Short Breaks for Carers Shetland - Me Time
A story by VOLUNTARY ACTION SHETLAND
We provided grants directly to Carers living in Shetland Islands.
What Short Breaks for Carers Shetland - Me Time did
We advertised our Time to Live fund through our Virtual Carers Centre website, Carers Facebook and Carers Twitter sites. We also had a press release about our grant award. We promoted the grant scheme in our quarterly newsletter which is distributed to over 200 carers. At our carers groups we promoted the scheme and made sure that all carers were aware of the Scheme.
We discussed the grant at our Carers Strategy Group meeting which is attended by other agencies who could refer clients to us. Also the local authority and NHS Primary Carer are represented on this group who can also share information with their staff. This year we also asked local authority Care Centres to make their service users families aware of the scheme.
Criteria for recipients was set by Carers Strategy Group with authority to Voluntary Action Shetlend Support Workers to process applications on this basis and refer any that did not met the criteria to the strategy group.
As well as having relaxing time for herself, Patricia was able to sell some of her paintings which enabled her to purchase 2 Riser chairs for her husband along with a Glide Board to enable him to move easier to and from his wheelchair. Patricia was delighted as her Occupational Therapy Service could not provide any of these for them.
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Swimming provided exercise and time to relax and free his mind from worry. David says looking after his mental health has made him more prepared to deal with the additional stresses of being a carer.
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The grant enabled Jolene to take a day trip with her friends to a Spa for a relaxation session. She also enjoyed trips to the cinema with her friends and a trip to the hairdressers for a treat. The grant helped with transport cost and activity costs which are usually a barrier to Jolene being able to attend activities with her peers. Jolene's relationships with her friends are strengthened by her attendance at these outings.
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What VOLUNTARY ACTION SHETLAND has learned
We received our first referral this year from a community nurse (in past all recipients have contacted us directly). We were very encouraged by this and want to ensure we keep strong channels of communication and awareness of carers with 10 health centres in Shetland. 30This is the most grants we have awarded in a year which follows a wider promotion of the grant scheme this year. This involved partnership working with the Local Authority and their care centre staff promoting the scheme to their clients' families as well as NHS health surgeries (as above).
The Time to Live Fund continues to raise our profile as the local organsation helping carers. The Time to Live grant scheme is one of the main ways be are talking with our carers as carers are keen to apply for grants to have time out. This then enables us to provide any other support the carers needs.