NEWS Summer 2015 Healthy Valleys, 31 Stuart Terrace, Rigside, Lanark, ML11 9NN Tel: 01555 880666 www.healthyvalleys.org.uk Combating Isolation Starts in Our Local Communities Imagine going for a month without seeing anyone. How would you feel? Sad? ……………. Depressed? ..…………… Lonely? As you get older, things you used to do with ease are harder. There are hundreds, if not thousands of lonely and isolated people living in rural Clydesdale. Older people in particular Getting out and about alone is a are most at risk of loneliness and isolation, as are people with challenge too far. You become long term health conditions (no matter their age). But…. community spirit can make enormous inroads to ending this isolated, lonely and lose a bit of isolation and loneliness. Together we can really improve other confidence people’s lives … as well as our own! Research has shown that doing an act of kindness once a week over a period of time increases your own wellbeing. Elizabeth’s Story So what can we do? Help neighbours, start a conversation, give a helping hand to someone in need. Not sure how to get Elizabeth, 75, moved to Lanark to live with started? Read on to find out more about what Healthy Valleys her family following the death of her and others are doing to support vulnerable and isolated husband. As well as suffering from people in our community. depression and anxiety, there has been a significant deterioration in her memory. (Data from South Lanarkshire Council) She is supported by her caring family, but still feels lonely and isolated. This is mainly due to living in an unfamiliar area and the fact her family work during the week. Over the last 3 years she has been supported by the local Elderly Community Mental Health Team who referred her to 15,900 over 65’s live in Clydesdale. Healthy Valleys’ Re-Connect Project. Elizabeth was matched with a volunteer This will increase by 24% by 2020. who has accompanied her to weekly local 55% have a long term health illness. social gatherings , a lunch club, monthly tea dance and a shopping trip to One third live on their own. Motherwell. Elizabeth’s confidence and mood has improved to the extent where Elizabeth told her Community Psychiatric Nurse: she is comfortable to go to the activities “I can’t believe how my life has opened up in such a short on her own now. Her memory problems space of time. I’m getting back to my old self. still remain, but these are being managed I don’t dread Mondays now as I have things to look forward with the help of her family and her diary. to. I just needed that bit of reassurance” www.facebook.com/HealthyValleys The focus of Re-Connect is older people who are living in their own homes and are facing a range of disadvantages which increase their isolation, making it difficult for them to live independently. For example, living alone, having caring responsibilities or recently bereaved, living with a disability or long term condition, poor mental health or recently discharged from hospital. What most of us would call a good friend can Our wonderful Re-Connect volunteers provide sometimes be increasingly harder to find as we practical support by visiting them at home, get older. But a good friend is what older people getting to know them, assisting them to get out who have benefited from the support of our Re- and about and connect with old friends as well as Connect project say about our volunteers . relevant local services, clubs and opportunities in their communities. As the older person gains Re-Connect is a Healthy Valleys’ project which confidence and makes new links and friends, the offers support and help to isolated older people volunteers step back and often go on to support living in Clydesdale who need help to link them another older person in need of similar support. back into their local community. To find out more about Re-Connect please contact Fiona Gairns, Re-Connect Development Worker. 01555 880666 /07872 160 992 I in 10 people aged 65 and over say they are always lonely or feel lonely There is a huge variety of activities for older people taking place across South Lanarkshire (Age UK) and the rural area in particular. So how do you find out what’s on? Simples! The Locator Tool. Locator is an on line resource for searching for activities and services within South Lanarkshire. Give it a go! It was developed by Voluntary Action South Royal Voluntary Service, Lesmahagow - Lanarkshire as part of the Reshaping Care for Coffee Club, games afternoon, exercise Older People agenda. classes, Silver Surfers Over 60’s Group and Community Cafe, So if you are an older person looking to get out Thornton Road Community Centre, and about and meet new people, find out what’s Kirkmuirhill happening in your area by clicking on: University of the 3rd Age, Lanark http://www.vaslan.org.uk/locator Alzheimers Scotland Memory Cafes - If you don’t have a computer, why not go to your Douglas, Carluke and Lanark local library, who will be happy to show you how. Healthy Valleys’ physical activity programme for adults and older people includes walking, swimming, dancing and indoor bowling. If you are keen to increase activity levels, improve your health and fitness to help sustain good mental and physical health, come and join in! It is also an opportunity to get involved in your community, meet new people and make new friends. Day Time Activity Venue Cost 10.00am - Mondays Game On – Indoor Bowling Blackwood Sports Facility £1 12.00pm Mondays 10.00am - Market Bus – leaves from Kirkmuirhill Hamilton £2 (Fortnightly) 12.00pm and Lesmahagow area Mondays 11.00am Weekly Health walk Leaves from Lesmahagow Free Swim Bus from Kirkmuirhill, Blackwood £2 for bus + entry Tuesdays 9.00am Coalburn Leisure Centre and Lesmahagow fee into pool Every 1st Friday C’mon Dancing £1 for transport, 2-4pm Coalburn One Stop Shop of the Month Tea Dances for Adults (Aug - April) £2 for dance Monthly Health Walk. Pick ups from a Every 1st Sunday 1-4pm Various locations in range of villages: Rigside, Forth, £3 for bus of the Month South Lanarkshire Lesmahagow etc For more information, to get involved or to set up something similar in your area call Simone on 01555 880666 or email [email protected] It’s not just older people who feel lonely and isolated. Our Out and About is for adults who live with a long term physical or Out and About project mental health condition that prevents them enjoying the activities supports adults with long term and opportunities available to them within their local community. health conditions and our Time Out project supports young To date, 32 people have benefitted from being involved with Out and people experiencing mental About, taking part in local activities such as yoga, pottery, walking, health issues. Working with complementary therapies, gardening, computer classes and accessing Douglasdale Medical Practice, local leisure centres. we also piloted a Social Prescribing Project to support Interested? some of their patients to Our Community Health Navigator will meet and talk to you about improve their health and your interests and needs to help you find suitable links to local groups wellbeing via volunteering and and activities. We will help you find solutions to the difficulties which connecting with their local currently prevent you from getting involved in the wider community. community and the activities You can refer yourself or local groups / agencies can make a referral on available. your behalf. However if you would like more information, or if you, or More information can be found someone you know could be supported by Out and about, please on our website: contact: www.healthyvalleys.org.uk Mary Hastings, Community Health Navigator on 01555 880666. One incident of domestic abuse is reported to the police every minute. On "Violence against women average, 2 women a week are killed by a current or former male partner. Yet continues to persist as one of violence against women is still too often a hidden crime. (Women’s Aid) the most heinous, systematic and prevalent human rights However, in our area, the Lanarkshire Domestic Abuse Response project abuses in the world. It is a (LDAR) , is helping women who have experienced domestic abuse feel safer and threat to all women, and an obstacle to all our efforts for better supported. Healthy Valleys is proud to be a part of this. We are able to development, peace, and provide stress management and complementary therapy treatments to help gender equality in all heal the emotional and physical effects of violence which women too often societies." endure. This type of support can help women with their recovery and to move on with their lives. We have received over 70 referrals since January 2015 and are Ban Ki moon, United Nations Secretary General, supporting women in Bellshill, Coatbridge, Hamilton and the Lanark area. 2007 LDAR is a multi-agency project led by NHS Lanarkshire’s Ending Violence & Abuse service (EVA Services). Specialised Advocacy Workers and Housing and Welfare Officers are available to help with practical and emotional issues while Police Scotland are able to provide GPS alarms to women if needed. If you would like to find out more about the service please contact Carol, Valley Therapies Co-ordinator on 07702336327 or at [email protected]. Support adults living with a long-term health condition to get out and about? Help run fun, educational parenting classes? Support vulnerable pregnant women and families with children under 5, who need extra help to live a healthier, less stressful lifestyle? Work with young people who are experiencing low self-esteem and poor mental health? Support isolated, lonely older people to link in with their local communities? Help deliver our healthy eating courses and workshops to young people, families and older people? Assist at information stalls promoting all of our projects? Help run our community cafes? If the answer is ‘yes’ to any of these questions - and you have a few hours a week to volunteer with us, then we would really like to hear from you.