Issue 26 - November 2017

Nottingham City Signposting Service is a First Contact Service that makes a difference to people’s lives!

Welcome back to the latest edition of the Nottingham City P l e as e Signposting newsletter nev I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as the new e r Signposting Coordinator, to anyone who didn‟t meet me at October‟s P1 Introductions und P2-3 Study of e r etraining but for those who have not, I would like to say a Big Hello! Disaster s t iSome background information, I have been working at Metropolitan Sixty P4 Age UK Winter mat Plus Team for four years both as a Care and Support Worker as a Senior Wrapped Up e Support Worker so I am very familiar for most of your services as I have P5 City Care Falls and Bone t h e Health role used them past whilst supporting my customers. For those I am that P6 Influenza Advice unfamiliar with I will be contacting you in the near future to meet and w e P7-8 Nottingham discuss your services further. p l a Healthy Housing y October‟s Training went really well, we had some excellent feedback with Service a smany of the attendees enjoying the interactive side of the training which P9 Community indi enabled them to find out more about the partners service. I have also had Christmas v i d interest from two other services who want to join the checklist; a P10-12 Meals at ual Home s , befriending service for those who have served in the armed forces and P13 Signposting w h Everyone Health. I will be meeting them both to find out more. News e n visit Before Clare‟s departure, she worked hard securing meetings to present P14 Independent i n gthe Signposting Service to Local GP Practices. I have presented at two Age peo practices Wollaton Park Medical Centre and Leen View Surgery at P15 Turning Point p l eBulwell Riverside. We had a good response about the service and why P16 Contact the Elderly i n the service would be beneficial to them; Leen View Surgery have P17 Poppy Calls thei P18 Trading Standards r requested more referral forms. The Signposting Team and Support P19-20 Sixty Plus h o Workers from the Sixty Plus Team have also been present at Flu Clinics P21-22 Telecare & Cadent m e alongside the Nottingham Healthy Housing Service. s . P23 Lifestyle Centre W eNow that the winter months are now upon us, I would like to urge you to P24 My Sight hav think about our vulnerable customers who maybe struggling with keeping P25-26 Home Library e their homes warm; those struggling to manage their health and those who Service t h ewill be lonely and isolated, struggling to get out their homes. The P27-29 What’s going on opp ortu Guardian article published January 2016, “Why is One Older Person nity dying every seven minutes?” begs to question whether it has to do with t o the cold weather or Fuel Poverty amongst older people today? We need a s s to keep talking with our customers about the energy efficiency of their e s s homes; whether they are receiving the relevant benefits? or Cold and eva Weather Payments/ benefits? This will help keep our customers healthy, luat safe and independent. e I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and all the best for 2018! h o w Thank you for the work you put into the Signposting Service and your peo continuous commitment. p l e Edited by Natanya Myers Signposting Coordinator Nottingham City Signposting Service Page 1 1 2

“Why is One Older Person dying every seven minutes?”

Back in 2011, I was a final year Sociology student at Nottingham Trent University and I studied a module called Disaster and the Social World. I wrote an answer to an assignment: ‘Discuss the ways in which the study of disaster furthers our understanding of social relations’. You are probably asking why is this relevant and why am I covering this? Consider this: Age UK previously ran an campaign on Spread the Warmth and alongside the 2016 news heading from the Guardian, we are still seeing each winter one older person die needlessly every seven minutes. I would ask you, would you call this a disaster?

The study of disaster concentrates on how a hazard and a person’s vulnerability then creates a sociological constructed term of disaster. This term can be used in many contexts, according to an individual in that place and time, a disaster could be a twelve hour dinner ruined due to not turning the oven down or an landslide in poor country killing hundreds of people and destroying the entire infrastructure; it’s just that’s persons perspective. Vulnerability comes into play as it is that individual’s status in society, it’s their social-economic background that determines how they will be affected by a hazard, how they will recover and what state will it leave their lives in. A hazard is not just a natural event but can form part of technological disaster and armed conflicts. The Vulnerability Thesis is an important component as the characteristics of a person or group in terms of their capacity to anticipate, cope with, resist and recover from the impact of a natural hazard. It looks into factors that determine what level an event caused by nature of society may put a person’s life or livelihood at risk and how prone they are to the aftermath of a hazard.

Lack of information, cultural knowledge, social networks, legal rights as well as tools, land, or other physical resources also has an impact on how a person deals with a hazard once it has occurred. The PAR Model (Pressure and Release Model) looks at the progress of vulnerability: Root Causes, Dynamic

Pressures and Unsafe Conditions on one side and the hazard on the other forcing pressure that then creates the disaster in the middle.

When I was researching a disaster, I didn’t want to go for the obvious. Britain has always suffered from disasters but the occurrence would be rare or occur without any realisation. When it comes to weather, Britain suffers from tornados, earthquakes, floods and tsunamis. Armed with this knowledge, it is noticed that institutions struggle to cope and life in Britain comes to a standstill. Snowfall in December 2009 was so severe that 8,089 people aged 65 and over died in the last week of December with the final total in January 2010 calculating to 11,013. Based on this information the socio-economical group I focused on was older people. Why did I feel this was a disaster? Because when looking at the PAR model you would think all the points would be met and the risk would be low.

However if you broke that down you could answer why such a high number of older persons die every winter.

So looking at the root causes the first issue was the crisis over salt reserves which stopped councils from gritting the roads and pavements to prevent accidents. Over the years many mistakes have been repeated but the government has always reassured the country that they had it under control and yet we still saw many councils conserving grit supplies. Another root cause is the rise in energy bills pushing older people into fuel poverty. Older people suffer the dynamic processes such as fuel poverty but many are living in houses that don’t meet the decent home standard. If we translate these social issues and the governments cut backs on grit to unsafe conditions- 23,100 older people died in winter 2009 because they lacked awareness of winter struggles. Social services and the NHS could not react fast enough to place the most frail into care homes. As older people find themselves in fuel poverty they spend winter bitterly cold and at risk of health problems when they are already frail. With the lack of gritting many older people did not receive their delivery of meals and found themselves struggling to survive as no one visited them, many being discovered dead in their homes. Fast Forward to the end 2015:  it was recorded there was an estimated 43,900 excess winter deaths  Female deaths leapt nearly 150% in a single year from 10,250 to 25,500 between 2013/2014 to 2014/2015  Poverty rates for women remain higher compared to men, with female pensioners remains in poverty 5%- 8% higher than their male counterparts  Poverty overall is the highest for those over the age of 75 years old  Cold –related illness and hospital admissions will cost the NHS more than 22bn over the next 15 years This should not be happening in the 21st century, this should not be happening in a country that is rich in intelligence, a country that has one of the biggest economies and has the resources to prevent this. Older people should not be dying through struggling to keep their homes warm. Other Factors:  Physical & Mental Health  Loneliness  Access to Hospitals and Social Care  Poverty  Under Insulated Homes

So I will leave you with food for thought, a disaster is not just a freak weather accident or an act of terrorism but an event that causes devastation to a person’s life. Most disasters can be better prepared for, by equipping people with the knowledge and resources they need to minimize the effects one’s life.

Refer to the Adult Social Services via the Nottingham Health and Care Point if you feel that your customer is too frail to stay at home during the coldest periods. This will be assessed by a social worker however they will look into all their needs to ensure that they have the relevant support in place. Your customer may need a brief care package!

Community Christmas lists Christmas Nottingham Healthy Housing Service lunch events all over the United Kingdom for provides support on how to insulate your homes, those who will be alone on Christmas Day. how to save energy and support to switch to other You can search by postcode, more energy tariffs. More information is provided below. information is featured below.

Please see below for more information on how you can keep your customers warm over the winter months

Each winter one person dies needlessly every seven minutes Each winter, one older person dies every 7 minutes from the cold. There is a general lack of awareness of the serious effects that cold weather can have on an older person's health. There are some simple things you can do to support them through the cold weather too:

 Call in or visit more often if the cold weather stops your friend or family member from getting out and about. Calling in on someone can help keep their spirits up and make them feel less isolated. Make sure they have basic food items in the cupboard or freezer in case it’s too cold to go shopping, or offer to shop online for them if they don’t have internet access.  Pick up prescriptions if it’s too cold for them to go out, or find out if their local pharmacy offers a prescription pick-up and delivery service.  Make sure they don't have a fall. Bring round a mixture of salt and sand for putting on steps or paths in icy weather. Some Councils may provide free bags of the mix; otherwise try a local DIY store.  Encourage them to keep warm. Their main living room should be heated to 70F/21C, and the rest of the house heated to at least 64F/18C. Low temperatures increase the risk of flu and other respiratory problems and can raise blood pressure.  Help them get a benefits check to make sure they’re claiming everything they’re eligible for. Their local Age UK can offer a benefits check, or they can use our online benefits calculator.

You can download the Winter Wrapped Up guide from: https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/health-wellbeing/mind-body/preparing-for- winter/ which you can print off and provide to your customers.

Nottingham CityCare Rehabilitation & Falls Service Information on looking after vulnerable patient’s during winter

 It is particularly important to be vigilant with those people who have recently been in hospital, have complex conditions, long-term conditions or are unable to get out of the house easily.  It is important that people have had their medicines and conditions recently reviewed by their GP/Consultant and that they have an adequate supply of medication if the weather is expected to be poor.  If someone has recently been in hospital, or been unwell, they may need more support initially to manage at home.  If someone has recently had an admission to hospital, a change in their abilities or they have recently been diagnosed with a medical condition – their benefit entitlements may need to be reviewed, this may also be the case for those who care for them.  Keeping homes warm is crucial if people are to maintain their health, there are a wealth of services involved who can provide help/advice and financial support to ensure a warm environment.  Ensure that people have access to hot food and drinks during the day, particularly if they are sedentary. They may need to access „meals delivered to their homes‟ for a short while. A flask with soup or tea/coffee left with the person to drink throughout the day is ideal if you have someone receiving care at home. It is important to encourage people to keep hydrated by also drinking water, juice or squash…  As people‟s circumstances may have changed, they may need extra adaptations or equipment to help them manage around the home  If people have walking frames/aids to ensure that the ferrules (rubber grips at the base) are attached and in good order.  Encouraging those people who are mobile to keep moving about, steady walking is the best form of weight bearing exercise for frailer people who are unable to get out of the house.  If the weather is icy or slippery outdoors, and people are worried about falling, it is better to stay inside and keep warm.  If people are at risk of falls, ensuring they have been assessed at home and referred to the appropriate services to support them.

All of the partners involved in the Signposting Service can provide support with these services, so please ensure you have referred via the Signposting Service or directly if more urgent via the Health & Social Care Point on 0300 131 0300

Influenza – Protect Yourself and Your Family with a Flu Jab

The news from Australia and New Zealand is that they have experienced a particularly hard flu season and whilst it is not clear that the UK will suffer in the same way it is a useful reminder to us all of the pressure that is put on the healthcare system in times of severe flu outbreaks. Health and social care workers are as susceptible to flu as anyone else in the general population and can also be asymptomatic carriers, in fact up to one third of infections were transmitted by those carrying flu that were not aware of it. It is therefore vital that as health and social care professionals we seriously consider the benefits to having the vaccine. This year the Department of Health have announced that they will be funding the vaccination of care home staff to encourage as great a take up of the vaccine as possible. Flu occurs every year. It is caused by the influenza virus and is highly infectious. Colds are much less serious and usually start with a runny nose and sore throat. A bad bout of flu can be much worse.

Summary of Those Recommended to have the Flu Jab: What are the common symptoms?  Those aged 65 and over.  Fever  Everyone under 65 who has a medical condition  Chills such as heart disease, a chest complaint  Headache (emphysema, asthma, COPD); kidney disease;  Aches and pains in muscles lowered immunity related to disease or medication; and joints diabetes; liver disease; stroke or transient ischemic  Extreme tiredness attack; neurological condition (MS, cerebral palsy,  For some the disease can lead learning disabilities); sickle cell disease, problem to complications such as with your spleen or had spleen removed; body pneumonia, hospitalization, mass index of over 40. permanent disability or even  All pregnant women at every stage of pregnancy death.  All two and three year old children  All children in reception class and years 1, 2, 3 and

4 The best protection against  Everyone living in a residential or nursing home developing disease is the flu jab.  Everyone who is the main carer for an older or

disabled person  Household contacts of anyone who is immunocompromised  All frontline health and social care workers

Facts About the Flu Vaccine This is not a live vaccine and so cannot give you the flu. It does, however take 10-14 days for you to develop immunity following a flu jab, and therefore if you are unlucky enough to be exposed to someone with flu before 10 days has passed then you still may develop disease. The jab does also not protect you against the common cold. The jab needs to be given yearly. http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vaccinations/Pages/who-should-have-flu-vaccine.aspx

Community Christmas believes that no elderly person in the UK should be alone on Christmas Day unless they want to be.

Communities are encouraged to provide companionship to older people on Christmas Day by running a community Christmas Lunch event, joining up with others at a local pub or restaurant, popping round for tea and cake, perhaps organizing a film viewing or anything else that can be enjoyed by all those that take part. This should be a chance to meet up with old friends and make new friends creating bonds in the community that last well beyond the single day.

We will:

 provide support and guidance to those starting something new on Christmas Day,  give a free listing to any events or activities wishing to maximise their reach into the community and  guide older people, those who care about them, or those that want to help them, towards activities in their area.

We can do this thanks to our supporters and the local communities that take up the challenge to achieve our vision by increasing what is available or helping reach those that need to know about what is going on.

Find out more about us and how you can get involved. If you have new ideas or any feedback we would also love to hear from you. 87% of older people want a traditional Christmas spent in company, to help contact us now on 0800 063 9285 Older people

Many of the places you would normally go to see a friendly face will be closed on Christmas Day and the buses may not be running to help you get there anyway. We also know that cooking a turkey for one is impractical, booking a table for one is unappealing and if your local family or neighbours are away then it can be hard to know where you will be welcome to share a meal or company on Christmas Day.

All around the country there are people of all ages looking forward to Christmas Day because it gives them a chance to mix with their local community and make contact with their neighbours. Our website is there to put everyone in touch with each other.

If you have a guest looking for an event to go to during Christmas you go to https://communitychristmas.org.uk/map/ where you search by postcode, if not you can call 0800 063 9285.

More Meal Options provided online where you can download the Meals at Home Brochure or contact us directly

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Closure dates Signposting Training

Metropolitan office will be closed for the following dates:

Monday 25th December 2017 Tuesday 26th December 2017 Monday 1st January 2018

If you have an emergency during this time and need to contact somebody, you can call The Crisis Response Service which can be accessed between 8am and 10pm, 7 days a week. The number is: 0300 131 0300. If your emergency is outside of these hours, you can call 999 for a medical related issue.

We are pleased to announce that we have arranged all of our centralised training sessions for 2018. Our next training will be held at the Nottingham Emergency contact numbers Mechanics, 3 N Sherwood St, Nottingham NG1 4EZ on 25th January 2018 between 1 and 5pm.

Future dates for training are:

 26th April 2018 1pm—5pm

 26th July 2018 1pm—5pm

Silverline (Helpline for older people) If you are a team or know of a team that would 0800 470 8090 benefit from full or a refresher training session on the Samaritans (24/7 support helpline) - 116 123 Nottingham City Signposting Service Partnership British Gas (Gas leak emergency) 0800 111 999 Please email: Western Power Distribution (Power cut) [email protected] 0800 056 8090 and we will be able to arrange that with you.

Medical emergencies- 999 If you are an individual please email the same Medical non-emergencies- 111 address and Charlotte will add you to the next available training session and confirm with you that you have been added to that. If you would like to speak to Charlotte or Natanya please contact them on 02035355147 respectively.

Loneliness can affect all of us from time to time – it's the feeling of sadness that comes from not having as much company or the type of company that you would like. Loneliness is a personal experience. It affects everyone differently and there's no single solution, but if you're feeling lonely there are things you can do to help yourself and places you can look for support.

Independent Age aims to support older people experiencing isolation and loneliness by offering face to face and telephone befriending. We also have an excellent freephone helpline providing information and advice.

All volunteers are all DBS checked and trained in Safeguarding who can call or visit the older person once a week – depending on their preference. If you have any customers who would like to be referred to a befriending service, Please call 0800 319 6789 to find out more.

Independent Age also offers an advice guide which suggests things you could try which could help to reduce loneliness, as well as information about where to look for more help.

It covers:

 why you might be feeling lonely  ways to stay in touch  overcoming practical barriers  trying something new  learning to be alone  Helping others.

If you’re feeling lonely or you know someone else who might be, our guide can help you find ways to feel more connected which can be ordered or downloaded from their website for https://www.independentage.org/

What are they?  4 weekly sessions focusing on worry and anxiety lasting

approx 1 hour 30 mins And/or

 4 weekly sessions focusing on low mood and depression lasting approx. 1 hour 30 mins Things on  Delivered by a trained therapist, the groups will offer support and techniques to help your mood yourOver mind? 50? Feeling worried  Each session will focus on a different technique, we will Subheading goes here look at how to challenge your thoughts and look at your anxious or low? activities and teach you ways to feel better

 There will be opportunity for discussion, but it is ok to sit Over 50? quietly and just listen to the information given

Feeling worried  We encourage you to attend all 4 sessions of each group to get the most out of the sessions. You can also attend both anxious or low? groups if you feel this may help

 By the end of the sessions we hope you have learnt some new skills and will start to feel better

st Workshops begin on 21 November 10am until 11:30am and will be held at AGE UK Shakespeare Street.

Positive Steps is another workshop and this is a lecture style to which you can bring a friend. This workshop covers anxiety, worry, stress, low mood, panic and sleep avoidance - 6 weeks. This will be nd held at the Britannia hotel from the 2 November in the evenings from 17:30 until 19:00. This is open to all ages to refer onto.

Confidentiality

Confidentiality is very important to us and by agreeing to attend a therapy workshop with us you are agreeing to adhere to our confidentiality policy; this will be explained to you at your first group workshop. Free Depression and Anxiety

Workshops Cancellations If you are unable to attend any of the sessions, please inform

Are you over 50? Have you noticed more us as soon as possible. worries recently or feel that you aren’t If you do not attend the session we have booked for you and you do enjoying things like you used to? Maybe not ring beforehand we will presume you no longer want to attend the life is just feeling a little more difficult at WEB:group and discharge you.

the moment. Find out more or refer by: TEL: We are offering 2 workshops that will run 0300 555 0456 weekly for 4 weeks to explore techniques WEB:

that will help improve your mood and talking.turning-point.co.uk EMAIL: wellbeing. [email protected]

Contact the Elderly is the only national charity solely dedicated to tackling loneliness and social isolation among older people through face to face contact.

Supported by a network of volunteers, the charity organises free monthly Sunday afternoon tea parties for small groups of older people, aged 75 and over, who live alone. Offering a regular and vital friendship link every month

Each older person is collected from their home by a volunteer driver and taken to a volunteer host‟s home for the afternoon. The group is warmly welcomed by a different host each month, but the drivers remain the same which means that over the months and years, acquaintances turn into friends and loneliness is replaced by companionship.

Our tea parties are a real lifeline of friendship for our older guests who have little or no contact with family or friends. They bring people of all ages together; develop fulfilling friendships and support networks, while giving everyone involved something to look forward to each month.

How it works?

One Sunday afternoon a month, our volunteer drivers enjoy taking their older guests to a volunteer host's home where they join a small group for tea, talk and companionship.

The group is warmly welcomed by a different host each month, but the drivers remain the same and the groups are kept small so that everyone can join in easily and get to know each other properly.

It's a simple idea, but one that can make a big difference. Our friendship groups represent the perfect opportunity to get out of the house, make new friends within the local community, and generally brighten up a weekend.

Guests are not expected to host any of the tea parties and the service is free.

How do I join?

If you are interested in joining a group, or you would like to refer an older person to us, then please fill in the application form on downloadable from http://www.contact-the-elderly.org.uk/guest. If you would like to talk to someone for more information please call 0800 716 543 between Monday to Friday 9am - 5:30pm or look at the Contact page for details of your nearest point of contact.

Eligibility What is Poppy Calls? To gain assistance, you must be serving or have served in the Armed The Legion’s Poppy Calls provides a Forces for at least seven days, or be the dependent of someone who Handyperson Service, dedicated to those has served; this includes widows, widowers, cohabiting partners or who have served or are serving in the civil partners of ex-service people. Armed forces. It is designed to help those In most cases our service is FREE; Eligibility for our free service who are unable to carry out small repairs depends upon financial status and age. and minor adaptations to their homes. If you are eligible but do not qualify for free assistance, then a competitive charging policy applies, and no obligation quotations are How can we help you? available on request. We carry out a range of small household repairs and minor adaptations: This include:  A range of household health More Information checks to ensure your safety and Handy Vans Fitters can provide advice, information, and referrals to all Legion Services. Handy Vans Fitters are also aware of other service warmth. providers in your local area. Safety, trust and reliability are important to  Low level maintenance work (such us, so all our Handy Vans Fitters are: as installing curtain rails, fitting  DBS Checked shelves ad assembling furniture).  Carry full identification at all times  Basic Repairs (such as dripping  Drive a Legion branded vehicle taps or replacing broken toilet  Wear a Legion branded uniform seats)  Trained to the recent Health and Safety guidelines  The advice and installation of care  Trusted Assessor trained phones, providing a 24 hour monitoring service for added peace of mind.  Minor aids and adaptations (such as fitting grab rails or providing Call: access ramps) 0800 032 0306 Email: [email protected] In Writing: Poppy Calls Centre, The Royal British Legion, 7 Avro Court, Lancaster Way, Ermine Business Park, Huntingdon PE29 6XS

17 12

We have recently received complaints from consumers who have placed orders with a magazine for goods and have then found out that unauthorised withdrawals have been made from their bank accounts by the same magazine for a motoring protection scheme linked to a separate company named safe2motor. The consumers concerned have not asked for or consented to the joining of a motoring scheme or for a monthly fee to be taken from their bank accounts for such a scheme.

Please make sure that you only order goods from REPUTABLE publications and make sure that you ALWAYS CHECK YOUR BANK STATEMENTS ON A REGULAR BASIS and report any unauthorised activity to your bank straight away!

Please note the following dates for Referrals and Installations of equipment w/c 18.12.2017 48

Hour and Emergency referrals MUST be received by 12.00 Noon Wednesday 20th December 2017 please note we can only install a Pendant Alarm as an emergency install. Any equipment requiring an Engineer e.g. Keysafe, Door Sensors, Bed Sensors will be actioned as a standard referral and will be processed as such within the normal time scale of 7-10 working days Standard referrals must be received by 12.00 noon Friday 22nd December 2017 in order for these to be processed within the normal time scales as above. Any Stand Alone equipment must be collected before 12.00 noon 22nd December 2017. Our office will be closed from 22nd December 2017 from 15.00 and will re open at 09.00am 27th December as usual until the 29th December then back on 2nd

January 2018. Kind regards AT Service.

Apply for one of our free locking cooker valves

We can fit a lockable safety device (locking cooker valve) to the pipe work of a gas cooker or hob – this service is free of charge and is installed by one of our own engineers.

This simple safety device will help a person living in a vulnerable situation retain their independence, and provide reassurance to family, friends and carers.

When you care for a vulnerable person, such as someone living with dementia or autism, you may need extra safeguarding in place. A locking cooker valve can help someone stay safe in their own home. The valve can easily be turned off and on and locked by the carer, enabling the person you care for to continue to use their gas cooker safely. When the valve is locked, the gas supply is isolated which means if the cooker is unintentionally turned on or left on when you are out of the room, there is no risk of gas escaping.

If you know someone who could benefit from this free service, please tell us more by completing the form on our website https://cadentgas.com/Emergencies-safety/Safeguarding/Locking-Cooker-Valves and we will arrange a home visit to fit the device. A carer or relative will need to be there when we visit, to agree the valve's position. If the property is rented you will need to seek the permission of the landlord to have the work done

With your help, we can provide a locking cooker valve to vulnerable people in our communities across the UK.

A few things to know about

The Lifestyle Centre

The Lifestyle Centre (TLC) is a joint venture between *Advantage Mobility and Age UK Nottingham & Nottinghamshire.

Our initial aim at Advantage was to provide a one-stop-shop for people wishing to purchase Mobility Scooters, Wheelchairs, Stair-lifts, Rise & Recline Lounge Chairs, Adjustable Beds and Bathroom conversions – all sourced from carefully selected suppliers, and all at competitive prices. Advantage shares Age UK‟s concerns regarding the quality of service provided by some other retailers and that concern provided us with the impetus to enter the market with an ethically -driven proposition.

TLC has three components:

 An Age UK and OT Approved Assessment, Advice and Training Service  Age UK Adaptations and Housing Service

 Advantage Mobility's range of products, equipment and living aids

We have a very large showroom at The Bridgeway Shopping Centre in the Meadows where visitors can see working examples of all equipment and where we have a safe environment for them to “test-drive” before they make a buying decision. We place great emphasis on properly assessing the suitability of proposed purchases.

Along with many healthcare professionals, we were saddened by the recent closure of the Disability Living Centre (DLC) as we know just how valuable this independent service was for advisors, assessors and their clients.

TLC cannot replicate all of what DLC did. However, we do aim to fill as much of the void as possible. We have designed into the new premises a private assessment room with the intention that Occupational Therapists and other healthcare professionals can meet with their clients in a confidential environment, and obviously demonstrate any of the equipment displayed by Advantage, as well as to discuss and assess the wider client need. This hosting service is free- of-charge and there would be no commercial expectation on our part. Obviously, if a client wanted to purchase from us, we would be delighted to assist.

PLEASE NOTE: THE LIFESTYLE CENTRE HAS NO DIRECT ACCESS TO PUBLIC FUNDING.

In the meantime, it is important that you have a realistic understanding of what TLC can (and cannot) provide at this time. Please feel free to visit us at any time (weekdays) and if you need to discuss anything by phone, our number is 0115 784 6955

The Lifestyle Centre Address: 16-18Bridgeway Centre, Nottingham, NG2 2JD

23 Working in partnership to create an inclusive

Notts

In a bid to create a fully inclusive Notts, local sight loss charity

My Sight Notts has been working in partnership with leading venues across the city to ensure they are welcoming and accessible to people with sight loss, so that blind and partially sighted people are able to enjoy all the services they offer.

Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall now Sight Aware

Blind and partially sighted theatre-goers across Nottingham will enjoy an even better experience at the Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall, thanks to visual impairment and sighted guide training provided to front- of -house staff, which is great news for visually impaired people attending performances. The training covered the emotional impact of sight loss, potential barriers to independence as well as practical sighted guide training. Venue staffs are committed to providing a fully inclusive experience for everyone attending performances. In addition to requesting training from My Sight Notts the Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall also has an access register to help staff identify customers who need assistance and to enable people to take advantage of the free guide dog sitting service. Audio description is available at many performances as are Braille and large print programmes. During recent refurbishments, the Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall also invested in better lighting as part of their commitment to create a fully inclusive venue for people with visual impairments. The dim yellow lighting in the foyer, stairwell and bar area has been replaced with daylight lighting in a bid to make it easier for visually impaired customers to access.

Cafe Sobar

In a separate move, Nottingham's alcohol-free bar, Cafe Sobar recently launched Braille and large print menus for local visually impaired customers after partnering up with My Sight Notts.

Angela Phillips, Services Manager at My Sight Notts, said: “We‟re absolutely delighted to be working in partnership with leading venues across the city to make sure the services they offer to their visually impaired customers are first rate. Nottingham‟s a vibrant city with lots to offer residents and visitors alike and people with sight loss want to be able to enjoy all that the city has to offer.

“It‟s been fantastic working in partnership with Cafe Sobar and the Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall to ensure visually impaired people have the best experience possible when visiting these venues.

We‟d relish the opportunity to work with other venues and organisations that provide a service to the pubic – together we can create a truly inclusive Notts for local visually impaired people to enjoy!”

Home Library Service for Nottingham City Residents

A FREE library service for Nottingham City residents, who love to read but are unable to visit a library because of:-  Mobility problems  ill-health

 Disability

 Frailty due to old age  Carer responsibilities

Find out more information by contacting 0115 915 2802 or visiting www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/hls In order to join the service we would need your name, address, telephone number and email (optional).

Please send this information to: - Aspley Library, Nuthall Road, Aspley, Nottingham, NG8 5DD

We are always looking for friendly volunteers who can collect books from the library and deliver to customer‟s homes on a regular basis. If interested, then contact Rekha Vasishta – [email protected]

History of the Home Library Service (HLS)

The foundations for the Home Library Service were laid in 1960, with a pilot scheme supplying books to old people living alone, who found it difficult to visit their nearest public library. In May 1961 a fully- fledged service began for old people living in Corporation flats and bungalows in the Best-Wood and

Strelley areas with the help of the Women‟s Voluntary Service (now called Royal Voluntary Service or

RVS) and the Welfare Service Committee. At the time this was classified under Libraries Special

Services. In 2006 the HLS was extended to the Asian community with the help of volunteers who are able to select Asian-language stock and speak the languages. From 1960 until March 2017 the partnership between the RVS and Nottingham City Libraries continued, the RVS managing the volunteers and the Library Service providing the stock. In April 2017 the service was re-launched by Nottingham City Libraries, who is now, both supplying the stock and managing and working with the volunteers. Currently the HLS supplies books, books on tape and CD, music CDs and DVDs to the homes of around 200 vulnerable citizens across the Nottingham City area. The Home Library Service not only provides access to reading and entertainment, but also provides a point of contact for individuals who have limited opportunity to engage with the community.

Annual Service for the Bereaved

The annual service for the bereaved will take place at Wilford Hill Crematorium on Saturday 2nd December. The service has special significance for those wishing to remember friends or family who died in Nottingham, but anyone wishing to attend will be very welcome.

The service will take place in the Main Chapel at Wilford Hill Southern Cemetery and Crematorium on Loughborough Road, West Bridgford, beginning at 10.30am. Following a welcome by the Lord Mayor of Nottingham, Councillor Michael Edwards, the service will be conducted by Father Michael Brown from the Church of the Holy Spirit, West Bridgford; the Rev Chris Hodder of St Paul’s Church, West

Bridgford; Licensed Lay Reader Lesley Ball from A.W. Lymn, and Jane Turner of A.W. Lymn.

Light refreshments will be served in the West Chapel after the service, when those attending will be able to talk to members of the Cemeteries team.

The annual service is organised by Nottingham City Council Cemetery and Crematorium Service, and is sponsored again this year by funeral directors A.W. Lymn.

Councillor Dave Trimble, Nottingham City Council’s Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture, said: “The annual service is often an important milestone for people who are bereaved, and many tell us of the comfort they find through attending. We are grateful for the ongoing sponsorship from A.W. Lymn, which allows us to add special touches such as a Christmas tree, choir and refreshments – all much appreciated by those who attend.”

Over 65s Lunch Club

Date/Time 05/12/2017 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Do you live in a care home, independent living accommodation or in your own home?

Come and join us every Tuesday for over 65s lunch club, we get to do whatever we fancy as a group, from watching a movie, to having a general discussion to playing a game. Free meal and drinks

Help can be provided with transportation.

Sunday Roast Come Dine with Me

th Sunday 26 November 2017 12:00pm – 2:00pm

Why not join us for a Community Come Dine with Me Sunday Roast, because eating alone can be so boring and could lead to loss of appetite.

Also, you have the opportunity to meet other people and make new friends. Life can be so challenging without anyone to care for us and that is why coming and dining together could make enormous difference to both our mental and physical well being.

Location: Self Love Hub: Unit 1 Combo Park, Rear of 6 Bulwell Lane, Nottingham, NG6 0BT 07506811309/ 0115 8370684

Booking in advance is essential, so RSVP today 28

Nothing to pay but lots of fun to have Stories for Older People with Nicky Rafferty at Beeston Library Monday 13th November 2017

Join us at this relaxed session with professional story teller Nicky Rafferty every Monday from

November 6 - December 18.

These sessions are for people with dementia and other conditions where memory might be impaired, come along with family, friends and carers. Please note you need to book for EACH week you want to attend this free event .

Visit the Inspire website for full details and booking options

https://www.inspireculture.org.uk/whats-on/events/2017/11/x/

Beeston Library Foster Avenue Beeston Nottinghamshire

NG9 1AE

th Date: 4 December 2017 Time: 7:00pm - 9:00pm Venue: Royal Concert Hall

Join us for a seasonal concert as Inspire – Culture, Learning and Libraries, celebrates a fantastic year and the continuing partnership between Nottinghamshire Music Education Hub, Royal Concert Hall and the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain. This festive performance features a showcase of amazing acapella performances from young singers from the following Nottinghamshire secondary and primary schools and the NYCGB Fellowship Octet:

 Abbey Primary School  Southwell Minster School

 Colonel Frank Seely School  The Brunts Academy  East Leake Academy  The Elizabethan Academy  John Blow Primary School  The Holgate Academy  Joseph Whitaker School  The National Academy  Orston Primary School  Toot Hill School  Outwood Academy Portland  Tuxford Academy

 South Wolds Academy

Enjoy mind-blowing mash-ups of Christmas favorites and sublime singing from the supremely talented

Fellowship of the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain.

Doors open at 6.15pm and The Red Hot Band will provide a wonderful musical welcome in the foyer before our main performance starting at 7pm. Tickets: Adults £5/Children and concessions £3. To book visit Royal Concert Hall Box Office on 0115 989 5555.

Would like to wish you 15

A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR

Thank You for your hard work and being a part of the Nottingham Signposting Partnership. See You All in the New Year!