Solace – Cardiff & Vale UHB

What is Solace?

Solace is a service that sits within Mental Health Services for Older People at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board. Solace aims to provide support and education to carers of people who

have been diagnosed with a dementia, depression, bipolar or late on-set psychosis over the age of 65.

Who is a carer?

The term ‘Carer’ refers to relatives or friends who provide support physically, emotionally and socially on an unpaid basis. The term is used to distinguish family and friends from professionals such as care workers and domiciliary workers. Caring for a partner, relative or close friend with mental health difficulties can be demanding and stressful and it’s important to acknowledge that the needs of a carer are as significant as the person they are caring for.

Dementia

Dementia is an umbrella term, of which the two most common forms are vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Dementia is a progressive illness of the brain that causes a decline in a person’s ability to remember, reason and communicate. There may also be changes to personality, behaviour and mood.

Depression

Depression is characterised by a loss of interest and enjoyment in ordinary things and experiences, low mood and a range of associated emotional, cognitive, physical and behavioural symptom

Psychosis

People with late-onset psychosis often develop strange ideas and delusions. A psychosis can often lead to disturbances in thought, emotion and behaviour, leading to disruptions in a person’s life.

Services

We offer free support and education to carers of older people with any type of mental health difficulty.

Listed below is a short summary of services Solace offers.

• Telephone support line and call back service

Carers can contact Solace to talk, ask questions and gain practical information. We are not a 24 hour service. However, if you would like to talk to a member of the team, you can leave your contact details on our answer machine, and we will get back to you.

• One to one support

By appointment only, Carers can talk to a member of the team by visiting Solace or in the Carer’s own home.

• Carer Support Groups

A number of weekly and monthly Carer support groups run within Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, for Carers to come on their own or with the person they care for.

• Information & Signposting

Solace has access to a wealth of literature that is relevant to those in a caring capacity, as well as information about other organisations which may be helpful.

• Carers Education Workshops

These workshops deal with topics that Carers can attend individually as a one-off workshop or as part of a series of 4 workshops.

• Carers Education Forum / Cognitive Stimulation Therapy

This is an informative discussion group for the Carer and a researched and recognised therapy for the person with a diagnosis of dementia. The course consists of 14 sessions run over a period of 7 weeks.

• Individualised Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST)

Solace support workers can enable and assist carers deliver their own CST programme within the home for the person with dementia.

Confidentiality

All calls and visits to Solace will be treated with the utmost confidentiality and all callers have the right to remain anonymous.

Referrals

Referrals are accepted from any agency, including self-referral.

 How to access Solace

Self referral : You can self-refer to Solace by calling us or a friend or relative can call us on your behalf.

Other ways to refer : We accept referrals from Primary Care services, e.g Memory Team, GP practices and Community Resource Teams.

In addition, referrals can be received from primary and secondary mental health services, such as CMHT’s, Primary Care Liaison Service and other teams within Mental Health Services for Older People.

We also accept referrals from Local Authorities and Third Sector Organisations for residents within Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan.