Whether you are a professional Care Assistant or an unpaid Carer looking after a loved one, it can sometimes be overwhelming trying to find the right information to help you deliver the best care possible.
To help you with this, we have created a list of useful internal and external resources for carers.
Bright Care Training Academy
Our newly appointed Head of Bright Care Training Academy, Nichola Tyson, is in charge of developing and delivering training to our Care Assistants. Arming our Carers with the understanding and knowledge of all care related topics, holistically supporting those in their later years to live a long and happy life.
All of our newly recruited Care Assistants undergo a four-day training course at our Bright Care Training Academy. During induction training sessions, our staff learn everything they need to know for their role in care, including lifting and handling, medication administration, personal care and using our reporting system, which ensures that all of our clients’ families are well informed on how their loved ones are faring during each visit from Bright Care.
Internal resources for Carers
After our Care Assistants graduate from their induction course, we continue to provide learning and development opportunities. We deliver on-going in-house training from our dedicated Bright Care Trainers, including specialised training sessions and tutorials on elderly care related topics, such as Adult Support & Protection, First Aid Awareness and Dementia Awareness.
We also have an in-house library in each of our Bright Care offices, with a range of resources on various subjects and medical conditions that may affect people in their later years.
All our Care Assistants are allocated a Care Manager, who supports them throughout their career at Bright Care, offering advice and support whenever they need it. Our experienced and knowledgeable Care Managers also have links with Community Nurses and Occupational Therapists within each of our locations and provide all of our clients and their families support throughout their care journey with Bright Care.
External resources for Carers
There are a number of organisations who have developed excellent resources, help and advice that have proved invaluable to our Care Assistants in enriching the quality of our clients’ lives.
Here are links to the website resources we recommend:
- The Alzheimer’ Society provides a wide range of specialist services for people with dementia and their Carers. They offer support services, information and advice, for every stage of the dementia journey.
- The British Heart Foundation offers information on heart and circulatory disease, support groups, online communities and on-line events.
- The Care Inspectorate Hub hosts an online resource library with articles on many topics for those in Scotland.
- The Care Quality Commission website is for those based in England and produces many publications on diverse care related topics.
- Carers Link work with Carers throughout the East Dunbartonshire area providing tailored support, advocacy services, and links to events such as Dementia Friendly Opera Performances, Chair Yoga, Mindfulness, Autism Awareness and a Legal Matters clinic.
- Carers Support West Sussex is a local charity for those in the West Sussex area, offering a range of resources, toolkits, practical support, information and advice to encourage family and friend unpaid Carers to be seen, heard and included.
- Care for Carers is a voluntary organisation based in Edinburgh which provides support services to all Carers, and offers short breaks through their “Stepping Out” service to Carers from across Scotland.
- Carers UK is a very good resource for Carers to get advice, guides, tools and useful information on everything from financial matters and practical support to wellbeing and technology.
- Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland have excellent resources on all aspects on Chest, Heart and Stroke issues, including the management of these health issues, the road to recovery, and also lots of excellent resources for the families of people living with these health issues.
- Dementia Services Development Centre (DSDC) is an international centre of knowledge and expertise dedicated to improving the lives of people with dementia. Their website has lots of suggestions on how we can more effectively work with our clients with Dementia, from developing skills to motivating people, encouraging independence, stimulating mental function, talking, reading, games etc.
- Playlist for Life harnesses the power of music and focuses on connecting people living with Dementia to musical memories.
- Relish develop products and activities that aim to bring joy and connection to those with dementia and their Carers.
- Skills for Care support the adult social care sector by providing free downloadable workbooks to support the training process of professional Carers.
- The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) is the regulator for the social service workforce in Scotland. For England, the regulator is Social Work England. They protect the public by registering social service workers, setting standards for their practice, conduct, training and education and by supporting their professional development. Where social workers fall below the standards of practice and conduct, they can investigate and take action.
- Vocal empowers unpaid Carers in the Edinburgh and Midlothian areas through support information, services, entitlements and training.
Further reading
- Why become a Daytime Care Assistant
- Why become a Live-in Care Assistant
- Why become an Overnight Care Assistant
- The benefits of being a Care Assistant at Bright Care
- Becoming a Care Assistant without a background in care
Get in touch
If you would like to join our team providing private and bespoke in-home later life care, please get in touch.
If you would like to know more about the companionship care we offer, our team would be delighted to talk you through the options available, please get in touch.
