Description
The families with chronically/severely ill or disabled members are subject to chronic stress, which can result in burnout. There is a lack of systemic solutions to improve the situation of these families and the existing offer of free of charge support is insufficient. Project goal is to help the members of sick person's family improve their emotional, physical and social status. One hundred individuals from Warsaw agglomeration will participate in the project. The following activities are scheduled: diagnosis of family problems and needs, individual support, groups for adults and for children, workshops on stress, workshops on psychological skills, and appointing a “Change Leaders" group as a stepping stone for self-organization. The project will be implemented in partnership with the Volunteer Centre Association. Volunteers will be trained to provide care over sick people and children so that family members have a chance to participate in the project. Project outcome will consist in improved functioning of family members, better skills in satisfying the needs of those families, and social inclusion of those families achieved through their activation.
Summary of project results
"The ""Family"" program adopted in 2013 by the Warsaw City Council indicates that “there is a need to apply well-developed psychoeducational and therapeutic programs with regards to the caregivers [of ill people], who often develop psychological disorders due to burnout and lack of support"". Children brought up in homes where an ill person resides are at risk of feeling abandoned due to their parents dedication to care over the ill family member. There are organizations and institutions operating in Warsaw that offer help to people with a specific illness. There are few however that take care of the entire family and offer psychological help free of charge. The aim of the project was to improve the functioning of family members of people with illnesses or incapacities, encouraging these families to be active and including them in social life. The activities covering 58 families affected by illness resulted in improved relations between family members who now declare an increased feeling of being able to influence the course of their own life. Two self-help groups were created concenrating on the care for adults with mental disorders (5 people) and on the support of young family members from families touched by illness (8 people). Activities organized included: recruitment meetings covering the diagnosis of the given family needs (97 people), 3 psychological skills workshops for parents and children (33 people), therapy for 21 families (80 people, 205 hrs in total), a support group for adult caregivers (36 meetings, 14 people), a cycle of 4 stress reduction workshops for 12 people and individual support for 12 adults (132 hrs in total) and 14 kids (228 hrs in total). Volunteers, who were helping to take care of the ill family members or of the children, thus enabling the caregivers to participate in the project, received training (3 workshops for 14 participants in total). A manual for families touched by illness was prepared. 3 workshops were organized in order to launch the self-help groups and the participants received support of a coach (44 hrs in total for 12 people). The activities of the project covered 176 people from Warsaw and its vicinities. The experience of the Partner was used during recruitment and preparation of volunteers."
Summary of bilateral results