Summary
This project delivered a residential for 42 carers and 34 cared-for people who experienced a 3-night holiday featuring exercises, activities and entertainment.
What Breathe Easy Fife has learned
We learned that the break doesn’t need to be busy; it needs to be meaningful -some of the smallest moments had the greatest impact. There were lots of activities and most people joined in but for others just being there, having someone to talk to and having that safe space to share worries & fears made a huge difference to them -we learned that peer support is not a “nice extra” — it’s central to wellbeing.
Although we have done this short break before, this time we wanted to make it more tailored to each individual rather than 'as a group' - each room was chosen depending on ability to walk from lift, table place was dependant on if they needed extra space for walkers or if they needed easiest access to toilets etc, each carer/cared for person had a plan which had 6 key points and we had to coordinate it around all the others attending. However, even although this was much more work, we found it of huge benefit as we knew peoples needs more and they had greater confidence being there as even small details had been considered making things easier for them.
Impact on beneficiaries
The list identified by carers that told us how the project made a difference were in most what we had planned for using the programme outcomes, but some comments surprised us and were welcome to hear. The feedback included;
- Experiencing a change in routine – many saying that the most difficult part of caring was that every day was the same , they couldn’t plan anything and everything is usually too much effort to do something other than get through the day so getting away on holiday has been so therapeutic. One carer said " I've just had breakfast and normally I would have a list of chores to do but woohoo I'm off to a dance class then a swim and I will celebrate my wonderful day with cake - am I dreaming?"
- Physical and Mental rest – the physical toll on doing all the things that both used to share was a comment from many but being with the group for a few days and not being solely responsible mentally allowed them to relax and release the built-up stress.
- Reduced isolation – the biggest score on the feedback was relating to being with people, especially those who understood what they were going through. One lady said “no words were needed for them to know how stressed, anxious and worn out I was because they had felt it at some point too, but the support, understanding and encouragement I had from strangers, who are now friends, was life changing.”
- Renewed resilience – it is understandable that people get to a point when the think they can’t go on but our feedback from the project has shown how with a bit of a helping hand and allowing people to step back for a bit allows them the opportunity to see that there is ways of improving quality of life while caring and being cared for rather than be on the treadmill of ‘just keeping going’, which is how many describe their life. Finding things that they like to do such as the variety of exercises or singing that we did on the holiday an art class or swimming helped them realise the benefits of destressing and taking time for themselves. One member stated “ In one day I did yoga, did a sketch class and danced the night away and now I feel reborn”. Another said “ I need to make time to do some of these things when I get home so that I can be a more tolerant and less stressed carer."
We as a charity are talking with individuals now to help them find activities in their local area. Some of the comments which the volunteers were most touched by and which demonstrates the difference our project made to individuals were ;
" You helped us to build a bank of joyful and precious memories which will keep us going for a long time".
" I feel like I have been unplugged for a few days so that I had the brain space to appreciate all the fun on this holiday".
" Some days I feel like its an effort just to put one foot in front of the other but today was not one of those days because we joined some great folk & laughed so much at the fun quiz that I was skipping to lunch".