Nursing students help to promote caring for the carers

Nursing students are helping to ensure those who work or volunteer in a caring role take time to think about themselves too.

Students from the School of Health & Social Care aim to highlight the tireless work done by those who care for others during national Carers Week, which runs from June 9 to 15.

It comes after students completed a short course run by Alzheimer’s Society initiative Dementia Friends, which helps to raise awareness and offer support to people who have friends or relatives diagnosed with dementia.

It’s an issue close to Jennifer Hutchinson’s heart, as her family is learning to cope with a relative recently diagnosed with the condition.

Jennifer from Hartlepool, who is studying a BSc (Hons) Nursing in the Home/District Nursing, said: 'My stepdad Alan, 70, has early stage dementia and my mam had struggled to find support.

'She isn't really good at finding information online, so when I heard about the Dementia Friends course at the University I wanted to get involved.

'Alan was a Paratrooper and a very proud man so was frustrated and panicking when he was forgetting things or mixing up his words. Since starting his treatment it’s been like stepping stones and it’s been difficult for mam too, as every person affected by dementia responds in different ways.'

She added: 'The course was really useful as a nurse, but it's also something which would be useful for everyone, as we come across people with dementia in all aspects of our lives, not just while working as a nurse. It's helped provide some useful information to help my mam cope too.'

Rachel Doubleday, senior lecturer in Community & Childhood Studies, said: 'I introduced the students to the course and also had personal reasons for completing the course too. We were able to share personal experiences and stories about ways of dealing with the different behaviours caused by dementia.

'There are many types of dementia and there has been an assumption that people with dementia need specialised mental health care, but we come across people with dementia in all walks of life and there's so much we can do to help in everyday life, especially in how we support families and patients, without waiting for a specialist to be there.'

Rachel added: 'An important aspect too is encouraging carers to think about looking after themselves too. This includes us as members of staff and nurses as many of us are also carers at home. As nurses we tend to focus on everyone else but may not be aware of the things which can help us.'

Now with Jenny and Denise Robinson, who is also completing the BSc (Hons) Nursing in the Home/District Nursing and several of their fellow students on the district nursing programme, they aim to promote dementia awareness and support for carers during an event at Teesside University from June 9 to 13 in the main foyer of the Centuria Building.

Rachel said: 'We're co-ordinating with local carers groups who can talk to students, staff and members of the public while helping to celebrate organisations involved in supporting carers, while also promoting dementia awareness too.'

It follows a recent report from the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) which says there will be increased demand for new jobs in caring occupations over the next ten years to meet increasing demand as the population ages.

Find out more about Dementia Friends National Carers Week, which runs from June 9 to 15, is an annual awareness campaign which aim is to improve the lives of carers and the people they care for. Find out more.

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