3/22/2010

Caring for carers

Staying Put Services (SPS) celebrated the first anniversary of providing health trainers for people who care for others. At the celebration event on 18 March eight carers received their graduation certificates.
 
Since the service opened a year ago 184 carers have received support from SPS's health trainers and have taken part in the course.

Carers often spend so much of their time caring for others that they often forget to look after their own health. They can suffer from fatigue, stress or physical problems as they concentrate on helping the person they care for. In Hammersmith and Fulham there are 11,500 carers and many more that are not registered as carers with social services, but still spend their time looking after others.

SPS's health trainers work with carers offering 12 free one-to-one sessions. The sessions focus on different aspects of health and provide support to carers. This could be anything from nutritional advice, exercise advice, support in giving up smoking, coping strategies for stress and many other health related topics.

Marzyeh Ayoubi is a carer for her teenage son. She said: “The health trainer service has been educated me in making the right health choices. My health has improved since I did the course and has kept me motivated since completing it. But it’s my family who have benefited the most as I have much more energy. I want to say a big thank you to my health trainer.”

Graham Raine, director of Staying Put Services, said: “Health trainers offer support to people who often spend their time supporting someone else. It is great that the carers are able to find a balance between caring for themselves and some one else. We hope to continue to help many more carers in the borough over the next year and beyond.”

For more information
Hannah Stokes
Tel: 0208 996 4237
Email: hannah.stokes@sbhg.co.uk