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Mental health
Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
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Becoming a carer :
Becoming a mental health carer
Reasons for caring and carers' qualities
How caring affects carers :
Working life and life opportunities
Relationship to the person cared for
Children, family and social life
Stress and carers' health
Negative attitudes to mental health problems
Looking after yourself and getting help :
Getting the balance right
Support from family, friends and community
Support from spirituality and religion
Support from carers' services
Carers' assessments
Caring for someone with a mental health problem :
Giving emotional and practical support
Taking control - difficult situations and medication
Carers' views: mental health problems & causes
Carers' views on treatment and cure
Carers' experiences with mental health services :
Services and minority ethnic communities
Carers' voice and confidentiality issues
Working with GPs and Psychiatric Consultants
Dealing with hospitals
Services in the community
What carers want :
What different cultures can teach us
Carers advice for support and information services
Carers' advice about carer policies
Final advice to other carers
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
Subject index
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Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
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People caring for their husband, wife or partner
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Anne - Interview 20
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She thinks the way staff listen to carers should be part of routine monitoring of their work.
Anne has been caring for her husband, who has severe depression, over the last four years. She has recently returned to part time work after having been a full time carer for some time. She believes it should be a requirement that health professionals listen to carers.
Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
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People caring for a son or daughter
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Nick - Interview 02
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Just as doctors need education to treat a broken leg, carers need education and support to look after people with mental health problems.
Nick and his wife have cared for their son with paranoid schizophrenia for almost 12 years. In the beginning Nick didn't feel heard by health professionals, but today he is a very involved.
Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
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People caring for a parent
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Amar - Interview 01
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She thinks mental health issues should be part of the school curriculum.
Amar's mother got a schizophrenic disorder around the time the family moved from Kenya via India to England. Over forty years later, Amar is her mother's main carer, on top of a full time job and being a parent.
Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
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People caring for a parent
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Anton - Interview16
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Anton thinks the current carer's allowance is inadequate considering what they do.
Anton cares for his 84 year old mother who suffers from dementia. His caring responsibilities together with his own health problems meant he had to take early retirement, but he is very involved in voluntary work.
Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
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People caring for their husband, wife or partner
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Kiran - Interview 26
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Benefits affect carer allowance which makes it hard for carers (recording in Gujarati).
Kiran has been caring for his wife for seven years. She has a lot of health issues and it took over 20 years to find out that depression was an important part of her problems.
Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
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People caring for a parent
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Nita - Interview 12
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She says the NHS needs to take more responsibility and not expect voluntary organisations to do work it should be doing.
Nita cares for her mother who is diagnosed with manic depression. She thinks it is essential that carers have their own needs met and that they get support to come to terms with the loss and hurt they may feel.
Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
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People caring for a sister or brother
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Ramila - Interview 13
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Carers' health can suffer, so carers must get support, find time to do things for themselves and learn to let go of some responsibilities.
Ramila has been caring for her brother who is diagnosed with schizophrenia for ten years. She thinks carers and service users deserve to be treated with more respect.
Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
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People caring for a son or daughter
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Tina - Interview 18
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Treat people with mental illness with sympathy and understanding (played by an actor).
Tina cares for her son who suffers from mental health problems and she is also working as a carer for people with mental health problems at an Asian community centre.
Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
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People caring for a son or daughter
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Sarah - Interview 25
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If the person who is unwell doesn't want to go to the doctor, talk to your own doctor or ask for a home visit and contact mental health organisations
Sarah cares for her son who has shcizophrenia. She is active in several carer's oganisations.
Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
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People caring for their husband, wife or partner
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Aiko - Interview 17
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Carers should be given priority for adequate housing.
Aiko has been caring for her husband who suffers from complex post traumatic stress syndrome, bi-polar disorder and severe depression for seven years. She believes mental health services should address the needs of the whole family.
Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
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People caring for a parent
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Anton - Interview16
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If you are not satisfied with the home carer service, complaining can make a difference.
Anton cares for his 84 year old mother who suffers from dementia. His caring responsibilities together with his own health problems meant he had to take early retirement, but he is very involved in voluntary work.
Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
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People caring for a son or daughter
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Jane - Interview 22
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Really careful listening is needed to understand the work carers do (played by an actor).
For the last 20 years Jane and her husband has cared for their daughter Sarah, who has schizophrenia. She worries about what will happen to their daughter when they are not around anymore.
Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
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People caring for other or more than one relative
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Raye - Interview 30
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Raye describes how caring for someone with a mental health problem requires time and expertise, and doesn't fit well with the 9-5 professional schedul
Raye grew up with mental health problems in the family. Today, she is the main carer for her father (paranoid schizophrenia), her sister (schizophrenia) and her brother (manic depression). She now feels she needs to let go of some of the responsibilities and focus on her own life.
Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
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People caring for a son or daughter
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Miriam - Interview 05
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Miriam wants carers and health professionals to have regular contact from day one.
Miriam carers for her son who is in his late twenties. He has been diagnosed with schizophrenia but she thinks what he has is drugs infused psychosis.
Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
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People caring for a sister or brother
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Sophie - Interview 09
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If you feel something isn't right, speak out about it. Ask questions, make notes and contact other carers that are going through the same things.
Sophie has always had a caring role for her sister Angel. Angel is diognosed with Schizophrenia, but Sophie thinks this diagnosis is based on behaviour resulting from inappropriate medication of a mental disability and behavioral problems.
Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
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People caring for their husband, wife or partner
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Kiran - Interview 26
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There is government support in this country, but you have to get out and ask for it (recording in Gujarati).
Kiran has been caring for his wife for seven years. She has a lot of health issues and it took over 20 years to find out that depression was an important part of her problems.
Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
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People caring for a son or daughter
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Jane - Interview 22
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Mental health problems can affect anyone so educate yourself, learn about mental health problems, find information and training to help you learn (pla
For the last 20 years Jane and her husband has cared for their daughter Sarah, who has schizophrenia. She worries about what will happen to their daughter when they are not around anymore.
Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
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People caring for their husband, wife or partner
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Kiran - Interview 26
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He thinks fewer changes of doctors, longer consultations and clearer packaging of medicine would help carers and service users (recording in Gujarati)
Kiran has been caring for his wife for seven years. She has a lot of health issues and it took over 20 years to find out that depression was an important part of her problems.
Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
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People caring for a parent
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Elaine - Interview 32
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She thinks it would be helpful to have someone to mediate when there is conflict between carers and service personnel (played by an actor).
Elaine was the main carer for her father for the last four years of his life. He suffered from vascular dementia and Elaine feels both he as a patient and she as a carer were let down by the system.
Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
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People caring for a son or daughter
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Agnes - Interview 29
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She thinks health care workers should show their patients more warmth and encouragement.
Agnes has been caring for her daughter, who has OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) and depression, for four years.
Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
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People caring for a sister or brother
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Sophie - Interview 09
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There need to be well funded carer organisations working for carers and 24-hour support services available in crisis.
Sophie has always had a caring role for her sister Angel. Angel is diognosed with Schizophrenia, but Sophie thinks this diagnosis is based on behaviour resulting from inappropriate medication of a mental disability and behavioral problems.
Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
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People caring for a sister or brother
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Ramila - Interview 13
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If carers are going to be partners in care they need information and support.
Ramila has been caring for her brother who is diagnosed with schizophrenia for ten years. She thinks carers and service users deserve to be treated with more respect.
Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
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People caring for their husband, wife or partner
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Aiko - Interview 17
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The information Aiko got came late, and without any guidance or direction.
Aiko has been caring for her husband who suffers from complex post traumatic stress syndrome, bi-polar disorder and severe depression for seven years. She believes mental health services should address the needs of the whole family.
Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
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People caring for their husband, wife or partner
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Anne - Interview 20
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Anne describes an exercise which helps her deal with her husband's irrational thinking.
Anne has been caring for her husband, who has severe depression, over the last four years. She has recently returned to part time work after having been a full time carer for some time. She believes it should be a requirement that health professionals listen to carers.
Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
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People caring for their husband, wife or partner
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Anne - Interview 20
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Her support worker suggested that Anne simply run a nice hot bath for her husband instead of 'nagging him' to have one.
Anne has been caring for her husband, who has severe depression, over the last four years. She has recently returned to part time work after having been a full time carer for some time. She believes it should be a requirement that health professionals listen to carers.
Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
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People caring for a son or daughter
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Sarah - Interview 25
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Sarah found out most of what she knows about schizophrenia on the internet (played by an actor).
Sarah cares for her son who has shcizophrenia. She is active in several carer's oganisations.
Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
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People caring for a parent
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Anton - Interview16
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Although professional advice can be good, Anton sometimes finds his own ways of doing things.
Anton cares for his 84 year old mother who suffers from dementia. His caring responsibilities together with his own health problems meant he had to take early retirement, but he is very involved in voluntary work.
Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
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People caring for other or more than one relative
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Indira - Interview 08
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Look after yourself, do your best and don't give up even when you feel down.
Indira has been caring for her aunt who has Alzheimer's disease for five years. She believes older people deserve to be treated with respect.
Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
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People caring for their husband, wife or partner
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Marcie - Interview 04
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She thinks every carer should get respite that suits their needs.
10 years ago Marcie's husband Larry was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Today he is completely depended on her and Marcie gave up her job as a Ward Clark to look after him. Most of Marcie's time is taken up with caring for him, which is restricting and isolating.
Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
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People caring for their husband, wife or partner
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Emily - Interview 19
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Emily doesn't want to be away from her family for long periods, so takes short breaks at the community centre.
Emily has been caing for her husband who suffers from Schizophrenia since she came to the UK three years ago. She says her relationship to God gives her peace and makes her able to cope with a difficult situation.
Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
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People caring for their husband, wife or partner
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Pooja - Interview 23
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The lack of suitable transport services makes it hard for her husband to attend community centres.
Pooja has cared for her husband for 12 years. He suffers from depression and from other health issues and is very dependent on her.
Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
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People caring for a sister or brother
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Ramila - Interview 13
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She suggests professionals should work with carers to help them identify what information they need.
Ramila has been caring for her brother who is diagnosed with schizophrenia for ten years. She thinks carers and service users deserve to be treated with more respect.
Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
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People caring for their husband, wife or partner
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Kiran - Interview 26
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Non-technical language and information in writing can make it easier to understand (recording in Gujarati).
Kiran has been caring for his wife for seven years. She has a lot of health issues and it took over 20 years to find out that depression was an important part of her problems.
Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
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People caring for a son or daughter
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Tina - Interview 18
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Tina says information should be available in different languages (played by an actor).
Tina cares for her son who suffers from mental health problems and she is also working as a carer for people with mental health problems at an Asian community centre.
Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
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People caring for a son or daughter
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Nick - Interview 02
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He suggests that new cares should be given carers' packs, that they should be kept informed and be part of treatment teams.
Nick and his wife have cared for their son with paranoid schizophrenia for almost 12 years. In the beginning Nick didn't feel heard by health professionals, but today he is a very involved.
Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
>>
People caring for a sister or brother
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Angela - Interview 15
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Don't give up on the person you care for, try to understand them, but don't pamper them.
Angela cared for her brother with mental health problems for much of her adult life. Once her brother was cured, she was finally able to get married and have a family, the absence of which had been as source of great pain for her.
Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
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People caring for their husband, wife or partner
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Pooja - Interview 23
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She says information must be made available to make sure people get help quicker than they did.
Pooja has cared for her husband for 12 years. He suffers from depression and from other health issues and is very dependent on her.
Topic
Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
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Carers advice for support and information services
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Carers advice for support and information services
Carers advice for support and information services
Mental health
>>
Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
>>
Carers' advice about carer policies
>>
Carers' advice about carer policies
Carers' advice about carer policies
Mental health
>>
Mental health: ethnic minority carers’ experiences
>>
Final advice to other carers
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Final advice to other carers
Final advice to other carers
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