About Time 2 Care
Caring for a family member or friend irrespective of age or illness can be a very anxious and traumatic experience. I myself have been a carer for my late father who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and who was a resident in two care home settings.
During my caring journey and beyond I have had the opportunity and privilege of speaking at or facilitating various gatherings/functions such as NI Hospital Chaplains Conference, Queens University Mental Health Students, Support groups, Consultative groups, Joint Initiatives, Care Home residents groups, Community and Church groups, Hospital and Community Social Work Teams, Care Home managers/staff and residents, training opportunities within care home settings and pastoral work within Church and Community.
I am truly grateful to such organisations as Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA), Alzheimer’s Society, Patient & Client Council, Health and Social Care Trusts and the now defunct Relatives Association NI for the opportunity of participating in various aspects of their work. All this reinforced my admiration of carers and those who work closely with them.
It would be very remise of me if I did not acknowledge the main source that gave me inspiration to produce such publications, the carers themselves, the residents in care home settings, many of which cannot speak for themselves, and those being cared for in their own homes.
Most of all these publications serve as a testimonial to two brothers, my father and my Uncle George, who at the same time, were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, were residents in different care homes and passed away within four months of each other. It is to all of them that I dedicate Care 2 Share NI Caring Publications.
I trust that all who use these publications will be encourage and supported in their caring journey and profession.
Mary Henderson
Training Team
For the past 18 years I worked for Carers NI providing benefits advice, training Trust staff, delivering carer awareness and information sessions and facilitating five carer support groups in the Northern Health & Social Care Trust area.
I cared for my mother during her journey with cancer and through that have developed a personal understanding of the caring experiences and the rewards and challenges it brings.
I am an accomplished professional with long-standing experience within the community and voluntary sector. I have a particular interest in working with professionals, communities and individuals to raise awareness of family carers and to identify resources and support for them. I am confident, capable and approachable with exceptional creativity, solution focused skills and project management experience. I have a wide-range of expertise including the design and delivery of training programmes throughout the UK. My focus is on acting with integrity and in the best interest of carers whilst ensuring compliance with policies and guidelines to inspire the delivery of effective support.
I also served as President and Director of the largest uniformed youth organisation in Northern Ireland Regional that values, nurtures and equips girls and young women for life.
Lyn Campbell – BSc (Hons) Community Development<
Professional Certificate and Training
- Training for Trainers, City & Guilds Level 3
- Group Work Skills for Health & Well-Being OCN
- Facilitative Leadership
- Dementia Friendly Communities
- Supporting Vulnerable Clients
- Welfare Rights Advisor, OCN
- Carers & the Law
- Good Governance
Achievements:
- Knowledgeable advice worker
- Design and delivery of training
- Effective partnership working across sectors
- Respite and Sheltered Manager
- Staff recruitment, training, development, supervision & support
Before retiring in 2018, I worked for 7 years as an Associate Lecturer in Health & Social Care at Northern Regional College and then for 13 years as the Training & Development Officer for the Methodist Church in Ireland. I am an experienced teacher and trainer with a desire to help people realise their full potential and develop their skill sets, especially in relation to the care of others. I have trained people in social and pastoral care, including: the care of children and the elderly, the care of those with mental illness and dementia, the care of those who are in hospital and those who are grieving. This has been in the community and voluntary sector, as well as in an academic setting.
I feel I have a deep understanding of the life of a carer having journeyed, as both a child and an adult, through illnesses and death with a number of family members: my chronically ill mother, my first husband with cancer, my father with Alzheimer’s, and my stepson with mental illness. The care of my Dad and my stepson necessitated me taking a 3-year career break. There is no doubt that my own experience of caring for, and losing, loved ones has informed and enhanced how I help others to understand both the challenges and the joys of being a carer.
I am married to Tom and our blended family is a delight for us both; our children, their partners and our grandchildren bring me great happiness. There is nothing I enjoy more than sharing fun and fellowship with others over a good meal.
Louise Wilson, B.Sc., P.G.C.F.H.E.
Caring for people has always been my passion as from the age of eighteen, I was a Nursing Auxiliary in a Nursing home to later, becoming a manager of Domiciliary services in Oxfordshire, where I achieved a postgraduate certificate in Management. This knowledge, skills and experience has empowered me to carry out my existing role in the Northern Trust where I have worked for the past twenty-three years.
As a Home Care Officer, I manage staff teams who provide care in the community to those with a critical need. My overall objective is to utilise the knowledge and skills of my staff team to ensure that Quality Assurance Standards are maintained, and that the client is always paramount in all that we do. Within my role, I work very closely with other professionals and with our client’s carers to ensure that the service meets the needs of the client and enables them to remain in their own home. In meeting the needs of the client, we provide an invaluable service that gives respite and support to carers in their role.
In 2017, I achieved a ‘Dementia Champion’ award for Home Care and later, achieved the ‘Champion of Champions’ award. From this, I have had the privilege of working as a Dementia Champion providing training with the Alzheimer’s Society and achieved ‘Dementia Friendly Community Champion of the year’ award in 2018 and ‘Trailblazer of the year’ finalist 2018. These awards have given me multiple opportunities to work with and train various organisations and businesses to create and develop Dementia Friendly communities in Northern Ireland.
My ultimate desire and goal has been and will continue to be the education of others, the development of existing care services and the improvement of the quality of life for all those receiving and giving care.
Lynne Bullett