Dochas Centre leads way on unpaid carer support

Lochgilphead’s Dochas Centre is leading the way to better support in the post-pandemic world.

University of Glasgow research found that people looking after others had poorer mental health than the general population before lockdown and that this worsened as lockdown continued. The first lockdown led to an increasing reliance on unpaid carers as many non-Covid health and social care services were withdrawn.

The study found that declines in mental health were particularly marked among home-carers with a greater care burden or who had formal help prior to lockdown, but then lost it.

Dochas Carers Centre is one of five centres in Argyll and Bute, supporting unpaid carers across Mid Argyll, Kintyre, Gigha, Islay and Jura.

‘The main burden for unpaid carers during lockdown was watching the people they care for suffer too, which had a knock-on effect on the physical and mental well-being of the unpaid carer,’ explained Dochas Centre manager Peter Minshall.

Restrictions meant that faceto-face contact with carers was impossible, but Dochas staff kept in touch through phone calls, Zoom meetings and even chatted at a distance over the garden gate; all highly valued during such a difficult time.

But Dochas also used the time to look at the future of caring support. It contributed three papers to the Independent Review of Adult Social Care, all of which were included in the 55 recommendations of the report and supported by the Scottish cabinet minister for health and sport.

Dochas brought together the five carer centres across Argyll to form a joint working partnership of which Catherine Paterson, co-founder of Dochas, was appointed inaugural chairman. The partnership is already an effective voice for good as it brings direct evidence of trends and pressures for unpaid carers across the region.

The easing of restrictions will bring relief for the mental wellbeing of many – but not all.

With this in mind, Dochas has secured investment to allow expansion of its free, professional counselling service.

Peter continued: ‘Arising from the pandemic, and as a direct consequence of the report, there has been a recognition by government to invest in unpaid carers and it will make sense that carer centres are fully funded with Carers Act funding so they can continue supporting unpaid carers.’

Catherine said: ‘I am so very proud of all the Dochas staff who have gone the extra mile to let people know they are not alone, bringing hope by supporting unpaid carers.’