Unpaid carers who provide support to friends, family members, neighbours and other relatives with a sensory condition, will be able to access a new support programme from 2nd February.
A partnership between Forth Valley Sensory Centre and Falkirk & Clackmannanshire Carers Centre will see an initial nine week programme of health and wellbeing workshops for carers from the Falkirk Council area. Planned topics include; managing stress, getting effective nutrition and coping with change. The scheme is scheduled to run until March 2018 so there will be opportunites for carers to get involved.
Importantly, carers will be able to bring along their cared for people on the day with activities being provided by Forth Valley Sensory Centre. The groups will be separated on arrival and meet up again for a healthy lunch provided by Centre staff.
Brenda Whyte, Groups Coordinator at Forth Valley Sensory Centre said:
“We know that a lot of carers out there don’t get the help and support they need until they reach breaking point. This is all about improving overall wellbeing and giving carers access to peer support as well as some great advice from Falkirk & Clackmannanshire Carers Centre.
“We also know that carers can miss out on important programmes like this because they feel guilty about leaving the person they care for to do something which they see as only benefitting themselves. That is why we are also putting on activities for cared for people and enabling everyone to meet up again for a delicious, healthy lunch.”
“One of the key things is we want to encourage cared for people who don’t currently use the Centre to come along and find out about the support on offer. We have lots of social occasions and groups and the hope is, that by coming along with their carer, cared for people will get a taste of the sort of things we can provide as a Centre and be introduced to the range of support available. This will bring additional benefits to them and their carer.”
The programme has been part funded by the Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership and is free for those who wish to attend. Cared for people do not have to come along but their carer must remain in the centre as part of the programme if they do come along.
Agnes McMillan, Carers Centre Manager, added:
“This is an excellent opportunity to work with Forth Valley Sensory Centre and better support carers in Falkirk looking after those living with sensory issues. The exciting model will allow us to work more holistically with carers and their families, whilst our partnership will be a positive step in building support networks within the local community.”
Transport may be available for those who need it. Meetings start at 12pm and are planned to finish at 2:30pm. Anyone interested in attending or finding out more about the programme can contact Rebecca Fowler at the Carers Centre on 01324 611510 or Brenda Whyte on 01324 590 888.
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