Becoming a carer in mental health can be stressful, frightening, sudden and shocking.
This site contains some information for carers, and points to services that can help carers know more about, and deal with what is happening. This may help deal with the new situation of their loved-one and themselves, the staff and the processes, the diagnoses and the medications, the choices or lack of them, the legislation and people's rights - and how to assert them, etc.
Professionals, to whom dealing with mental health is their daily work, can sometimes miss out attention and support to the carers, including providing them with relevant information.
Having all the right information at the right time can make a great difference to the well-being of both carers and cared-for, so carers and those supporting them are well-advised to become well-informed. Assertiveness and persistence may be needed to ensure this.
Carers themselves hold a wealth of background information on the cared-for person - whom the professionals may have met for minutes or days, but the carers may have known for decades. It is a shame to under-value such information.
A healthy situation is where carers and professionals exchange information, both seeking the best outcome for the cared-for person. Carers and carers workers may need to assert such a relationship with professionals, to make relevant carer involvement automatic.
The Latest Information area of this web-site contains (or points to) much information useful at different points of being (or supporting) a carer in mental health.
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