DISCOVER South West ISSUE 3 FREE

Taking you back! Read inside about the Union Canal’s fascinating history

How to share your photo memories with others

Photo courtesy of: City of Council – Edinburgh Libraries www.capitalcollections.org.uk

Learn about DEMENTIA and 6 little things you can do to help

Start 2016 with new IDEAS on what you can do in your community!

www.loopsproject.org.uk MORE INSIDE! 1 Contents: 4 Transport 14 Discover your roots 5 Community Gardening 15 Looking back - Union 6 What’s on in the library? Canal 7 University of Third Age 16 Social Care Direct 8 Connecting with others 17 Ideas for 2016 10 Share your photo memories 18 Entertainment: humour, puzzles 11 Stay active 19 Community Navigator 12 What is dementia? further information and 13 Six little things you can do to free subscription help someone with dementia

We’ve got so much to share about what’s happening near you and how you can get involved, this magazine is just the start… If you would like to speak to us about how to get involved in local groups or access services and get the help you need, please call Edyta on 0131 225 8508 and we will arrange to meet with you or you can come and see us at our Community Information Stops—see our map on page 19 for more info.

Next issue: Please contact us if you have any Contact Us: content or ideas for a future edition. Thank you: Discover South West We would like to thank all the Community Navigator individuals and organisations who have contributed to this magazine. Health in Mind A special thank you to the Edinburgh 40 Shandwick Place Council Libraries and Edinburgh Collected for sharing their old Edinburgh EH2 4RT photographs with us!

And Murray for helping with the distribution of Issue 2. 0131 225 8508 www.edinburghflyerdistribution.com

2 Hello and welcome to our third edition

We’re excited to bring you a whole host of projects, organisations and activities in this issue. Let us know if you would like to speak about any services or activities that are featured in this or our previous two editions.

You will notice a map on the last page of this magazine. Our map shows you where you can find us in your local community. Our stops, as we like to call our information stalls, are an opportunity for us to meet you and let you know what’s going on in your community. We can connect you with an activity, group or service that’s just right for you! Come and visit us—share a cup of tea and have a blether with the Community Navigator team.

We gather leaflets and keep up to date with local events, such as markets, craft fairs, smaller short term groups and other information that may be less visible in your community.

Never miss an issue by subscribing to Discover: South West—it’s free! See the form on the last page.

Edyta and the Community Navigator team

Photo: December 2015—Information Stall At Morningside Farmer’s Market. From left: Hayley from Community Connecting with Midge and Edyta, your Community Navigator

3 Transport

We are aware that transport continues to be an issue for many older people living in South West Edinburgh. Here is a wee reminder of what’s around to help you get from A to B.

If you have a disability that makes it difficult to use public transport you can apply for a Taxicard to help you get around the city and make your journeys cheaper.

Free rail travel with TaxiCards Thanks to a special deal between ScotRail and the City of Edinburgh Council; you can travel on trains within the Lothians area for free. If you are travelling from a station with ticket barriers, you’ll need to show your valid Taxicard to the gateline staff. Otherwise just board your train and show it to the ticket inspector. You can use your Taxicard on the new Borders Railway up to Gorebridge only. If you want to travel to Stow, Galashiels or Tweedbank you would have to pay the difference to these stations.

4 Community Gardening

Community gardening is a fantastic way to spend time in the great outdoors, get active and meet new people, plus you get to grow your own healthy food! There are several community gardens in the South West of the city that are on the look-out for volunteers, and you don’t have to be an experienced gardener to take part. There are lots of different things to do in a garden at any time of year and there’s something to suit everyone!

Rob Ford is the Community Gardening Development Officer for the Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust. He would love to hear from you if you are interested in getting involved. You can contact Rob either by phone on 07908 844173 or email [email protected]. You can also find more information on the website: www.elgt.org.uk/projects/community-gardening

Garden Name Location Lothian Bus Routes Artlink Glasshouses Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside 11,16,23,36,45

ELREC Westbourne Grove, Wester Hailes 30, 33

Fresh Start Community Garden Harrison Park, Shandon 4,34,35,44

Gate 55 Community Garden Sighthill Road, Sighthill 3,18,21,32

Gorgie City Farm Road, Gorgie 1,2,3 25,33

Hope Triangle Firrhill Drive, 5,16

Redhall Walled Garden Lanark Road, Kings Knowe 44

Royal Edinburgh Community Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside 11,16,23,36,45 Garden

Sighthill Community Garden Edinburgh College, Sighthill Campus 18,35

Wester Hailes Health Agency Calder Crescent, Wester Hailes 20,25,34 Green Gym

5 What’s on in the library?

As you know libraries have books, magazines, newspapers etc, but there is lots more! For example, did you know you can find application forms for the National Entitlement Card (60+ bus pass), and get replacement batteries for hearing aids? Whenever you are in, say ‘hi’ to the staff. They are there to help and would love to meet you! “Libraries in the past were perceived as quiet places, now we invite people to come in and engage in bubbly chats and use this space for connecting with others!” John, Oxgangs Library. Photo: Community Navigator Stall at cosy Library just before Christmas. Yap & Yarn Knitting Group at Oxgangs Library “The Oxgangs Library Yap & Yarn Winter by William Shakespeare knitting group has been running for When icicles hang by the wall, around four years. We meet every And Dick the shepherd blows his nail, Tuesday from 10:30am till 12pm. We And Tom bears logs into the hall, have around 15 members but most And milk comes frozen home in pail; weeks we have 10 knitters. I enjoy a When blood is nipp'd, and ways be good chat and there’s always someone foul, to ask if we need help. We share Then nightly sings the staring owl, patterns and ideas, and teach skills if "Tu-whit, to-who!"— needed! Some ladies have learned to A merry note, crochet. It’s a friendly group with loads While greasy Joan doth keel the pot. of chat and laughter! The ladies are When all aloud the wind doth blow, from all age groups and everyone is And coughing drowns the parson's welcome! Join us!” Esther—one of the saw, group members. And birds sit brooding in the snow, And Marian's nose looks red and raw; Poetry Group at Currie Library When roasted crabs hiss in the bowl, Then nightly sings the staring owl, The group meets every alternative "Tu-whit, to-who!"— Wednesday from 6:30pm-7:30pm. There A merry note, is tea and coffee. The members meet to While greasy Joan doth keel the pot read and share their thoughts and understanding of poems.

6 University of Third Age

The University of Third Age (U3A) movement is a unique and exciting organisation which provides life-enhancing and life-changing opportunities. Retired and semi- retired people come together and learn together, not for qualifications but for its own reward: the sheer joy of discovery!

Members share their skills and life experiences: the learners teach and the teachers learn, and there is no distinction between them.

Edinburgh U3A has over 130 Activity Groups, you can view the list of all groups at the website which in many cases indicates the area in which their meetings take place; but most groups meet in the homes of the Group Leaders, so specific addresses of groups are not publicised.

If you spot a group you would like to join, just sign up to the Edinburgh U3A. You will pay a £12 subscription and then receive detailed information about all the groups in your area. You can then contact a Group Leader directly and arrange to go along.

Activities include: blues groups, book club, drawing, family history, film group, French network, gardening, laughter club, photography, pottery, yoga and much more!

To view all groups, please visit: www.u3asites.org.uk

If you don’t use computers or are unsure how to use the online system please contact us.

7 Become a friend...

A fresh new service to tackle loneliness and isolation among the over 60s across Edinburgh is up and running. As awareness grows of the very serious impacts that loneliness and isolation can have on your health, Vintage Vibes has been set up to help combat these problems. A joint partnership between LifeCare Edinburgh and The Broomhouse Centre, Vintage Vibes is using friendly volunteers to reach out to people across the city, offering companionship, reliable support and the opportunity to be more socially connected. We want to encourage people to get involved and help keep the city’s over 60s more connected. We’re offering a range of services to help with this:

 One to one visiting at home

 One to one visiting outside of home

 Hospital visiting

 Pet visiting/therapy at home, care home, hospice

 Friendship pools

 Family visiting Vintage Vibes has already recruited and trained over 20 new volunteers, some of whom have already been matched with over 60s looking for some more company. We call them our Vibes VIP’s—men and women across Edinburgh who have stories and knowledge to share. We’re hoping these matches will lead to some long-lasting friendships. Contact details Website: www.vintagevibes.org.uk Email: [email protected] Heather Allan on 0131 343 0955, or [email protected] Emily Hislop on 0131 445 7731, or [email protected]

Did you know...it works both ways! You can share your skills and talent as a volunteer. “Volunteering has improved my confidence, self esteem and self worth and motivated me. The feeling of helping and supporting someone to achieve their own goals has been rewarding.”

8 ...connect with others Community Connecting

Community Connecting can provide support to find out what services, activities and groups are available in your local area through matching you up with a trained volunteer. How does it work? Together you and your volunteer will develop a plan of what you would like to do and the changes you would like to make to your life. The volunteer will then support you to develop the skills and confidence to make this happen. You will meet weekly for 2-3 hours for up to four months. Get involved: Anybody over 65 living in the South West area of Edinburgh can be referred to Community Connecting either through self-referral, by a family member/friend or by a professional. For those living outwith South West Edinburgh, Community Connecting is also available but delivered by a different organisation. Get in touch and we can let you know who to contact. Come and see us for Social Group at Morningside Library—upstairs in the community room, alternative Wednesdays from 10:30am-12:30pm. Please call Hayley or Julie to find our more about Community Connecting on 0131 225 8508.

“It’s good to have someone who is happy to spend time with me and listen and chat. My volunteer is lovely; she’s always happy which makes me feel happier. I am able to get out now and I can go back to the places I loved.”

As well as volunteering with Vintage Vibes or Community Connecting, there are lots of other ways you can get involved and share your skills and talents. You can call Volunteer Edinburgh to find out more.

9 Share your memories with Edinburgh Collected

Edinburgh Libraries’ Digital Team joined Edyta and Jools at their Community Navigator stall and coffee morning on 3rd December to talk about Edinburgh Collected www.edinburghcollected.org –the libraries’ new website for sharing pictures and memories. They had a really enjoyable morning talking to the group: “We showed the group how they could use their email addresses to create an account, and how to start adding and sharing memories, and then how to make scrapbooks of favourite memories. We explained that Edinburgh Collected is free and easy to use on a computer, tablet or mobile phone. When someone adds a memory to Edinburgh Collected, they’re adding it to the city’s heritage collections, helping us to preserve and make history for the future. We had a great morning chatting to people and hearing some fantastic stories… We heard how someone witnessed not one, but two major fires in the centre of Edinburgh on a November morning in 1955, first at a warehouse on Jeffrey Street an then at the C&A’s department store on Princes Street. There were memories of winter fun, sledging down Blackford Hill in the dark and skating at Blackford Pond during one very cold year. We also heard how one prized family possession is a photograph of someone’s mother as a child sitting with other children on the back of a tiger as part of an Edinburgh theatre show! We’re hoping to see this on Edinburgh Collected soon…” Edinburgh Collected is due to join another Community Navigator session at Morningside Library early in 2016. Phone: 0131 242 8033 Email: [email protected]

10 Stay Active

Here are our top tips for staying on your feet:

 Get checked out top to toe—have your eyes and hearing tested regularly, wear shoes and slippers that are comfortable and fit properly, and get your GP to regularly review your prescription medications. Walking Football  Calcium keeps bones strong—eat a well balanced diet that contains calcium rich Happening at: foods like dairy products, green leafy High School vegetables, bread and fish. Bridge Road, EH14 7AQ  Get enough Vitamin D—to help keep your bones strong. Natural sunlight is a good On Fridays from 4:30pm-5:30pm way or take supplements from your GP or Contact: Chris Sellar pharmacist. [email protected]  Stay active—exercise such as walking, www.walkingfootballunited.co.uk gardening and dancing can strengthen muscles, bones and improve balance.

 Clear your way home—make sure there’s nothing that might cause someone to trip or bump into them such as rugs, loose carpets and items lying on the floor. Carpet Bowls It’s good to have a plan in place if you do Monday 2-4pm fall. If you can’t get back up, move to a soft surface, keep warm, call for help and keep Easy Exercise moving. If you feel you can get back up, Friday 10:45am-11:45am make sure you do so carefully, and use a Address: piece of solid furniture to support you if possible. 71 Firrhill Dr, Edinburgh, EH13 9EU

More information about ‘Take Small Steps to Stay On Your Feet’ can be found at: www.edinburgh.gov.uk/fiveeasysteps or www.nhsinform.co.uk/falls.

11 What is dementia?

Dementia is caused by a number of diseases that affect the brain. The most common is Alzheimer’s but diseases also include Vascular Dementia, Dementia with Lewy Bodies and Pick’s Disease. Different types of dementia affect the brain at different rates and in different ways, but other things like someone’s personal circumstances, the people around them and the environment in which they live will affect their experience of dementia. Dementia is unique to each person. It is true that more people over 65 have dementia but it is not exclusively an older person’s disease; younger people get dementia too. Here are 5 things you need to know about dementia:

 Dementia is not a natural part of the ageing process.

 Dementia is caused by diseases of the brain.

 It is not just about losing your memory.

 It is possible to live well with it.

 There is more to the person than the dementia.

If you are worried about yourself or someone in your family please contact your GP for more information and support.

Dementia Friends

A Dementia Friend learns a little more about what it’s like to live with dementia and then turns that understanding into action—anyone of any age can be a Dementia Friend. Whether you attend a face-to-face Dementia Friends Information Session or watch the Dementia Friends video online, a Dementia Friend is about learning more about dementia and the small ways you can help. From telling friends about Dementia Friends to visiting someone you know living with dementia, every action counts. To find out more please visit www.dementiafriends.org.uk Or give Community Navigator a call we can let you know more.

This information is taken from Dementia Friends (www.dementiafriends.org.uk)

12 Six little things you can do to help someone with Dementia

Image from City of Edinburgh Council, Transformed Edinburgh

13 Discover your roots

Trace your family tree with Edinburgh Libraries. Free resources can help you trace your family’s history both from home and in the library.

Edinburgh City Libraries Edinburgh Scottish Collection 7-9 George IV Bridge EH1 1EG

Email: central.edinburghandscottishlibrary.edinburgh.gov.uk Tel: 0131 242 8070

The Scottish Genealogy Society—Edinburgh’s Family History Centre Manned entirely by our friendly volunteers, the Scottish Genealogy Society exists solely for the purpose of family history research. Our members have free access to ancestry.com and findmypast.com, as well as Old Parish Records on film for the whole of Scotland. With a library of over 4000 volumes focusing on family history, social history and Scottish and local history our members also receive a quarterly journal and regular e-newsletters; workshops on specialised topics such as censuses; tax records; old Scottish handwriting; along with courses for beginners. In addition we have a winter programme of lectures and exclusive evening visits to the National Records of Scotland (Register House). Membership of the Society costs £20 per annum.

We are open five days a week, except Friday and Sunday. Contact us: Victoria Terrace, Edinburgh, EH1 2JL Tel: 0131 220 3677 Email: [email protected]

14 Looking back A story about the Union Canal

A big thank you to Ian who we met at the Most of the country round about would Wester Hailes Information Stop for sharing still have been empty and at night the his story. effect must have been rather eerie. First published in the Scotsman 1884. Food and drink was available if you had not brought your own. Some passengers When the Union Canal was opened in made a party of the trip, especially on 1834, there were passenger services, night services. although it was mainly intended to carry heavy goods. These included coal and The fares were one penny per mile on quarry stone to Edinburgh as well as deck, and one and a half penny for the taking away dung from the City, human comfort of the cabin. Pleasure trips ran and animal, to be spread on the fields at to the and Almondell aqueducts. Ratho. Specially constructed ‘fly-boats’, first seen on the Forth and Clyde Canal, carried up to 60 passengers—24 in the comfortable saloon below decks, and 36 seated on the canvas frame covered deck itself. These were light barges with a tapered bow and a draught of 12-18 inches depending on the number on board, 69 feet long and 5.5 feet wide. The service was quite rapid for the day with an average speed of a little over 9mph maintained by two horses—one with a boy on its back, which were changed every 4.5 miles without the barge losing much of its headway. The passage was smooth, so long as the pace was maintained, and quiet; passengers could enjoy conversation Photo courtesy of: City of Edinburgh Council and reading, something that must have Edinburgh Libraries www.capitalcollections.org.uk been pleasant to those used to the jouncing of the coach service.

15 Social Care Direct and Self Directed Support

In the last issue we explored in detail Self Directed Support. In case you missed out on it, here is a little summary. Social Care Direct can put you in touch with an organisation who will provide the help and support you need. Don’t hesitate, pick up the phone!

For more information What are the most common questions and topics among the over 65 callers? The Social Care Direct contact centre is open from: Just a small snapshot of what we may be asked about includes: requests for lunch Monday to Thursdays clubs, day centres, befriending services, 8:30am—5pm bathing assessments, requests for bannisters Fridays and rails, attendance allowance, care home placement, respite, bus passes, blue 8:30am—3:55pm badges, community alarms and dementia services. You can get in touch the What information should a caller have ready following ways: before picking up the phone? Phone: 0131 200 2324 Name, address, date of birth and GP Email: socialcaredirect@ practice. edinburgh.gov.uk

Did you know you can manage your support independently? Self Directed Support will allow you to decide what support you would need the most, giving you more choice to make more informed decisions.

You can find out more about Self Directed Support online at the Scottish Government website: www.selfdirectedsupportscotland.org.uk If you wish to be assessed for Self Directed Support, you can contact Social Care Direct on 0131 200 2324.

16 Activity IDEAS for 2016

Pilates Table Tennis Fishing

Walking History Society

Fungus Society Bridge Club

Thai Chi Knitting Singing

Book Clubs IT Classes

Chair Exercises Coffee Mornings

Short term groups, activities and local events are run by local community centres and a variety of organisations throughout the year. Community Navigator gathers leaflets and information about them. Please stay in contact and visit our Information Stations regularly to find out what’s NEW! Just because something isn’t there now doesn’t mean it won’t be happening in the near future! STAY CONNECTED—visit our INFORMATION STOPS—see our map on page 19.

17 Let’s not forget to have fun!

It counts—even if you fake it! Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel good chemicals. Endorphins promote an overall sense of wellbeing and can even temporarily relieve pain.

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Drop by our information stops. Visit your local library, have a blether and find out what’s happening in your area! Contact Edyta 0131 225 8508

Based at Health in Mind

Sighthill Green Medical Practice Thu 10am-12pm Morningside Library Wed 10:30am—12:30pm

Wester Hailes Library Wed 2pm-4pm Oxgangs Library Tues 10am—12pm

Why not subscribe to Currie Library Discover: South West? Tues 2pm-4pm It’s free!

Never miss an issue of Discover: South West— Additional Information subscribe for free and we’ll post each new If you would like further information edition to you. Please take care to write clearly. about a service, activity or group, Subscription information let us know in the space below (or write us a separate letter). NAME ______

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I AM IN MY (tick)

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If you know someone—maybe a neighbour, friend or a family member who would like this magazine, please pass it on!

Would you like to HELP us? At our events we have the world at our fingertips! We need local helpers to lend a hand at our events.  Leaflets and brochures for local projects This is a rewarding and sociable activity in itself—our  Laptop with internet team welcomes people, has connection a chat about what  Printer information they are looking  Mobile phone

for and helps them find it.  Friendly volunteers

Local Opportunities for Older People (LOOPS) is a citywide partnership initiative No matter where you are, whether you are an older person yourself or you know an older person who needs support or signposting there is a LOOPS project available to provide local information about activities nearby that suit your needs.

South West—0131 225 8508 North West—0131 561 8314 North East—0131 553 2599 South East—0131 561 8314

Edyta Pyczek Heather Yang Mary O’Connell Health in Mind Volunteer Edinburgh Pilmeny Development Project

LOOPS City Wide Phoneline

‘Discover: South West’ magazine is published as part of the Community Navigator Project. Community Navigator is a Local Opportunities for Older People (LOOPs) project delivered by Health in Mind, a charity registered in Scotland, number SC004128, and a company limited by guarantee, registered in Scotland, number SC124090. The registered office is at 40 Shandwick Place, Edinburgh, EH2 4RT. LOOPs is a joint initiative funded by the City of Edinburgh Council’s Health and Social Care Dept. The overall initiative is delivered by Pilmeny Development Project and Edinburgh Voluntary Organisation’s Council. Printed by Edinburgh Print Centre.

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