Following a successful set of sessions in June, The Isabel Hospice cares course is back for the month of October. Featuring a mix of sessions to support carers and increase their confidence in looking after their loved ones. The course is free for any carer above 18, featuring sessions that designed to offer both practical and emotional guidance featuring topics like personal care, moving and handling and advance care planning.
Karen Bell, our Living Well manager says, “I think it is a lovely social interaction for everyone, because they can meet other people that are going through similar situations in a friendly and social environment. It also prepares them for the future, even if they feel like they might not need the education and support right now; they may need it in the future so it’s important that they know it is accessible.”
Karen facilitates the ‘Moving and handling’ session in the course, educating those who attend on topics such as how to use mobility aides like frames, sticks and wheelchairs, how to assist someone if they have had a fall and discussing moving aides such as hoists and steadying equipment and how they can be used in the home during daily activities.
Other sessions look at the problems that an individual may face when living with a life-limiting illness, such as incontinence and washing. Tackling everyday challenges such as mouth care and getting dressed, the best products out there to use and also ‘what not to do’ when dealing with certain issues.
The session on ‘Nutrition and hydration’, is run by our Education Specialist Jackie Watts, focusing on what a balanced diet should look like and what malnutrition is. Jackie said “the carers took away with them an understanding of the importance of good nutrition and hydration, so they can understand the meaning of malnutrition and learn tips and tricks that can help to combat this. Before they left, they were given a MacMillan recipe book to take home which they can use to draw inspiration from.”
The final session on ‘Advanced care planning’ brings together a small group that can learn from each other’s experiences and have conversations about planning for the future in a safe place with no judgement. Wendy said “It is not an easy conversation to start but it’s all about teaching people on how to live well with the life limiting condition that they have and how they can then die well when that time comes.
“We dispelled a lot of myths by talking about what matters most regarding the health of your loved one, how they can control and direct their health care and what happens when they can no longer tell us what they want. It’s important to have these conversations early rather than in a crisis when you may be unable to and are forced into a situation you may regret, it just makes things seem less scary.” Carers took away many useful tips on how to start these conversations with their loved ones.
“As I always say, Noah didn’t build his ark during the flood, he built it in preparation, and that’s what Advance Care Planning is…preparing for the rainy day!” Wendy finishes.
Our next set of sessions start in October on the second Tuesday of the month and will be every following Tuesday for four weeks, between 2-3:30pm at our Living Well Centre in Welwyn Garden City, AL7 4PH.
To book, please email education@isabelhospice.org.uk
