Families Matter – Family Leadership
Giving parents and families resilience that will enable them to continue caring for a child with disability.
Senses Foundation supports people with disabilities and also supports their families and carers. This program, run by the Senses Foundation Social Worker gives families and carers the skills, coping strategies and resources that will enable them to continue to provide support and assistance to their family member who is deafblind or has another disability. This program also highlights and educates family carers regarding the importance of maintaining their own general health and well being. Research has documented that this is essential to enabling families to continue successfully in their caring role and assisting in preventing family issues.
Through this program, Senses Foundation encourages and supports the development of family support networks, uniting families and assisting them to form connections with others grappling with problems unique to having a child with disabilities. Activities are designed to give all participants the opportunity to relax and have fun away from the normal day to day caring routine, whilst also conducting workshops dealing with the parent’s expressed issues.
Senses Foundation provides respite to participating families enabling them to participate without concerns for the health and well being of their child. This rare time away from the caring environment, reaffirms and strengthens their own relationship. Time away from the family member with a disability is not only beneficial for the parents and care givers but also can have a reciprocal positive effect on the child with a disability; by giving them the opportunity to be stimulated by a change in routine, new experiences and interaction with people on a different level.
This program is vitally important for families and carers. There is growing evidence that caring for family members with disabilities elevates the risk for physical and mental health problems in caregivers. The health of family carers may affect not only their own lives but also the lives of the people for whom they provide care. This program offers an opportunity for parents to refresh and reenergize in a safe and empowering environment along with equipping them with tools to continue successfully in their caring role.
• Parents have access to information and strategies contributing to long term improvement of their overall health and well being, in turn benefiting the entire family unit.
• Workshops held address areas of concern specific to the group
• Parent have a valuable break from their caring role in an environment free from stress that encourages relaxation and fun.
• Parents are given the opportunity to establish and participate in an ongoing ‘Parents Support Group’ specific to the unique and complex issues related to caring for a child who is deafblind.
Literature and research endorse the vital role families and carers play and the adverse effects this role can have if families and carers are not validated and supported in their role. The impact on parents caring for a child with a disability can encompass employment, quality of life, relationships and general health and well being.
MORE INFORMATION
For more information contact Kelly Gurr, Manager, Life Skills & Family Services (08) 9473 5458 or lsfs@senses.asn.au
