Home Care Agency Empowers Black & Ethnic Minority Carers Through Therapy Thursday

Putting their carers at the heart of their ethos, Sahan Cares has been holding "Therapy Thursdays" to keep them empowered as they transcend fear, giving others the best care amidst Covid-19.

"Ever since I started doing the weekly wellbeing workshops, I was able to discover more about myself, who I am, what triggers me, and how I can overcome my daily challenges. I understood how the trauma I had in the past was the reason behind my anxiety. Now I feel more confident about expressing my feeling without being judged by my community".

UL is one of the many BAME women carers at Sahan Cares who are deeply impacted by the two-hour person-centric and culturally sensitive workshop delivered by a licensed Psychotherapist every Thursday. This mental health support program is delivered in their own language to ensure that they receive the safe space they need in case they are struggling with:

• Grief and bereavement due to the death of a loved one during the pandemic
• Caring for service users who have mental health issues and other special needs
• Fear and anxiety while navigating between personal life and work life during a time of upheaval

High rates of mental illness among BAME carers come from a variety of sources. For instance, former refugees who experienced traumatic journeys to get to the UK, living in crowded homes, grief from close relatives' deaths and a sudden loss of support. In addition, there is also a high prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, obesity and respiratory disease and obesity- risk factors for susceptibility to Covid-19.

True to their mission and vision as a social enterprise, Sahan Cares has designed this compassionate response to continuously empower their carers to freely talk about their mental health concerns and receive the support they need and deserve while providing quality care service that they are proud of.

Therapy Thursday also tackles the vaccination disinformation spread on social media. The psychotherapist encourages the carers to openly discuss their fears and anxieties around getting vaccinated during their group sessions. This is done, so they feel free to express themselves without judgement and fear of social retribution. Through this, they are able to immerse in the full experience of dealing with their vulnerability without feeling excluded. Some carers have offered to get vaccinated realising its value and necessity. Though others have hesitation about getting it, they commend the open, honest, and non-judgmental discussions and were encouraged to join in more sessions to seek further information from their health practitioner. For the carers, especially for black and ethnic minority women, being listened to is transformational.

SL's testimonial reflects the sustainable effects of Therapy Thursday, "I have now encouraged my friends and family to speak up about how they feel and have created a wellbeing hour with my own family where I teach my kids the importance of expressing their feelings once every week. I don't want them to ever go through what I did. It has also made me understand my family more and I am grateful for that."

Indeed, Sahan Cares champions diversity and inclusion by treating every carer as family.

Sahan Cares is an award winning family run social enterprise that offers domiciliary and personal care and support services to the elderly and disabled. www.sahancares.uk