Shared Lives week starts 17th June - Celebrating Shared Lives carers across Northern Ireland

Shared Lives week is running in Northern Ireland from the 17th June.  It is celebrating the work of Shared Lives Schemes and carers in supporting adults needing care across Northern Ireland.    There are currently over 200 Shared Lives carers in Northern Ireland who open their homes, sharing their family life and caring for adults with a learning disability.  Local Shared Lives schemes will also be highlighting opportunities for people in the community to find out more about becoming a Shared Lives carer. The ethos of Shared Lives is inclusion rather than exclusion. 

Please tweet your support for the Shared Lives carers who provide a unique and dedicated service in our communities @sharedlivesplus

How Shared Lives is used in Northern Ireland

Shared Lives carers provide mainly short breaks support to family carers needing a break.  Their loved one can take a short break in a Shared Lives carer family home in the community as opposed to going into institutional care for this period.  The matching process involves the person needing care and their family in deciding which carer best fits their needs through an introduction process.  Many family carers see Shared Lives carer homes as an extension of their own home and forge strong bonds of friendship and trust.  Shared Lives carers here also provide day support and longer term live-in placements in their homes for adults with a learning disability.  There are 3 existing schemes in Northern Ireland run by social work teams in Health Trusts and one scheme delivered by a third sector organisation i.e. Positive Futures.  Each scheme is independent and responsible for the recruitment and training of carers as well as ongoing monitoring and support.  Schemes also oversee the matching process between Shared Lives carers and adults needing care.  All schemes are regulated by RQIA.

Transforming and Reforming Social Care

The Shared Lives model of care fits well with the drive to transform adult social care to offer more personalisation, choice and community based care options. For example Shared Lives is being accessed by many older people with dementia and their family carers in other parts of the UK as a short breaks support as well as an intermediate care service.  Shared Lives Plus is the national charity and lobbying voice for the Shared Lives model of care.  It is working with local Health Trusts and the Department of Health to explore how this could be offered to more adults needing care including our ageing population.

Shared Lives Advisory Group

Shared Lives Plus is also keen to hear from older people, family carers and support organisations who would like to be part of an advisory group that would help shape the development of Shared Lives care for older people in Northern Ireland.  If you would like to have an informal chat about this please contact Frank Johnston at Shared Lives Plus – 0739 2313502 or e-mail  frank@sharedlivesplus.org.uk

Scheme Contact Details (Health Trust Area)

Northern Health & Social Care Trust – “Share the Care” service – Alec Walker alec.walker@northerntrust.hscni.net    02870 347871

Western Health & Social Care Trust – Shared Lives Adult Placement/ Host Care – Ann-Marie McMenamin – ann-marie.mcmenamin@westerntrust.hscni.net    - 02871 864363

Southern Health & Social Care Trust – “Shared Care” Service – Angela Murnion – angela.murnion@southerntrust.hscni.net   - 02830 256780

Belfast Health & Social Care Trust  - “Positive Futures Families Matter Shared Lives Service” - liz.palmer@positive-futures.net  - 02890 741271

All of the above services support adults with a learning disability.