Caring for the Carers: A Guide to Help Paid Carers for People with Learning Disabilities

The care and support of people who have learning disabilities present many potential stressors to those who work with members of this client group particularly if they have complex needs such as poor mental health autism sensory deficits or severe physical impairments. Although some research has been undertaken to ascertain the nature of those stressors and identify coping strategies this is not readily available and so poorly understood or implemented by paid carers supporters and managers who work with people with learning disabilities in community residential and treatment settings. This book not only uses that research but also the extensive experience and knowledge gained by Alan Nuttall as a carer nurse and manager over the last 43 years to provide a greater insight into the factors that cause paid supporters stress and also practical strategies to counteract and lessen that stress. Special attention has been given to factors such as coping with challenging behaviour communicating with other agencies and relatives coping with the death of service users and the impact of working conditions associated with residential and community care.