Carers Face the Future

Monday, 12 July 2010 15:12

Your Future and Mine - Carer Retreat 

As part of the Mental Health Respite Program, Northside Community Forum Inc. organised “Your Future and Mine” – a two-day carer retreat at the Collaroy Centre, from Friday to Sunday, 14-16 May. The purpose of the retreat was to provide a well-earned break for older carers of people with mental health issues, intellectual disability or autism, and also to explore some of the issues related to transition into the future and planning ahead.

There was a great turn-out with 23 carers enjoying the program provided on Saturday, and many stayed for the full weekend break.

Guest speakers included FamilyCare's Terry Ryan, who cares for his 31-year-old son Chris. He has written a book titled “What About Me... A Guide for Caring” and developed a tool to help carers prepare individual plans for the future. Terry offered vital advice for carers, such as practical tools for documenting recipient characteristics, current and future care needs, future directives and planning for accommodation, legal, financial and service support needs.

Among the other speakers were Christine Agius, Executive Officer with Action For People With A Disability, who is also a carer for her son; Emma Schuberth, counsellors from Carers NSW; and Michelle Rickenbach from ARAFMI.

Carers enjoyed the break and found the program supportive and useful, with plenty of current information to assist in their transitional process. It's often  difficult to plan for what’s to come, and while the weekend did not provide all the answers, it did give the carers direction, information and a valuable respite.