Caring for someone with dementia: a unique journey
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Healthwatch Bristol and Healthwatch South Gloucestershire collected feedback from local citizens relating to Carers support and interviewed participants with lived experience of caring to help understand what matters most to those effected by caring for someone with dementia and the services available to support this.
Carers’ experiences and needs are varied but fall into broad themes:
Ethnically sensitive and tailored care for dementia patients would help to ease the burden for the carer by removing the need for the family carer to be present whilst the patient received paid care. If Carers were able to access flexible appointments to fit with caring commitments, there would be fewer missed opportunities to support Carers needs.
- Carers often feel overwhelmed with information and appointments from different places after diagnosis.
- Carers told us that counselling is not universally offered and that respite is essential for their mental wellbeing
- Younger Carers expressed feeling more isolated and less well served.
- Female carers said they were able to discuss their feelings and ask for emotional support, but male carers said they did not.
- Carers said they would like honest conversations that helped them form a clearer picture of the journey ahead.
- Those Carers without family support struggled with emotional issues.
The report contains nine recommendations covering support for carers, appointments, the need for appropriate support and access to information.