- Home
- About NHS Norfolk
- Emergency Planning Response & Recovery
- News & Publications
- Your health
- Your services
- Compliments, concerns, complaints and PALS
- Consultations
- Freedom of Information (FOI)
- Valuing Equality & Diversity
- Procurement portal
- Norfolk & Suffolk Transitional Workforce Group
- About us
- Our work
- Projects
- Swift projects
- Introduction
- Background
- Children and Maternity
- End of Life
- Health and Social Care Navigators: Information, advice and advocacy
- Assistant Practitioner Toolkit
- Skilled Carers Project
- Swift end programme report
- Mental Health: Workforce Skills Analysis and Development
- Personalisation Agenda
- Assistive Technology
- Swift projects
- Events
- Useful links
- Members
- Contact us
- Research and Development
- News for health professionals
- Careers and jobs
- Contact us
- Useful links
- Catch it, Bin it, Kill it video
Activity 1 – The qualities of a Carer
Question 1: What are your qualities? What is it about you that will make you a good Carer?
Good qualities of a Carer could include:
- Good listening skills
- Helpful
- Patience
- Confidence
Question 2: Are there any qualities that you feel that you would like to develop? Explain why?
Question 3: Can you think of anyone who you thought was a good Carer and describe their qualities? (If you cannot think of anyone you know in person then think of someone that you might have watched on the television or that you have read about.)
Question 4: What do you think makes a bad Carer?
Signs of a poor Carer could include:
- Impatience
- Lack of experience
- Avoidance
- Lack of interest
Question 5: Think for example about the impact that both good and bad qualities would have on those people receiving care. Note these down below.
Question 6: Think also about what are the dangers of taking away decisions and choices?
It is very important when caring for someone that you do not take away their decisions and choices. This will take away their independence and self-worth. It is easy to care too much and therefore to take control. It is really important that you do not do this. Although the person that you are caring for may require assistance with certain tasks it will almost certainly not be with everything involved in their day to day living. Promote independence as much as you can.
This principle is just as important if you are caring for those who get confused. Give them time and do not hurry them to make decisions.
If you are caring for a loved one or a relative there is a real danger of doing this because you are more likely to know their usual preferences or dislikes.
Activity 1 – Summary
Have you managed to answer the questions so far?
It will certainly get you thinking about how important it is to ensure that you give the best possible care without taking away any of the person’s rights and independence.
