Caring For Carers Project
One of the major priorities of Carer Support NSCCH (Central Coast Sector) is to increase the responsiveness (carer friendliness) of acute health care systems and workers to the needs of Carers.
To facilitate this Carer Support has been able to support a range of Caring For Carers Projects that aim to:
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- Address the relevance and timeliness of information provision to carers on issues such as diagnosis, disease progression, service pathways, involvement in treatment, and inpatient care.
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- Include policies &/or procedures for patient/client discharge planning that are carer inclusive
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- Outline partnerships to be formed with other parts of the health care system (such as other wards, out patient clinics, community health services) or community based health/welfare services that are carer inclusive. (Joint applications by more than one entity are welcome)
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- Include innovative strategies that are easily sustainable and cost neutral
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Successful projects that have been undertaken to date include:
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Carer & Family Mental Health Database- Mental Health |
Setting up a procedure for the ongoing distribution of Carer/Family Education packs to current and future carers and or families who have a client involved with the Division of Mental Health on the Central Coast.
Develop a carer and or family mailing list for each clinical team to ensure the distribution of other relevant information pertaining to carers and or family members within the context of mental health or supporting carers.
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Managing Mealtimes- Speech Pathology |
Numerous safety related policies have recently been put into place surrounding mealtime management in our hospital setting. However, Speech Pathology staff were concerned that while hospital employees had been extensively educated on these policies, there was no method in place for education of family and carers regarding these policies and how they directly affect the patient.
Therefore a project was proposed with the aim of investigating and improving the level of understanding of carers/family members regarding issues surrounding swallowing difficulties and general mealtime management in the hospital setting.
As a result of the project the team developed a pamphlet which focuses on educating carers/family members about; 1) swallowing difficulties, 2) advice for safe swallowing whilst in hospital and in the community upon discharge, 3) hospital policies surrounding feeding (ie. red/blue placemats, bedside logos, hospital diets, carer involvement in feeding)
The project timeline ran from July – Dec 2005.
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Stroke Survivor and Carer In-patient Support Program project |
To test the benefits and viability of having stroke survivors and their carers undertake an education program to act as resource people and to provide support for current inpatients and their families.
A mentoring education package will be developed that will provide guidance surrounding available resources, appropriate communication and privacy issues. This will be delivered along with their rights and responsibilities.
The program will involve a pilot study of at least 20 selected in-patient stroke survivors and in-patient carers.
Research will be undertaken to explore the sustainability for mentors to act as a resource to in-patient stroke sufferers and new carers within the acute in-patient setting.
Want to know more - Contact Carer Support on 4320 5556
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