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Tired of Spinning Plates

Re-storying care in the lives of people with learning disabilities and their family carers

k.runswick-cole@sheffield.ac.uk

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Overview

  • The team& the funder
  • The project
  • Reading and watching films
  • The films
  • Reflecting on the films
  • The exhibition

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The team

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Professor Katherine Runswick-Cole, University of Sheffield

Professor Sara Ryan, Manchester Metropolitan University

Dr Martina Smith, University of Sheffield

Professor Chris Hatton, Manchester Metropolitan University

Professor Patty Douglas, Queen’s University, Canada

Dr Liz Croot, University of Sheffield

Clare Kassa, Sibs Charity, UK

Dr Rosamaria Kostic Cisneros, RosaSenCis.org

Tea and Cake Group, who wish to stay anonymous

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The Funder

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This project is funded by the NIHR [Health and Social Care Delivery Research No. 135080]. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.

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The project

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  • ​

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Watch our watchings, read our readings

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Titchkosky, T., 2007. Reading and writing disability differently: The textured life of embodiment. University of Toronto Press.

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Reflecting on the films/exhibition

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  • What do you think the storyteller was trying to tell you?
  • What did you learn that was new?
  • What surprised you about the story?

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One Compilation (Of Many Possibilities)

A Compilation of Love

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Claire’s film

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What do carers of adults with learning disabilities want you to know?

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  • We love the person we care for. We do not usually think the person we care for is a burden or a problem. Our mental health issues are usually the result of our difficult fights with education, health and social services.
  • As carers of adults with learning disabilities, we have been carers since the day our child was born. We may have cared for many decades. Our experiences are both the same as and different from the experiences of some other family carers.
  • Many adults with learning disabilities continue to live in the family home. Even when adults with learning disabilities leave home, we family members (parents and siblings) continue to care for them even when they do not live with us.

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What carers need from you

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  • A holistic approach - our experiences of caring are always relevant to discussions about our mental and physical health
  • Continuity of care - it is important for us and for the people with learning disabilities we care for to be able to build relationships with you.
  • Flexibility - we sometimes need longer appointments and appointments that fit around our caring roles.
  • Kindness - small acts of kindness really matter to us. A phone call, a ‘how are you?’ matter more than you know.

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What next?

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  • Resources for GPs
  • Films hosted on socialcaretalk.org
  • Conversations with NHS England about monitoring of quality of care for family carers

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Films and Online Exhibition

The Spinning Plates Online Exhibition:

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https://carermhspinningpla.wixsite.com/spinplatesexhibition

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The Project Website

(Hosting Digital Stories):

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https://sites.google.com/sheffield.ac.uk/tiredofspinningplates/ho

me

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Tired of Spinning Plates

Re-storying care in the lives of people with learning disabilities and their family carers

k.runswick-cole@sheffield.ac.uk