Extra Care
Extra Care is a voluntary organisation that provides services to enable dependent adults to continue to live at home and gives respite to family carers. In 2003 Extra Care developed the Family Carer Training Programme, to train carers, in their own homes, to enable them to fulfil their caring role without health and safety risk to themselves or their dependents.
Since 2003, 170 carers have benefited from learning the best way to conduct a range of tasks, from washing and toileting to medical procedures.
Healthcare professionals and Extra Care staff identified core elements of the programme: moving and handling, personal care, stress management however each carer’s programme is unique to them. Needs are assessed and an individual training plan devised with training delivered usually one-to-one. It is the tailor made approach combined with training delivery in the carer’s home that makes this unique programme so successful.
Some of the training, such as moving and handling and first aid, is validated by certificates but the majority is not accredited and the measure of its success lies in the change experienced by the carers.
An evaluation last year revealed that 30 per cent of people taking part felt they would not have been able to continue caring without the training.
For further details on Extra Care, please contact DEL Press Office on 028 9025 7872.