Salford Older Adult Primary Care Psychological Therapies Service

'Coping Carers Group’ is run by Salford Older Adult Primary Care Psychological Therapies for carers of people living with dementia. The group aims to support people with the emotional difficulties associated with their caring role - such as stress, anxiety and depression. The group is an 8-week programme based on a Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy approach and runs three times a year. The group offers a safe and supportive environment and provides carers with coping strategies to help improve their quality of life. The group also provides carers with the opportunity to meet other carers and share experiences. Carers who have attended the group in the past have reported positive experiences of attending.

‘Coping Carers Group’ is open to people currently caring for someone with dementia or who have recently cared for someone living with dementia and are experiencing stress, anxiety or low mood. Referral to the group needs to be made by a health care professional, so please speak to our staff or your GP who will need to complete the service’s referral form. The group is open to Salford residents. The service can only accept referrals for carers outside Salford area if they are registered with a Salford GP.

We provide psychology, counselling and mental health occupational therapy services to people in later life registered with a Salford GP, experiencing psychological and emotional difficulties specifically associated with ageing or age-related needs.

Who can be referred to us?

Any person experiencing moderate to severe psychological and emotional distress associated with the later-life ageing process or later life needs and difficulties. We also see younger people who themselves are experiencing later life-type difficulties, e.g. Parkinson’s disease, early stages of dementia, carer stress due to  caring for a person with dementia or later life issues.

Typical presentations may include difficulties with:

Depression Anxiety Panic attacks Fear of falling or mobility issues Family & relationship problems Adjustment to physical & sensory health problems Low confidence/ self-esteem

Adjustment to Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) Adjustment to change of role/Retirement Bereavement or unresolved grief Insomnia Fear of death Carer stress Activities of daily living or decreased activity levels

As a Primary Care Service we cannot provide urgent assessments, although we are happy to discuss any such cases with you. If an urgent assessment is needed, such as for self-neglect, self-harm, suicide risk, risks associated with cognitive impairment please refer the client to the Community Mental Health Team.

Who can make referrals?

Most of our referrals come from GPs. We also accept referrals from other statutory and non-statutory organisations, including Six Degrees Social Enterprise, Salford Primary Care Psychology Service, CMHTs, Intermediate Care, CAST, practice nurses, district nurses, integrated care teams, community health trainers, Age UK, and carers’ centres.

Referring patients suffering with memory problems

We will accept referrals for patients with mild memory problems. However if you feel your client requires an assessment in order to determine a diagnosis, please refer to the Memory Assessment and Treatment Service (MATS) based at Woodlands Community Mental Health Team.