Carers Conference 2012

As part of National Carers Week our local authority held the annual Carers Conference which I attended yesterday.
It was very informative and well attended.
Some of the top directors from our services from the borough council were there and open for question time within the conference and also whilst having a coffee break, it was a great opportunity for bringing up issues that maybe affect just you or things which you feel could help everyone in the community.
The thing that was disscussed that I felt was of particular interest was the Clinical Commissioning Group.I pressume all local authoritys will have set one up ready for when the GP`s run thier own budgets, that is a question that I didn`t think to ask yesterday !! please correct me if this is wrong ...It must be a good thing that all the NHS ,Council and voluntary groups meet and all work together for the good of the people of thier borough.
Another very interesting talk was given by the Care Quality Commission about the work that they do to make sure that authorities and companies who provide services in the clients own home meet standards made by the government.

http://www.warringtonccg.nhs.uk/

http://www.cqc.org.uk/

There were work shops on offer and the one I decided to attend was "mind over matter ".The emphasis was on taking five minutes out of caring and feelgood factors to do in those five minutes .On the list which took my eye :

1. putting makeup on
2. having a shower
3. being with animals
4. doing your hair
5. sitting in the sun
6. listening to music
7. watching people
8. smiling

there were over 150 things on the list but these were easy to do in five minutes and will lift your mood.