Post on 27-Dec-2020
transcript
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Harrow Carers
Harrow
In this edition:
Ways to Look After
Yourself pg.6
In Appreciation of Carers
pg.10
New Group Activities pg.20
Hidden Carers Campaign
pg. 26
SEPTEMBER 2020
Registered Charity
No. 1062149
harrowcarers.org carers.harrow @harrowcarers
Carers
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Harrow Carers
CEO’s Message
Hello,
We have come through the immense initial pressures of a
COVID epidemic. As our homecare manager Fran said –
“it’s my first pandemic”, which is true for all of us. It has
been immensely hard for very many of you and at Harrow Carers we have
been saddened by the many difficult personal and national reports of the
circumstances of carers, both young and old. I hope the situation is getting
a little better for you as there is some return to normality.
We want to help support you as much as possible and have relaunched many
services which are both supportive, fun and a chance to re-connect with us
and old friends. These include counselling (in most cases free or at reduced
rates) by our approachable, professional volunteer counsellors.
A quote from a carer I met recently “It’s great to have someone who under-
stands and listens to me”.
Many other activities include helping you get online with equipment and
supportive training, mental health drops in and more. For some of you our
dedicated and kind Homecare staff provide that extra bit of support. Do call
Lydia, Mariam or one of the team for a chat about what might make your life
better.
Soon we will be re-launching our Carers Card which was called a CESS card
(short for Carers Emergency Support Service) – in conjunction with Harrow
Council and other charities. Many of you have been kind enough to respond
to our survey seeking your views about this.
This month we are also trying to find people who may not identity as carers
and who might like to use our services. Please see page 26 for our Hidden
Carers campaign.
Wishing you all a peaceful Autumn
Charmian Boyd
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Harrow Carers
Section Page
Message From Harrow Council 4-5
Looking After Your Health 6
What has been going on? 7-8
Services Updates 9-16
In Appreciation of Carers 10
Activities 17-20
Poem of the Month 21
Other Business 22-28
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Editor: Nathan Konga
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What’s Inside
For regular updates, follow our social media pages at:
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Harrow Carers
Harrow Council Contacts
Harrow Council are working with the government on a range of measures to support residents during this time.
We understand that many of you will be worried about the impact Corona-virus will have on your household - and many will already be feeling it's effects.
There will be concerns about when you may be able to return to work, and also about salaries being reduced or stopped altogether. The Govern-ment has introduced a raft of measures to support households expe-riencing financial disruptions.
We’re also working on other measures such as help to buy food and help to reduce your Council tax bill for
2020/21 if you are in receipt of Council Tax Support. To view the measures currently in place by both the Govern-ment and from the local authority to support you during the Coronavirus go to: https://www.harrow.gov.uk/coronavirus-covid-19/support-residents
Allie Brice has recently been appointed Carer Lead for Harrow Council.
For any Carer related enquiries please contact carers@harrow.gov.uk. Allie is happy to add you to the current email mailing list to receive information / advice & updates.
Stay up to date by following our social media pages at:
Facebook (Like our page): www.facebook.com/carers.harrow/
Twitter: www.twitter.com/HarrowCouncil
Instagram: @HarrowCouncil
LinkedIn: Harrow Council
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Harrow Carers
A Message from Harrow
Council’s Carer Lead
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Harrow Carers
Looking After Yourself
Mental & Physical Health
At Harrow Carers we prioritize the mental and physical health of our car-ers. To help look after your health we
can support you with:
Mental Health support groups (via online video conferencing)
Wellbeing workshops
Advisory services
Counselling Services
Befriending calls
Contact us at communications@harrowcarer.org for more info.
5 Ways to Take Care
of your Mental &
Physical Health
Information on Flu Jabs
If you are the main carer for an elderly or
disabled person, who may be put at risk
if you became ill, you should be offered a
free flu jab, according to government
policy.
You should be offered one if you're re-
ceiving Carer's Allowance. If you feel this
applies to you, you should be able to re-
quest one from your GP surgery or local
pharmacist.
Care for
others
Keep in
touch
Exercise
Eat Well
Take a
Break
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Harrow Carers
What’s been
going on? A lot has been happening in the last cou-
ple of months at Harrow Carers. From
Carers Week to Samaritans Awareness
Day to Carers Picnic, we have been busy,
thank you for joining us!
Carers Week
W4C Video Shoot
This year’s Carers Week was all about Making Caring
Visible. From the 8th of June to the 12th of June, a range of
activities took place from bingo to pictionary.
Even with pandemic going on, we kept
our Carer’s Week spirit.
Production for the Working for Carers promotion video
has officially begun and we cant wait to see the final re-
sult. We had the fantastic Emma Edwards from
Inkydink Pictures come in recently to direct the video.
Stay tuned for the release date!
Go to next page for more
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Harrow Carers
Samaritans Awareness Day
Carers Picnic
For the first time Harrow Carers held a Samaritans
awareness Day campaign. We had daily facts, informa-
tive infographics and blog posts posted across all social
media platforms to help educate. Can’t wait for next
year!
In the beautiful grounds of Harrow School and on a gor-
geous sunny day we enjoyed yoga, pilates ,tai chi, mindful-
ness and of course some music and dance. Big thank you to
Harrow School. Next is year only going to get better!
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Harrow Carers
Homecare
Are you struggling to manage your own or a rela-
tive’s daily tasks due to the effects of COVID-19?
You may benefit from our Homecare services
which is just a phone call away 03300882224!
We Can Help You With:
Personal Hygiene Care
Food and Shopping
Dementia Care
Therapeutic Activities
Learning and Physical
Disability support
Hospital Discharge Support
Medication
Assistance
Palliative Care
Sensory
Impairment
Our reliable and well trained Care Support Workers are continuing
to deliver essential care and support to our clients ensuring they are
well stimulated thereby reducing the effects of the pandemic.
Speak to our homecare manager today and get a quote that’s tai-
lored to your care needs, Or visit our website
www.harrowcarers.org for more details
Are you looking to
make a difference?
Become a Care Support
Worker Today!
Find the vacancy
for you at
www.harrowcarers.org
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Harrow Carers
In Appreciation of Carers
“Having a carer come to my home during this time has
been an absolute life-saver.”
“Carers do more than just prepare meals, do your
laundry, dishes and keep appointments, they are a
reminder we are not alone.”
“She comes almost everyday and each time she
comes it’s like a big injection of life, love and laugh-
ter.”
“I have never been more grateful for having a
carer, especially during this time.”
“Jessica is more than just a carer, she is part of the
family.”
“Sarah does more than just care for me, she makes
sure I remember to enjoy my life.”
“I’m more than grateful to have Rebecca with me
during this time. She is an angel sent from a above, I
love her!”
From administering medication to feeding and shop-
ping, carers do a lot! Yet, we recognize that they
don’t get enough appreciation. This page is dedicated
to quotes from our community members showing
their admiration and appreciation to carers.
Our services next
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Harrow Carers
Coffee mornings, support groups and training sessions are running through Zoom. We are also making out-bound wellbeing calls to check how you are. If you haven’t had a call yet, but you would like some help or just a chat, please call us.
For many, a friendly chat can take your mind off the present and we love to hear how you are doing.
Both Anne and Bunny, Support Advi-sors, are still active at the Centre and available to provide support and advice relating to benefits and grants that car-ers may be eligible to apply for.
As with all benefits, each case is unique and has its own set of circumstances. So please contact us and we can dis-cuss your needs. We have access to and information on support that is available during the Covid-19 pandemic. Should you have issues around shop-ping, collecting medication or other needs relating to a vulnerable person please contact the centre or you visit the following website: www.harrowgiving.org.uk
Adult Services’ Update
Benefits Advice
TECH HELP
Do you struggle with technology and need help
getting on-line?
If your computer skills are a
little rusty, you need help to
access the online groups, or
lack the equipment to get
on line. We can help!
We have volunteers waiting
to assist you with getting on
line, saving money on line,
accessing zoom and using
smartphones.
In the first instance, please
contact Karen on
0208 868 5224 ext 213 or
Karen.withers@harrowcarers.org for
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Harrow Carers
Working for Carers
Working for Carers has been in
Harrow since 2017 and
continues to make a difference
to carers looking to enter or re-
enter the job market, access
education or access opportuni-
ties such as volunteering and
job opportunities.
We offer a free service to
carers over 25 who wish to in-
crease their skills, gain new
skills, or increase their job
readiness.
Ways We Can Help You
One to one support with a
designated Employment
Personal Advisor
Tailored support to suit your
needs and circumstances
Group sessions on getting job
ready, carer’s rights, stress
management, nutrition to help
combat stress and confidence
building
Job searching, CV writing and
balancing a job with your caring
responsibilities
Our Services During Lockdown
We know that carers are under
pressure more than ever before,
and we want to help as much as
we can. All our groups’ sessions
are now being run online, and
our one to one contact is done
over the phone or via Zoom.
We know that many car-
ers may not be comforta-
ble with IT, so we run a
regular workshop on
building IT skills.
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Harrow Carers
SEPTEMBER Workshops Date/Time
Basic IT Skills 15th of September
10:30am to 11:30am
Effective Interview Skills 25th of September
10:30am to 11:30am
CV Writing Skills 29th of September
10:30 to 11:30am
Workshop Notice
We will also put on special workshops if requested by carers, or based on more
holistic approaches to work, such as Mindfulness, resilience at work and support
to stay in work.
All our workshops are accessed via the Harrow Carers website, just click on the Working for Carers link https://harrowcarers.org/working-for-carers/workshops/. You can also get more information on the programme and see some testimonials
from satisfied carers on the Carer’s Trust website https://carers.org/help-and-info/introduction
Carer Testimonial :
“Happy to give you feedback that I thought the whole experience was
excellent. Nem always had time to listen, share and support us through
all our crazy ideas. I was feeling low after my husband died in 2017 and
was drifting looking for something positive. He was able to focus my
efforts and build my self-confidence up in order that I could start work.”
Working for Carers
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Harrow Carers
Volunteers
How have our volun-
teers helped?
Management and
Administration
Volunteers have helped in areas such
as recruitment, filing and data manage-
ment. There are too many to name all,
everyone, but we are so grateful to you
all. If you do feel you have any spare
time we are always very happy to talk
to you. Please just call to see where
you could fit in and have fun!
Counselling
Volunteer counsellors are deliver-
ing counselling sessions to many
who need extra support. These
sessions are completely confiden-
tial. So thanks to those unseen
counsellors!
Food Parcels
Sonal and Geoff, our volunteer
coordinators, continue to lead a
band of dedicated helpers who
deliver the food bank parcels to
those in need.
IT Support
Andy leads another group of vol-
unteers who have returned to
help you with all things IT.
Our volunteers continue
to be amazing and we
thank all of them for all
the many things they have
helped us provide!
VOLUNTEERS
BY THE NUMBERS
190 Shopping Trips
121 Food Parcels
58 Medication
Pickups
2000+ Wellbeing Calls
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Harrow Carers
Novus Homeshare
*Please contact us at enquiries@novus-homeshare.org.uk or
call us today at 0330 088 2225
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Harrow Carers
Young Carers
We have been working hard to come up with new ways to
support for you to get support from young carers. During
the last 3 months we supported over 140 young carers in
Harrow through Calls, Zoom Sessions and our summer
program.
Schools/ Education Your Life Outside of Caring
Your Mental Health
We are hiring two new youth
workers who will be setting
up a weekly after school drop
in and Saturday drop in ses-
sions. We are starting work
to create young carers their
own space at the Harrow
Carers Center.
We are currently working
with local secondary schools
to get groups up and running
again and for some schools
we will be increasing to
groups twice a month. Nisha
will be in touch with you on
activities and we will keep
you updated when the Har-
row School tuition program
starts up again.
We are excited to announce that Harrow
Carers has been accepted into a European trial
exploring new ways to promote positive mental
health in young carers. We are looking for 20
young carers aged 14-17 to see the effectiveness
of the program. and shape future support for
young carers. This will involve 7 one hour ses-
sions on Microsoft Teams and two team building
days. Interested? Get in touch now.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Connect with us on:
Insta: @Harrow.youngcarers Twitter: @HarrowCarers
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Harrow Carers
Drop-In Sessions
Virtual Cuppa
Join us every Monday with a cuppa for a chat and get
your week off to a good start. Sessions start at 10am.
September 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th
October 5th, 12th, 19th and 26th
November 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th
Mental Health Carers Group
Do you care for someone with a mental health condition?
Sessions start at 1:30pm.
September 11th and 25th
October 9th and 23rd
November 13th and 27th
Autumn Activities
Quiz
Join us for our entertaining and friendly quizzes. Sessions
start at 3pm.
September 21st
October 19th
November 16th
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Harrow Carers
Training Sessions
Moving & Handling
Course on helping reduce risk of injury of both the
carer and the person they care for.
September 15th at 10am
October 22nd at 3pm
Infection Control
Information on preventing and controlling the
spread of infectious diseases.
November 24th at 10am
Is the Person I Care for Well?
Helpful guidance for carers to recognize when de-
pendents are becoming unwell.
October 20th at 10am
*Please contact us at
communications@harrowcarers.org for
further information and zoom links.
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Harrow Carers
Wellbeing Workshops
Positive Psychology
Sessions start from 10am to 12pm
September 10th, 17th and 24th
October 1st
Mindfulness
Sessions start from 2pm to 4pm
October 8th, 15th, 22nd and
28th
Understanding Dementia
Sessions start from 10am to 12pm.
October 14th
Understanding Depression
Sessions start from 10am to 12pm.
October 6th
Assertiveness Training
Sessions start from 2pm to 4pm.
October 27th
Understanding Anxiety
Sessions start from 10am to 12pm.
September 23rd
Sleep Management
Sessions start from 2pm to 4pm.
September 15th
CARERS WANTED
We are looking for carers to join our new wellbeing
panel. If interested, please contact
Karen.withers@harrowcarers.org
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Harrow Carers
New Groups
Parent Carers
Do you care for you child? Then
please join our new group and inter-
act with other parent carers in a
friendly and welcoming environment.
Sessions start at 10am.
October 7th
November 4th
December 9th
Cancer Carers
Are you caring for someone with
cancer? If so then join us and take a
break in an relaxed and welcoming
and supportive atmosphere. Sessions
start at 2:30pm.
September 23rd
October 21st
November 25th
Dementia Carers
Are you caring for someone with
dementia? if so then join us and take
a break in an relaxed and welcoming
and supportive atmosphere. Sessions
start at 2:30pm.
September 9th
October 7th
November 4th
Caring for my Partner
Do you care for your partner? if so
then join us and take a break in a
relaxed and welcoming environment.
Sessions start at 2:30pm.
September 16th
October 14th
November 11th
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Harrow Carers
Poem of the
Month
They want no fame or glory,
And it puts their mind at ease,
To know they’ve helped a loved one
Deal with Alzheimer’s disease.
So show a little kindness
To CareGivers across this land.
You may be the one someday
Who needs a helping hand.
With Peace and Understanding,
Throughout the ends of time.
There’s someone who will care for you
And make your Spirit shine…
The CareGiver…
Two words that come together
When you speak of someone dear.
It is that special person
If you call, they’re always near.
You’ll see that in a ‘CareGiver’
Love comes from in their Heart.
With loving hands and guidance
They help each new day start.
Caring for the fragile soul,
Giving day to day.
They meet the needs of loved one’s
Spreading love along the way.
A gentle touch, a helping hand,
A glow that makes you smile.
Always near to comfort
And go that extra mile
CareGiver
by Loraine
We want to let you know that
we recognize what an amazing
job you do. Here is how Loraine
expressed their appreciation. Be
proud of yourselves!
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Harrow Carers
EU Settled Status for
Carers
Have you heard about the EU settlement scheme?
If you’re an EU, EEA or Swiss national – or know someone who is – then it’s important to be aware of the EU Settlement Scheme as you need to apply if you want to continue living, working and studying in the UK.
This will protect the rights you currently have - including access to healthcare, benefits and pensions. If you’re the primary carer of a British, EU, EEA or Swiss citizen then you may also be able to apply.
To find out more and to apply visit gov.uk/eu-settled-status. It’s FREE to apply.
If you need help with the application, or ad-vice for your individual circumstances then visit harrow.gov.uk/EUSS to see what help is available.
Turn to next page for a
QR Code scan.
Are you a EU national,
EEA or Swiss National?
If so, this is information
is for you.
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Harrow Carers
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Harrow Carers
Legacies and Donations
Legacies
So much of the vital work that we have done has been possible because
of the kindness and generosity of people who leave us a gift in their
will.
Your will is an opportunity to leave a gift to not only your loved ones but to causes close to your heart. The pro-cess is easy and this kind gesture can help to ensure the longevity of Har-row Carers. So please don’t forget
about us.
Donations
Without the multiple lovely
donations we receive, we wont
be here. Your donations help
support our operations, ser-
vices and most importantly
they help us help you. To find
out more on how you can do-
nate, please visit
www.harrowcarers.org
Aschfords Law
Aschfords Law
raised £200 for us
by holding advice
sessions.
We are very grateful and appreciative of the donations we
have received!
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Harrow Carers
Waitrose
House of Baukjen
We received a cheque dona-
tion from Waitrose. Many
thanks!
House of Baukjen donated
some lovely masks. Going out
in style!
Thank you
Harrow
School for
so much
help!
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Harrow Carers
Carers Card
Hidden Carers Campaign
The last census showed there were 24,000 people in Harrow who identified as carers, many of whom are not registered with us. We would like to sup-port these carers too and seek your help to identify them For us it is really
sad if someone says “if only I had known about you earlier.” So please look around you and see if there is someone who looks after others, who
might like to get in touch with us.
They may be a young carer who is looking after their mom, dad or sibling, or a parent carer with a child who has special needs, or a person helping
another with a physical or mental disability.
We would like to show our appreciation of your help by offering a £50 voucher to the winner of a prize draw held on 1st November 2020, open to
all those who have referred a carer who registers with us. Call 02088685224 or email admin@harrowcarers.org.
Soon we will be re-launching our Carers Card which was called
a CESS card (short for Carers Emergency Support Service) – in
conjunction with Harrow Council and other charities. Many of
you have been kind enough to respond to our survey seeking
your views about this.
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Harrow Carers
Website: www.harrowcarers.org Email: admin@harrowcarers.org Tel No.: 02088685224 Page 28
Harrow Carers
27000+ pieces of
PPE
sourced
900 wellbeing
calls
supporting
young carers
121 food
parcels
delivered
36 sessions of
carers
support
groups
3500+ wellbeing
and welfare
calls
140 hours of
employability
support
provided
84 hours of
wellbeing
workshops
212 hours of
counselling
provided
£3000 grants for
carers
214 sessions of
benefits
advice
70+
COVID-19
volunteers
4774+ hours of
homecare
services
provided
HOW HAVE WE HELPED IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS