What exactly is the Caraway Carers Course - and who benefits?
In her third in a series of blogs for us, Dr Ros Simpson, trustee and training lead of the Southampton-based charity, tells us about running The Caraway Carers Course.
'The Caraway Carers Course has now been run ten times in Southampton and works well. It was written by me, Dr Ros Simpson, in partnership with Emotional Logic to help carers of someone living with dementia to cope with and thrive in a difficult situation.
One carer said: It was nice to share with others and hear the common experience. Two hours away from husband to learn!
Another said: I learned to think about how I feel rather than just respond to triggers for pain, hurt and irritation.” And another: “I felt rescued from a challenging situation I couldn’t cope with.
'This is a course that offers new knowledge about managing your emotions, about dementia and how to support the person with dementia on an everyday basis. It is about learning to ask for help, expanding your support network and preventing crises by having good family and friends plans.'
All these achievements make life with dementia feel more manageable.
The magic I haven’t mentioned yet is making new friends and joining a citywide community of people living with dementia. It helps people to be helped and then to help others. Coming at the time of diagnosis of dementia, the course orientates the family to see life through the eyes of the person with dementia, so they can manage the environment and activities to best help the person with dementia.
The course is 7 sessions of 2 hours each, and ideally includes a health or social care professional attending each session.
It is kind to be able to offer to help with the person who has dementia at the same time in an adjoining room, so your carers really do get a break. Caraway runs the course alongside a Memory Café.
To facilitate the emotional health material in the course, you need to understand Emotional Logic, the therapeutic model on which the course is based. www.emotionallogiccentre.org
EL is a way of learning to understand and manage your emotions. It helps you to use your inner strength to come through difficult situations stronger. You learn that your emotions are felt physically in the body and can be acknowledged but not lived in! Every emotion has a purpose, even painful emotions, and knowing what that purpose is helps you to do something about it.
All of us get stuck in our emotions, but a multiple loss situation such as living with dementia needs a plan. Learning about taking action for the better, using bargaining or acceptance is the model.
A GP meeting EL for the first time said: Extraordinary! This restored my energy and hope.
Learning about EL enough to run the Carers Course is a four-week course online, consisting of four webinars.
There is also training provided by Caraway for three hours to help you facilitate the course in the real world, and guest and facilitator manuals are available to purchase.
Cost of Course, available through the Caraway website: £190 https://www.caraway.uk.com/product-category/resources/
This includes ongoing support from Caraway as you need it.'
Contact ros.simpson@caraway.uk.com for details or a chat about it.
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