CAL is excited to announce the launch of our new Caregivers-to-Caregivers (C2C) Training Programme in Malay, in an effort to reach out and empower caregivers in the Malay-Muslim community with the relevant skills and knowledge, and provide them with much needed emotional support.
Launched on Thursday, 11 July, the class is currently attended by 12 caregivers, ranging from a 20-year-old caring for a mother with dementia to a 70-year-old caring for a son with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). A caregiver brought her helper so both primary and secondary caregivers could learn together. Another 2 caregivers were graduates of the English class but wanted to learn again in a language they are proficient in. As of 29th August, this pilot class has journeyed together for 7 weeks, and have thoroughly enjoyed connecting with peers of the same race and also experiential class activities. Many expressed how eye-opening and grateful they are for the programme being conducted in Malay.
For many of these caregivers, the challenge of not being fluent in English makes it harder for them to fully support their loved ones' recovery. Some have shared how difficult it is to explain their loved one's symptoms to mental health professionals, fully understand the medical advice given, or grasp the full impact of a diagnosis. Due to the language barrier and a lack of mental health literacy, loved ones may be misdiagnosed or prescribed an ineffective treatment plan, which reduces the overall quality of care they receive. As a result of these barriers, these caregivers often miss out on important mental health resources.
Navigating the mental healthcare system can be especially tough for them, as there are limited Malay-speaking staff and programmes available in Singapore. With many of these caregivers facing competing commitments and priorities, committing to English-based appointments or programmes, resulting in them dropping out. As such, they miss out on crucial resources, knowledge, and community support essential for their well-being and their loved ones' recovery. Without proper emotional support and understanding, their risk of stress and burnout increases.
For our Programme Managers co-training the class, Hidayah describes her mother's (to her right) attendance in the programme as a "full-circle" moment - having attended the programme herself as a 20-year-old in 2015, on behalf of her now 62-year-old mother. They are both caregivers to a brother/son with schizoaffective disorder and intellectual disability.
For Faiza, the motivation to launch a Malay C2C Training Programme lied in paying forward the hope and clarity that she had gained from C2C herself as a caregiver. She hopes that the programme launch encourages the Malay-Muslim community to speak up about mental health issues, and not to be afraid to seek support for themselves and their loved ones.
To cater to caregivers who are unable to leave the home, the second run of the programme is conducted online, starting Saturday, 24th August. CAL will continue to ensure that we expand our reach and support to even more hidden heroes in need, and call upon the community to journey alongside us and advocate for caregivers and mental health.
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