Adult Carers Newsletter
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Spring / Summer | Apr - Jun 2019 Adult Carers Newsletter Carers Spring Forum “You seem to offer a varied programme in your newsletter, always good to read and keep in mind” Over 25 carers joined us for our Spring Forum in March at Community House in Bromley. We presented a service update which included how many carers we have supported and how many carers and professionals have attended our groups and courses from October 2017- February 2019. The afternoon started with a game of Social Bingo which was enjoyed by all. We then updated carers and professionals on our upcoming service development; such as our Carers Allotment and Walking for Health Walks- more details of those on pages 12 & 13! Carers then enjoyed tea and cake, followed by a reading of two of the Carers Creative Writing Competition pieces; including the winning entry Reminiscences featured on page 15. Thank you to all that attended and participated and for all your valuable feedback. We are glad you enjoy our newsletter and appreciate you taking the time to read it and getting involved with our service! Please let us know if there is anything you would like us to arrange for our next or future Carers Forums. Tuesday 4 June 2019 Come along to 2:30pm – 4:30pm our next Community House, South Street, Bromley, BR1 1RH Carers Forum! Please RSVP What have we been up to? Spring / Summer | Apr - Jun 2019 What have we been up to? Carers attended First Aid workshop delivered by British Red Cross Grant Hoyle from British Red Cross ran a free Everyday First Aid workshop for carers in Bromley. Grant has kindly agreed to come back and hold another workshop in June. Please see page 9 for further information. Carers led three knitting groups Two of our carers led three knitting groups in January, February and March; making miniature hats for Age UK’s Big Knit Campaign. Diane and Margaret said they found making the hats relaxing and therapeutic. They will also be running the Arts & Crafts groups going forward. May’s Arts & Crafts group will be related to Dementia in aid of Dementia Action Week. Thank you Diane and Margaret for dedicating your free time to support other carers! Carers attended two Mindfulness for Resilience workshops in Mottingham and Penge run by Bromley Mindfulness Robert Mitchell of Bromley Mindfulness delivered another two workshops for us last quarter- in Penge in the afternoon and in Mottingham in the evening. Carer feedback included: “ I enjoyed the course, especially the managing sleep patterns and techniques to help with sleep. I found Robert very helpful and the relaxation techniques very useful”. “I thought the course was fabulous. There weren’t many people at it, but this meant we got a lot more personal time with Robert. I thought he was very “in tune” with the needs of carers and geared relaxation techniques to our lifestyle. I found it very useful and interesting”. Our Mottingham evening workshops were far better attended than our afternoon sessions in Penge. We hope that Bromley Mindfulness will be able to deliver some more mindfulness workshops in autumn- so please let us know your preferences if you are interested in attending. 2 What have we been up to? Spring / Summer | Apr - Jun 2019 We said goodbye to Natasha and Parmjot (PJ) We said goodbye to Natasha in early January and Parmjot (PJ) in early February. The Adult Carers team would like to extend the thanks of the carers they supported and for the contribution they both made to the Adult Carers service. We wish you both well in your future and luck in all you do. Many thanks from us all! We welcome Alison (Allie) Perriss to the team! Allie joined the team in late February this year. Some of you may have already met or spoken with Allie, but for those who haven’t, here’s a short message from her: “I have worked with Age UK Bromley and Greenwich for nearly 4 years in several departments. I look forward to transferring my skills and experience to supporting carers. I look forward to getting to know the services we provide and the carers we support over the next few months.” We welcome Kelly Richards to the team! Kelly joined the team in March this year. Again, some of you may have already met or spoken with Kelly, but here is a quick message for those who haven’t: “I have been working for Age UK Bromley & Greenwich and have a strong background in Dementia support. I’m looking forward to working with the team and looking forward to meeting some of you at the varied groups and workshops we have available!” We say goodbye (for now!) to Helen Brushett “I will be taking maternity leave at the end of April and wanted to say a little goodbye (for now). I intend to be away for a year and will return in Spring 2020. I wish you all well! Helen” Helen’s maternity cover will be starting in April, so that Helen can handover fully to her replacement. There should be no period left without a Mental Health Carers Support Advisor in post. Please call 0203 409 5228 or e-mail [email protected] for further information about Helen’s maternity cover. 3 Looking after your Mental Health Spring / Summer | Apr - Jun 2019 Looking after your Mental Health Mental Health Awareness Week Hosted by the Mental Health Foundation, Mental Health Awareness Week 2019 will take place from Monday 13 to Sunday 19 May 2019. 10 Practical Tips for Mental Wellbeing www.mentalhealth.org.uk • Talk about your feelings • Keep active Order free resource guides from the • Eat well Mental Health Foundation on a variety • Drink sensibly of subjects! • Keep in touch • Ask for help • Take a break • Do something you’re good at • Accept who you are • Care for others Bromley Well Mental Wellbeing Service Are you feeling low, stressed and worried? Bromley Well Mental Wellbeing Service may be able to help with: • A series of telephone appointments to help you first understand and then consider ways to look after yourself Contact and practically manage your wellbeing. This will include If you are already managing any symptoms you may have such as anxiety attacks, poor sleep etc. registered with Bromley • Information and advice on appropriate services and Well, you can ask an therapies available locally and how to successfully access advisor to refer you to the them Mental Wellbeing service. • Help you create your own personalised document detailing If you are not already your plans to maintain and improve your mental wellbeing registered, please contact and the next steps you want to take to move on the Single Point Access • Access to peer support groups to explore common (SPA) to register on: difficulties such as depression, stress and anxiety; giving 0300 330 9039 or you an opportunity to meet others with similar experiences and learn about practical techniques to help manage and [email protected] maintain your wellbeing in a friendly and supportive environment 4 Looking after your Mental Health Spring / Summer | Apr - Jun 2019 Mental Wellbeing Services in the borough Talk together Bromley offer a range of free and confidential talking therapies and support for adults over the age of 18 in the borough of Bromley, who are registered with a Bromley GP. 0300 003 3000 talktogetherbromley.co.uk The Recovery College offer a range of courses and workshops supporting people in their bid to develop improved mental health. Recovery College is open to anyone aged 18 or over, who either lives, works, volunteers or has a GP within the Bromley borough. 020 8289 5020 www.blgmind.org.uk Bromley Community Counselling Service (BCCS) is a registered charity whose aim is to provide counselling to anyone over the age of 18 who lives in the London Borough of Bromley or surrounding areas. The service is for people who may be struggling with personal, emotional, or mental health difficulties and is geared to assisting them either to find new ways to make a fresh start in 020 8460 7711 certain areas of their lives or to come to terms with things that can’t be changed. Their mission is to provide high-quality, effective www.bccs.uk.com affordable counselling and support for individuals with a view to promoting self-awareness, psychological wellbeing and mental health. Westmeria Counselling Services has been established since 2003 and is recognised for its quality of service throughout the Bromley borough and beyond. They offer a private branch to their service for those who do not want to wait, have specific timings or can afford to pay for their therapy. However, the cost of the service is subsidised to enable it to be more affordable than private counselling elsewhere. 020 8467 9693 westmeriacounselling.co.uk Telephone Support This is a national charity providing emotional, listening support to any person, at any age, who feels alone, down or in crisis at any time of day or night. All calls a free. 116 123 www.samaritans.org 5 Dementia Support Spring / Summer | Apr - Jun 2019 Dementia Support What’s available for carers in the borough? Bromley Dementia Support Hub is commissioned by Bromley Council and NHS Bromley Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and delivered by organisations with many years of experience and expertise; including Mindcare Dementia Support (part of Bromley, Lewisham & Greenwich Mind), Age UK Bromley & Greenwich and Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust. Support is available free of charge for people with dementia in the London Borough of Bromley and their carers. Support for carers includes: Memory Mates Support & Information A monthly peer-to-peer support and For carers on a one-to-one basis: social group for those living with dementia in the Borough of Bromley who • Information about dementia, tailored for your needs are under the age of 65.