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Annex C: Respite needs of specific groups
Note: While this annex includes advice on the particular needs of a number of groups, consultees are invited to suggest similar advice for others such as:
- older carers,
- people with mental health problems and their carers,
- co-resident carers,
- people with learning disabilities and their carers,
- carers/service users from black and minority ethnic communities
- people with autism spectrum disorders,
- people with profound and multiple disabilities.
Those caring for a long time
Carers in a long term caring situation are often at risk due to the cumulative effects of long term caring on carers' health and wellbeing and may become isolated.
Adults living with older parent carers
For adults ( e.g. with a learning disability) living with older parent carers, respite can be especially valuable in helping both parties to plan and prepare for the time when the carer will not be able to continue providing the same level of care.
Carers of disabled children
Caring for a disabled child, 24 hours a day can be very challenging for the child's family - physically, emotionally and often financially. Short breaks and building families' capacity to care can have positive benefits for both children and carers, helping to alleviate carer stress.
Carers of people with a terminal illness
In the case of palliative care, carers may require more regular breaks as they are also coping with the grieving process. There may also be a need for more specialised services.
Carers suffering stress
Consideration should be given to prioritising respite to allow carers to access services which will enhance their coping mechanisms and help them to develop support networks. For example, regular attendance at a carers support group, counselling or a carer training course.
Caring relationships under pressure
Respite can be particularly valuable where the caring situation in danger of breaking down due to stress on family relationships caused by caring responsibilities. (Often counselling and additional support is needed to allow people to come to terms with changing relationships.)
Carers with multiple caring roles
Such situations are often stressful and there is often the tendency to look at each caring situation in isolation, without taking account of the cumulative effect.
Young carers
The range of caring roles undertaken by young people is as broad as the spectrum of specific groupings considered in this appendix. Young carers are not a sub-group of adult carers and have needs which are specific to each child or young person. When considering the respite and short-break needs of young carers attention must be given to the age of the child or young person, their abilities and strengths and the impact of their caring role on their life. The whole child must be central to any assessment and the impact of caring on their physical, social, educational, emotional, spiritual and psychological development understood. Young carers should be supported to take an active role in decisions about short breaks and respite.
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