The Haven Breaks @ Home

What The Haven Breaks @ Home did

87 carers have participated in Haven activities and received resources to support them to take a break from their caring role. Short break activities were delivered to people living with a life limiting illness such as cancer/dementia (cared for) and their carers and included: Self-management wellbeing activities – clients are introduced to and guided on how to develop self-management techniques such as utilising breath work and guided visualisations which aid relaxation, stress reduction and improved wellbeing. Hands-on relaxation wellbeing activities – including aromatherapy message (hand/foot/body work), reflexology and reiki.

Wellbeing Toolkits – a range of therapeutic, creative and practical resources bespoke and tailored to the individual’s needs and interests to support wellbeing via short breaks (creative arts and crafts, relaxation and mindfulness). Toolkits also provide resources to support participation in Wellbeing Activities e.g. ‘Little Book of Breathing’ for guided visualisation and breathing sessions.

These breaks were delivered in-person from within The Haven’s three centres located in Blantyre, Wilshaw and Forth across Lanarkshire and via digital means (telephone/video calls) enabling clients to access breaks from within their own homes. These breaks were delivered and accessible Monday to Thursday between 10am and 4pm and Fridays between 10am and 1pm. Wellbeing toolkit resources were utilised by clients in their own time, within their own homes.

This project addressed Creative Breaks principles of: Mutual benefit – by providing services accessible by both carers and cared for people, either together or separately. Personalisation – by providing a programme of care and resources which is specifically tailored to each individual unique needs.
Develop knowledge and understanding– of carers and cared for people by empowering the development of self-management skills which they can utilise on their own to access and create opportunities for breaks. Develop knowledge and understanding and added value - by sharing our learning and approaches with health, social care can community partners via our share and learn events

What The Haven Caring Counselling Communication Centre has learned

There is always a need to double check that the demand for services and activities remains. The nature of grant funding is that there is a period of time between application to implementation once successful. This means that there is scope for things to change in that time period. For example, the clients currently being supported at one time period may have different identified needs/wants than the clients who will be supported during the funding project period.

This was the case for us with the no longer demand for yoga based activities. In order to most effectively support clients’ needs and make the most of the funding awarded we recognise it is best to double check the demand with current clients before implementing an activity and spending funds. This is an approach that worked well for us this year and meant that we could make a change request and implement a services that directly met the demand highlighted by our current clients.

Some of our clients have found it to be quite overwhelming to think about taking a break or identifying what that could look like for them as they “never get two minutes” to themselves. We understand that for someone who feels like they have no time at all, to find any significant time to dedicate to themselves can be very challenging. For some clients it is critical to first support carers to recognise that they need to prioritise their own wellbeing in order to be able to sustain their caring role.

Once this shift in mind set has happened many carers are then in a better place to be able to take time for themselves. We have found it to be very important and beneficial for these clients to explore small ways that breaks can be incorporated in to their days. For example, with one client we explored introducing short two minute mindful practices and relaxation techniques which were felt to be manageable for this client. This is then built upon, supporting the carer to take more, extended periods of time for themselves to utilise toolkit resources, relaxation practices and take a break.

The Haven has multiple different strands of project funding with varying outcomes and project elements to be achieved. We have learned that it is critical to have monthly service delivery and project management meetings to help ensure that all of the main points of focus are retained and that timely and accurate recording takes place. Keeping this information at the forefront of all staff members’ minds helps to ensure we deliver a successful project which successfully meets the terms and conditions and outcomes of our funding and clients’ needs.

How The Haven Caring Counselling Communication Centre has benefitted from the funding

This has been our third consecutive funding period for our Haven Breaks @ Home project. This continuing support from Creative Breaks has allowed and enabled The Haven to continue developing this service to meet clients changing needs as we have moved from the height of the pandemic to the ‘post covid’ world and now to our reintroduction of in-person based support from within our Haven centres once again. The continuity of this funding has enabled The Haven to continue what we do and to do it well, refining and developing as we go in response to client needs. In addition to the carers and their loved ones who we support, The Haven also bas a client based of bereaved individuals and individuals living with illness who do not have caring responsibilities or anyone providing care for them. The learning and evidence gathered in supporting carers to access breaks and support their wellbeing is transferrable to our other client groups – ultimately all Haven clients have a need for their wellbeing to be supported and to be able to prioritise time for themselves to support their wellbeing – and as such helps to support wider funding applications. The learning and evidence has contributed to The Haven’s successful applications to funders including Trades House of Glasgow, Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund and National Lottery Community Fund.