile rings. I'm told to cancel the visit..... the service user has died.

No other information was given. No details. No sincereity. From the progammers view, it was a case of 'cross off the timesheet for the rest of the week.'

Sounds cold for a caring profession eh? I agree, however from their point of view they have a job to do and  visits to cover at very short notice or to cancel. 

Of course I had to carry on with the rest of my morning visits.Being cheerful and positive for others while I helped them get ready for the day. I had to keep this sad news to myself and get used to the idea very quickly of not seeing this person again.

I had been in most days for the past nine months and I had been in the previous day. A normal visit, nothing out of the ordinary and oh how quickly it all changed. Even though death was expected at some point, it still threw me.

So, how was I going to deal with this? First off, I wasn't going to cross them off my timesheet until the end of the week! My little way of recognising them as a person and not just a name on a list.Secondly, I would attend the funeral.Thirdly, I'm gonna have a good cry.

The only support I got from colleagues was at a meeting in the afternoon. It went along the lines of..Who was the last to see them- me...how did they look-fine...Are you ok-yes...Moving on, about elastic stockings...! That was it! No offer of talking to a supervisor if  I needed, no offer of anything.

Definately on my own with this one. So, I'm here to put the record straight.

Yes I cried. Yes I thought about this person and their young family. Yes I went to the funeral.
I allowed myself to grieve, albeit in my own time.

It was ok, behind close doors no one was going to judge me or tell me Im not tough enough.I questioned my own morality, I wondered if I had done enough in the visits, I hoped the family didn't think I was being rude by not sending a condolence card (I was told it was not the thing to do and not part of the job- too personal).I did want to talk about it to someone at work but it wasn't going to happen.

This was my first experience of a death in my job. Sadly, one of many over the years. I learnt how to cope with it and kept it on a private and personal level. For each person, I had always gone home and lit a candle. I would admit to myself any sadness I felt and if I needed to cry I would.



 
“It's so curious: one can resist tears and 'behave' very well in the hardest hours of grief. But then someone makes you a friendly sign behind a window, or one notices that a flower that was in bud only yesterday has suddenly blossomed, or a letter slips from a drawer... and everything collapses. ”
Colette





www.crusebereavementcare.org.uk/

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Monday 21 May 2012

DON'T TAKE YOUR EYES OFF THE PORRIDGE!

What is it about porridge? I had/still have a very awkward relationship with porridge! It was something I never really had to think about for myself because its never been my cup of tea!!!!!

However, I soon discovered in many morning visits, porridge was the way to go. Oh dear! For many it was took for granted that I would know how to do perfect porridge from scratch. Equal cups of this, that and the other....keep stirring and whatever you do DON'T TAKE YOUR EYES OFF THE PORRIDGE!

I shall reveal why because in my experience it either exploded (microwaved),bounced around the kitchen top or would keep getting bigger and bigger because I would keep adding 'a cup of this, that and the other.

Maybe I tried too hard. We all have our own ideas and expectations of how things should be.

Maybe I reached a point on putting too much on how good the end result would be (at the very least edible!)

Maybe, just maybe, there was a chance that I was becoming a people pleaser!

My dear friend porridge,
Thank you for showing me that through life I will always be the student. There is more than one way to do things and there are many routes to take. Different lessons to learn along the way. So, once again, thank you porridge for showing me....TOAST!!!


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Saturday 19 May 2012

Where's you bin?!!!!!!

I'm stood there with a squeezed tea bag on the spoon, my other hand cupped underneath to catch any drips and my head poking round the door, 'Where's your bin Gertie?'  The reply.....'oh, i've bin to the day centre today!!!!!'

This captures it all for me. Visiting in the community over the years has always been such a pleasure. Yes there are tears and sadness but there is always someone who unexpectedly brings a warm glowing smile to my face.

I will never forget my first day as a carer. Waiting for the colleague I would shadow for a couple of weeks.I had been for the training and now this was it...the reality of it all.Was I cut out for this?

 I soon found out to my delight that yes I was.By the end of the day I felt proud to be part of a team of kind, genuine and sincere people.

Carers in any capacity (and in my opinion) are the silent angels of this world. They do what they do with no expectation of a thank you. When you do get a thank you, its hard to accept but you know those two words are speaking volumes.

One thing I always kept in mind with each new visit was that each person had a story to tell. Its easy to forget or not recognise that these gentlemen and ladies have been teenagers,courting couples, mothers and fathers they have been through it all.

And so, at the beginning of this blogs journey I would like to dedicate the following verse to all those I've had the pleasure to visit over the years.....


 THIS QUIET DUST


This quiet Dust was Gentlemen and Ladies
And Lads and Girls -
Was laughter and ability and Sighing
And Frocks and Curls -
This Passive Place a Summer’s nimble Mansion
Where Bloom and Bees
Fulfilled their Oriental Circuit
Then ceased, like these.
- Emily Dickinson.




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This really is for YOU!


This blog aims to be used as somewhere for community support workers  to be able to offload any fears, bad days, difficulties, emotions etc that they feel shouldn't be said because its not the thing to do!

We are only human and unfortunately a carer in whatever capacity is expected to reach their limits and yet ,still keep on going.

Sometimes that judgement is put upon ourselves ,by ourselves…and so it remains that at some point there comes a time when you just have to admit ’ today is a difficult day and this is why…’

Community support workers, care assistants, whatever your title may be, I hope you will feel comfortable enough to offload here. There are no judgements, just a place where you need not fear expressing what is going on for you.

You never know, combined experiences may be able to offer help, guidance,understanding and friendship

With all this in mind, it is advised that you respect the confidentiality and privacy of those you may write about.

Do not use real names or places or anything that would identify a person.

It s advised that you use a nickname for yourself so that your privacy is also protected.

Any offending content will be rejected.




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