Carers Champion - Hambleton & Richmondshire

re you passionate and enthusiastic about supporting Carers and people who are affected by MND?

As the Association continues to focus it strategy upon not only those living with MND, but also individuals affected by MND, this role endeavours to provide additional support to those people who are undertaking a supporting or caring role.

We know that many people supporting a person living with MND do not identify themselves as Carers. As MND progresses the caring role can intensify rapidly. Roles held before diagnosis for a husband, wife or family member, may quickly change into a full blown caring responsibility, with little time to think about the change in dynamics that is occurring.

Carers Champions are a new and essential role, established with the recognition that the needs or Carers are often different to those individuals living with MND, and therefore the skills in supporting Carers effectively requires an interest and understanding of how Carers may be feeling, the worries that they face about the future, the worries about how the needs of the person they care for may change.

Health and Social Care Professionals (HSCP) generally focus upon the person living with MND (patient or client) as their needs will probably be changing so rapidly. Appointments and clinics are usually geared around the person with MND and symptom management, and carers often struggle to ask the questions that are important to them in this setting, particularly in front of their loved one. This can make for complex family dynamics, often filled with isolation and anxiety for those undertaking a caring role.

Our Carers Champions are often people who have previously been Carers in the past, or people who understand the needs of Carers, or want to make a difference to those affected by MND.

Carers Champions are asked to gain knowledge about the local services and networks of support that are available in one of our network of Branches or Groups. This may mean developing networks and relationships with Carers Services both in the Statutory and Voluntary sector, and be a point of contact for the Branch or Group to signpost Carers to relevant support.

Carers Champions will also help local volunteers develop and run Association support for Carers and Bereaved Carers. This may include Carers Meetings or Bereaved Carers meetings, talking to Carers at generic Support Meetings and events to encourage them to participate in our Carer Support, or by providing emotional support over the telephone or internet.

This role does not include visiting people within their homes, as this role is has to be undertaken by our Association Visitors.

Carers Champions will need to undertake our training programme and may wish to progress to be an Association Visitor at a later date.