Trevor
Clower - Parent Carer
I
have been a Parent Carer for 43 years
My name is
Trevor Clower I am an unpaid voluntary carer.
I have a son
who was born with a learning disability and autism.
He is 43 years
old; therefore, I have been a carer for 43 years.
I have
organised the Carer Road Shows over the last two years all over Nottingham and the surrounding county and met hundreds of Carers. I have spoken
to Carers from all walks of life and with varying years of caring. I go to many
different groups and organisations and hear the same thing, why don’t the
professionals listen to us. They prefer to talk at us and not listen to our
situation, their stories.
Don’t you
just hate it when you see a resource that is not used to its full potential.
Two
Types of Carers
There are
Carers like me, long in the tooth, caring for a person who was born with a
disease and there are people who live a life where they get married, kids, nice
house and car, the whole nine yards. When suddenly, and without warning, their
nearest and dearest starts to act weird, and that is all they have to go on.
They pack them
off to see the Doctor and while they try to make a diagnosis, this person
decides to look after them and from that point, they are sucked into the Caring
roll, without any idea of the enormity of their decision.
Instant
Carer
These Carers are
not an extra person for you to cure; a lot of them are strong-minded,
resourceful individuals that are putting up with the most appalling situations.
These Carers are not someone for you to pass on for counselling or a group.
These Carers are experts in the wellbeing of your patient.
Providing you
catch them early enough before they fall victim to the five events all carers
have to deal with.
A
Sequence of Five Events
- They
lose their job
- They
lose their social life
- Loss
of all Family & Friends Promises of Help
- Isolation
- Depression
All Carers fall
victim to these five sequences of events:
- They
lose their job, even reducing it to part time never last long at all.
- They
lose their social life
- They
come to realise that not all the promises from friends and even family lasts
very long, as they have a life to lead too.
- They
fall into isolation; sleep like a cat, the slightest thing wakes them up. They
can’t leave the house for more than an hour in case someone wanders out the
house or has fallen out of bed.
- They
pop up on the NHS radar, not as a Carer, but as a patient in A & E in deep
depression.
The
Race Is On!
The longer you
take to make a diagnosis, the further down this road of events the Carer has
endured.
The
KEY to Carer Recognition
EARLY
CONSENT!
- At the point of diagnosis ask the patient for their carers contact details and record them in the medical records
- Ask for their permission to consult and
include their carer in their health management and record their consent in the
medical records
- Get access to your records and ask for permission from the patient if you can get access to their records too.
This will
minimise the probability of professionals bumping into confidentiality without
any references towards consent. Don't just get access but learn to understand what the records mean and how they can help you and the person you care for!
Carer
Recognition
The
advantages of early recognition of the carer allows you to Including the Carer, making them feel valued. Being a part of the treatment for the person their caring for.
Listening to the Carer, helps you identify the carers knowledge
of the patient, which will help you make a more positive treatment plan. Drawing on the experience of the carers
knowledge of the patient.
Valuing the Carers relationship and trust they have with the
Patient, helps you use that trust to deliver the treatment plan after
discharged in the home environment. Use
the carer to help administer the treatment in a way the patient accepts and
trusts
Positive
Outcomes
You have a more settled patient by using
the Carer to Patient relationship. A more settled patient leads to a happier patient and a happier
patient always responds to treatment better.
You have an informed Carer who is included
and valued, thus preventing them from falling victim to the Five Sequences of
Events. An informed carer also settles the patient,
as they have a carer that is included in their treatment plan.
By making more informed decisions about your patient’s treatment plan, from this collaboration, you will feel more empowered and valued as part of the team
Trevor Clower based in Nottingham and happy to share his experiences with you.
Tel 07905-740639
trevorclower@hotmail.com
Follow him on Facebook / twitter
Haughton Thornley Medical Centres would like to thank Trevor for sharing his immense knowledge and experience with us for the benefit of all.
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