These include:-

• Identification - even knowing who and where carers/families are.

• Lack of information - for families about what's available and how it works.

• Lack of proactive approach - services are currently reactive. They only get involved if there is a crisis!

• Older family carers are less likely to ask for help because of a number of factors including:

  • A history of mistrusting services
  • Previous bad experiences
  • Worries their son or daughter will be 'taken away'
  • Don't know who to ask

   

• Feeling their opinions are not valued or listened to by services when it comes to planning services for their son or daughter.

• Staff attitudes to families and their lack of experience and knowledge - they need better information so they can pass it onto families.

• Not enough 'joined up' working - a lack of joint working between older people's services and learning disability services.

• Uncertainty about the future - the way services are organised and financial resources - makes planning for the future difficult.

• Lack of flexibility in services - families are told what's available not asked what they need!

Are these some of the barriers you identified? What practical things do you think we can we do to dismantle them? Here are some suggestions!

Identification of older carers

Remember that research indicates that significant numbers of people with a learning disability are not known to their local learning disability service until there is a crisis in the caring situation. Identification is quite a complex task and will involve a number of different strands. Service managers and planners are the people who need to co-ordinate this bit of outreach. Staff and services, however, are in an important position to make links through existing networks of people with learning disabilities and their families. If you are wanting to provide a carer's service, or something that will benefit the whole family, then think about advertising your service. Use the local press; contact other community groups; spread the word and written information around to GP surgeries, libraries and other community facilities. Get out there! (For more discussion on this point go to 'Coping with Transitions').

Lack of information about what's available and how it works - having the right sort of information is key to being able to make informed choices and decisions in your life. Often families rely on word of mouth between themselves to find out important things.