Looking After Ourselves

Colleen Sheen, Carers NSWCarers NSW 2011 Biennial

ConferenceSydney March 2011

Looking After

Ourselves

Kevin Duncan 09

Looking After Ourselves

• Is a train the trainer program for Aboriginal carers and service providers

• It can be delivered as a complete program or in separate modules

• It includes a facilitator guide, a carer workbook and a DVD-CD Rom

Background

• Carers NT developed the original program– As a response to Aboriginal carers in a

remote community– It was developed as an action research

program with the community and an Aboriginal Aged Care Centre

– As a Chronic Condition Self-management type program

Program modules

• Five modules– Carers and caring– Exercise for health and ‘Looking After Me’

action plan– Healthy eating and good rest– Better breathing and learn to relax– Talking and listening, health checks and

problem solving

Carers NSW adaptation

• Carers NSW piloted the program for a NSW environment– an advisory committee oversaw the pilot– Aboriginal carers and communities

participated in the pilot• Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie• Wyong Aboriginal Carer Support Group• Babana Aboriginal Men’s Group Redfern• Mt Druitt

Outcomes NSW pilot

• Diverse ages and caring situations in pilot groups– 30 women, 4 males (plus Babana)– Diverse ages– Caring for aged parent, grandchild with

disability, partner, children with intellectual disability, adult child with mental illness, sibling with disability

– Multiple caring situations

Outcomes NSW pilot• Low knowledge level in most sessions,

including service providers– Carers looking after themselves– Healthy eating– Relaxation– Pictorial training module format– Good feel about the program– Health and wellbeing topics simply explained– DVD supports the training modules– Carers who had some knowledge could be used as

peer co-trainer

Outcomes NSW pilot• Benefits

– Pictorial training module format– Good feel about the program– Health and wellbeing topics simply explained– DVD supports the training modules

• Disadvantages– Language too ‘dumbed down’ for NSW – Pictorial training image too young for NSW– DVD too focused on remote and young carers– DVD doesn’t use real people

Carers NSW program• Includes

– Trainers handbook – Trainers PowerPoint presentation – DVD-CD Rom for trainers and Aboriginal carers

• NSW Aboriginal carers and communities involved in DVD-CD Rom

• Narrator is Karla Grant, SBS Living Black

• Images from Aboriginal Carer Kit (Caring for our People) incorporated

• Carers NSW Aboriginal carer resources incorporated– Aboriginal Carers Relaxation CD soundtrack and artwork

Looking After Ourselves

This training for you is made to:

• Help you focus on your own issues of health and wellbeing

• Look at ways to help you manage your caring role

Looking After

OurselvesSession 1 Carers and Caring

Session 2 Looking after Me

Session 3 Healthy Eating and Good Rest

Session 4 Better Breathing and Learn to Relax

Session 5 Talking and listening to people, health checks and problem solving

What Carers might do • Cooking• Cleaning• Changing the bed• Bathing• Dressing• Feeding• Shopping• Giving medications• Giving emotional

support• Prompting

• Going to appointments with the person you care for

• Helping the person during the night

• Speaking out for that person

How does Caring affect you?

• Many people have similar problems.

• Caring can be really demanding and sometimes we can feel that we are caught up in a Worry Circle.

Worry Circle• Confused• Tired • Sad• Tense Muscles• Sore/Pain• Frustrated• Short Winded• Angry

What Carers might do • Cooking• Cleaning• Changing the bed• Bathing• Dressing• Feeding• Shopping• Giving medications• Giving emotional

support• Prompting

• Going to appointments with the person you care for

• Helping the person during the night

• Speaking out for that person

Looking After

Ourselves

Session 2Looking after me

Carers Staying HealthyMAKE SOME TIME FOR YOURSELF!MAKE SOME TIME FOR YOURSELF!

• exercise• eat well• get enough rest• relax• breathing exercises

• talk to people – tell your story• have a break – regular respite• have a health check• solve problems

EXERCISE We do exercise because it’s good for:• heart and lungs• being short winded• bending easier• losing weight/maintain weight

• helping you sleep • your balance• reducing tiredness

Three things to think about when doing exercise

B. Stretching

• helps loosen muscles

• to bend easier and

• helps balance

Three things to think about when doing exercise

C. Strengthening• makes you stronger• good for your bones and • helps prevent osteoporoses

Every week make a plan Example

June Mon Tues Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

Wk 1. healthy breakfast

9am-walk

take a nap

healthy breakfast

cook big stew with veggies

healthy breakfast

healthy breakfast

9am-walk

healthy breakfast

take a nap

healthy breakfast

see a friend

healthy breakfast

rest

Wk 2. 9am-walk rest healthy breakfast

go fishing

9am-walk rest healthy breakfast

fishing

Wk 3. 9am-walkgo fishing

healthy breakfast dancing

health check for me

9am-walksee a friend

shoppingfor self(not groceries etc.)

healthy breakfast

healthy breakfast take a nap

Wk 4. healthy breakfast

9am-walk

healthy breakfast

rest

healthy breakfast take a nap

healthy breakfast

9am-walk

healthy breakfastgarden

healthy breakfast

healthy breakfast Visit a friend

Did it work? Why/why not? - Try again - change plan if necessary - Make it realistic - achievable - keep trying !

Highlights

• Aboriginal carers involvement and recognition– DVD-CD Rom participation– All participants receive NSW Local Carer Awards

• Aboriginal carers and service providers want to use program in local communities

• Carers NSW will deliver facilitator training in May-June 2011