Carers Trust North Wales Crossroads Care Services is helping nearly 300 unpaid carers to take a break from their caring responsibilities through a mixed package of outings, groups and activities.
Carers Trust North Wales supports a varied demographic of carers across North Wales, including adult carers, carers of people with dementia, parent carers, male carers and young carers. They, in turn, are caring for people of all ages, from babies to the elderly, living with a variety of illnesses and disabilities.
With funding from the Short Breaks Scheme, Carers Trust North Wales developed a plan with their carers to create a diverse range of breaks and activities to meet their differing needs. The short breaks offered included trips for carers of people with dementia and the people they care for, monthly parent carer support groups and young carers cookery group. A microgrants fund enabled carers to access funding for breaks, such as a spa day, a meal out or a night away. Replacement care allowed carers to enjoy a break of their choice knowing the person they care for was in safe hands.
Carers Trust North Wales says, “These short breaks enable unpaid carers to have a short break from their caring responsibilities. We know how much that weekly break means to the carers and the feedback we receive tells us that just knowing that the break is coming means so much to them and allows them to care for longer”
Jean*, who cares for her husband suffering with dementia, says, “I look forward to my break whilst my husband is safe in your group, it’s my only break and it keeps me going”
The family trips with support, like those to Chester Zoo, went really well. It enabled families to meet each other and start building up peer support groups spontaneously with other families and parents facing the same challenges.
Due to funding from the Short Breaks Scheme, Carers Trust North Wales was able to take individuals living with dementia and their carers on several trips across North Wales. It also ran successful young carers cookery groups, men’s carers groups and carers groups for adult carers. They have also commenced monthly groups for parent carers. Access to Microgrants and sessions of respite care enabled unpaid carers to attend activities either planned by Carers Trust North Wales or themselves.
My daughter looks forward to the cookery groups and has made new friends who understand how hard it is sometimes to be a sibling carer
Catrin*, parent carer.
Carers Trust North Wales delivered weekly “Hafan Ni” groups where individuals with dementia spend the day at their Conwy day centre.
One such individual attends Hafan Ni sessions to allow his wife some respite from her caring role. His wife was struggling to cope due to her own health concerns but when Hafan Ni was offered to her, she was initially a little reluctant. However, since her husband has been attending she has said that she didn’t know how much she would appreciate the break and what a difference it has made. It allows her some time to concentrate on her own health and wellbeing, knowing that her husband is being looked after in a safe environment. Carers Trust North Wales also introduced her to their wellbeing officer who is helping her with many of the more practical issues a carer faces. Her husband looks forward to attending Hafan Ni each week where he is making new friends.
The Short Breaks Scheme has also allowed Carers Trust North Wales to help a family who was struggling. They were not engaging with agencies very well and there were concerns that their child was in need. Since starting with Carers Trust North Wales, the family have gone from strength to strength. Communication has improved, concerns are raised straight away and all have fully engaged, taking advantage of all the support they have to offer.
Their child is also happy to join in with the group activities, learning new skills and making friends. Carers Trust North Wales provides a relaxed setting where everyone is welcome and encouraged to be themselves and join in at their own pace. Cooking has really boosted the confidence of their child, who is now able to help at home a bit more, with washing up and drying skills, measuring ingredients and even preparing and cooking a few things like cupcakes and pizzas. It has helped to build a relationship at home where carers and children can confidently share a fun and rewarding activity together.
Carers Trust North Wales says, “This funding has proved to be so important in sustaining unpaid carers in their caring roles through the current climate of uncertainty and the cost of living crisis. It is more than monetary support, it’s a lifeline and opens up so much dialogue between both ourselves and the carers themselves. We know how important peer support is, but to actually be able to witness it week after week, to see the resilience that people are building thanks to the networks we are facilitating is humbling.”
*Names are changed to protect privacy