OUR MISSION Carers Support Merton values and listens to unpaid carers of all ages from our diverse community and provides high quality services and advice . New Year New You? Join our Don’t Tone Alone programme See page 6 to find out how DON’T MISS OUT Keep updated on all our events by signing up to our weekly email bulletin Submit your email address to [email protected]with the heading Weekly Bulletin Request. We Care Do You? 2015 Issue 1 Save the Date Carers Thames Walk Saturday 30th May Please contact Debbie Kilby 0208 646 7515 to register Thank you to our young carer Riley and his family for supporting our Fundraising at Sainsbury's Sava-Centre. They managed to raise an amazing £210.00 in just 3 hours. Joe Collins(CSM) Louise Gargate, Riley Gargate , Claire Russell (Sainsbury’s) Monique Smart (CSM)
Transcript
OUR MISSION Carers Support Merton values and listens to unpaid carers of all ages from our diverse
community and provides high quality services and advice .
Thank you to our young carer Riley and his family for supporting our Fundraising at Sainsbury's Sava-Centre. They managed to raise an amazing £210.00 in just 3 hours.
Joe Collins(CSM) Louise Gargate, Riley Gargate , Claire Russell (Sainsbury’s) Monique Smart (CSM)
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MONDAY MACS Carers Groups for those affected by Drugs and/or Alcohol 1.00pm to 2.30pm (time subject to change so please call before attending) The Macs Project, 296a Kingston Rd, Wimbledon Chase,SW20 8LX If you have not previously attended this group please contact Vivianne Hillsdon on 020 8417 1960 or email [email protected] for details.
Mondays at Drake House, Wimbledon Guild, 44 St Georges Road, Wimbledon SW19 4ED
2nd Monday of every month Workshops on topics relevant for carers and their loved ones. Monday 13th April 1.45pm to 4.00pm FREE workshop - Lasting Power of Attorney Putting Power of Attorney in place in good time is very important when our loved one has been diagnosed with Dementia or when they have been diagnosed with other illnesses that will hinder them from dealing with their financial affairs in future. This workshop will show you how you can save hundreds of £££ in solicitor’s fees and complete the forms yourselves. Monday 11th May 1.45pm to 4.00pm FREE workshop - Deputyship Do you look after an adult who lacks the mental capacity to give Lasting Power of Attorney due to learning difficulty, dementia or any other condition that affect the functioning of the mind and need to manage their affairs? Your only option is to apply to the Court of Protection for Deputyship. If you want to know how, this workshop is for you. For more information about these workshops please contact Daniela at CSM on 0208 646 7515 or email [email protected] 4th Monday of every month: Card making workshops with Mary. Bring along any materials you think will help to make your cards unique and interesting. £3 per session to go towards materials. Monday 23rd March – Come along and make some cheerful spring and Easter designs to give to your family and friends. Monday 27th April – Get prepared and make some cards for birthdays, anniversaries or other occasions of your choice. TUESDAYs Aromatherapy Massage The Vestry Hall, London Road, Mitcham, CR4 3UD Our regular therapist Virginia Slon is offering weekly sessions of aromatherapy massage Appointments available 2.00pm and 2.50pm. To book contact our office on 0208 646 7515 Donation £5.00 (£3.00 on means tested benefits)
First Monday of every month : The Create Arts Course for those carers who look after someone with Mental Health Issues or Dementia will continue until 9th March, please check our weekly bulletin for
updates on what will be happening after this session.
3rd Monday of every month: Indian Head Massage Our regular therapist Patricia Griffiths is continuing to offer Indian head Massage and Reiki Therapy
Sessions. Please phone 0208 646 7515 or email [email protected] to book a session The cost of each session is £5.00 payable directly to Patricia
DONT MISS OUT
Keep updated on our weekly events by signing up to our weekly email bulletin
THURSDAY Long-Term Condition Carers group To make way for our expanding activities and events programme and to allow us to continue offering a variety of courses and groups, we have decided to change the long term condition carers group to meet once a quarter. This will be an opportunity for carers to get together for a relaxing afternoon and enjoy a drink and cake and catch up with others. There will continue to be many other chances to see carers at other events, and over the next year we will be working on setting up ‘Neighbourhood Networks’. These networks will connect carers who live locally to each other, and will offer them a convenient and flexible support network. The first quarterly Long Term Condition Carers group will be held on Thursday 16th April from 1.30 – 3.30 at Vestry Hall. Swedish Massage—coming soon to Vestry Hall We are pleased to welcome our new therapist Sandra Watson who will be giving Swedish Massage on alternate Thursdays commending Thursday 5th March. These will last 45 minutes and sessions are available at 10am, 10.45 and 11.30am The cost of each session will be £5 donation or £3 if on means-tested benefits.
FRIDAY Carers Cafe - For those caring for someone with Mental Health problems 1.00pm-3.30pm 6th March, 10th April and 1st May. The Vestry Hall, London Road, Mitcham, CR4 3UD You can enjoy a light lunch with friends in a relaxed and sociable atmosphere. There’ll be tea, coffee, soft drinks and sweet things to tempt you. For more information contact Margaret Whittle on 0208 646 7515 or [email protected] Cost: by donation
TUESDAY Carers Cafe - For those caring for someone with Mental Health problems 6.30pm -9.00pm Next Dates: 17th February, 17th March, 21st April and 19th May. Lantern Cafe, Raynes Park Methodist Church, Worple Road, Raynes Park,SW20 8ET Join us and meet other carers in a supportive environment. Have a brief respite and enjoy a hot or cold snack or light tasty meal as well as tea, coffee, soft drinks and sweets. For more information contact Margaret Whittle on 0208 646 7515 or email [email protected] Cost: by donation.
WEDNESDAY Shiatsu Massage (Appointments available 1.30pm, 2.15pm and 3.00pm The Vestry Hall, London Road, Mitcham,CR4 3UD To book contact our office on 0208 646 7515 Donation £5 ( £3 for people on means-tested benefits) Reiki (Available on the first and third Wednesday of every month) Appointments available 10.30am, 11.00am, 11,30am and 12 midday The Vestry Hall, London Road, Mitcham,CR4 3UD To book contact our office on 0208 646 7515 Cost of therapy is £5.00 ( £3 for people on means-tested benefits) paid directly to therapist. Carers of people with Dementia—Ely’s Coffee Shop, Worple Road, Wimbledon, SW19 Fortnightly meetings on Wednesday mornings A small group of Carers of people with Dementia meet on an informal basis in Ely’s Coffee Shop on the top floor. The carers who meet up would welcome some new faces, so if you care for someone with Dementia and would like to go along and join them, please give Shelley a ring on 020 8646 7515 or email: [email protected]
Thursday 7th May Kew Gardens have very kindly offered CSM free entry for a group of carers to visit their beautiful grounds. Kew is world famous for its historic glasshouses, magnificent vistas and precious specimen trees, not to mention royal buildings, the Pagoda and beautiful woods.
London
Children’s Ballet Friday 24th April
2.30pm
The Peacock Theatre
We are delighted to have been offered £1 tickets again to see the London Children’s Ballet which returns to the West End with a glorious production of Snow White, based on the original Grimms’ fairy tale. Snow White is forced to flee from the palace to escape the beautiful but evil Queen. Seven mischievous dwarves become Snow White’s loyal protectors, but can they save her from the Queen’s cunning plans? An unmissable family event, LCB’s Snow White is a feast for the eyes, with glorious costumes, an original musical score performed by a live orchestra, and a cast of 55 highly talented dancers, aged 9 - 16.’ If you would like to book a ticket, please contact Mary as soon as possible.
Thursday
26th March
Natural History Museum Join a group of carers and explore the fascinating exhibits at the Natural History Museum. The Natural History museum is home to life and earth science specimens comprising some 70 million items within five main collections: Botany, Entomology, Mineralogy, Palaeontology and Zoology. For more information please contact Mary.
To book a place on any workshop, activity or
therapy , or for more information, unless otherwise
We are lucky to be offered the opportunity for a free cinema screening of Singing in the Rain for dementia carers and their cared for. Singin' in the Rain is a 1952 American musical comedy film, starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor and Debbie Reynolds, It is now frequently described as one of the best musicals ever made. Come and watch or sing along in the company of other carers. Enjoy FREE popcorn and treats . To reserve your place please contact Mary Goodwin.
If so you may have had some difficult and challenging situations to face, and feel very concerned about your situation, as well as the (sometimes extreme) problems faced by your loved one. And if you are the parent of the person with support needs, you may also be concerned about younger siblings or grandchildren in the family.
COMPLEX NEEDS/PERSONALITY DISORDER – WE CAN SUPPORT YOU In July last year Carers Support Merton, together with Sutton Carers Centre, began our cross-borough Complex Needs Support (CNS) Group. This has proved to be very successful with carers coming together to share their experiences, and difficulties, around caring for someone with complex needs/personality disorders. Often this results in practical help as well as support. We meet every six weeks, alternating between Merton and Sutton Carers Centres. We have a model that allows everyone some space to talk, and extra time for the group to support anyone who is caught up in a crisis. We also aim for every meeting to have a constructive, positive and educational element, with speakers or a focus on understanding complex needs and learning about modern treatments. To date we have welcomed members of the clinical team from the Complex Needs Service at Springfield Hospital, as well as those who facilitate the SUN (Service Users Network), which offers a way for people with complex needs to gain mutual support. We have also welcomed a colleague from Community Health who was able to enrol carers in a popular course to address their own health and emotional support needs. At our last meeting we were lucky to have a speaker, J, who is a volunteer at Sutton Carers Centre and himself lives with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder. It was enlightening to hear of his experiences and personal perspective of this debilitating condition. Carers were able to ask questions and connect very directly with how it can feel to be ‘inside the skin’ of a person living with complex needs; he also brought us short films and web links. There was so much more to discuss that J has agreed to come back on another occasion to talk to carers about how best to communicate and support someone with complex needs.
The next meeting of the Complex Needs Support Group will be held on Thursday 19
th February 2015 at Vestry Hall from 6-8pm.
If you feel the person you are caring for may have a personality disorder or complex needs do please come along and join us. If you would like further information do contact Margaret Whittle, Mental Health Carers Support Worker at
You may be wondering what the new symbols are against each activity hosted by CSM listed in the newsletter. Carers Support Merton are committed to working towards the Ageing Well programme by making sure that we provide activities, workshops and therapies to ensure that carers are able to:-
Each symbol represents which categories our activities falls under, by recording this we can ensure that we are committed to providing an outstanding service to all carers registered for our services.
Thanks to a generous grant from the Wimbledon District Nursing and
Midwifery Benevolent Society we are pleased to offer parent carers and their families the opportunity to enjoy a private play session at Eddie Catz in Wimbledon.
Tuesday 31st March
6pm – 8pm We have exclusive use of the facilities for your family to enjoy some time together. Food and drink will be provided for the children and also accompanying adults. If you would like to book places for this event, please contact Mary Goodwin
The Don’t Tone Alone personal training programme for carers has been running for several months now, and we hear nothing but great feedback about it. Over 20 carers have benefitted so far from sessions with Chris or Nacho, the two personal trainers who lead the sessions. Gill* cares for her mum who has dementia and is bed-bound. She said that she gave ‘Don’t Tone Alone’ a go to increase her upper body strength to make it easier to turn her mum in bed. Although her sessions have now come to an end, Gill can still feel the benefits; ‘my ability to do things really improved and I was motivated to carry on. I now have a little list that I still do, it’s kept me going. I wasn’t interested in that sort of thing before, but Chris gave me a programme and, though I do give up more easily now without Chris beside me, urging me on, I am still doing it!’ Paula*, another carer who has reaped the benefits of personal training sessions says, ‘Chris was good at pushing me. He adapted the exercises week on week, as I got stronger. I definitely saw the difference. But he also made it fun and I didn’t feel stupid doing it in my own garden. I would definitely recommend Chris. I’m not surprised to hear from friends that demand has been high!’ It’s true that demand has been high – but we have a few more spaces left, so please get in touch with Mary if you would like to book a space.
First Aid Training Friday 27th March
Vestry Hall 10am– 4pm You are invited to a full days First Aid Course run by a qualified trainer from South West Thames College. The session will cover a first aid skills that are tailored to the needs of the group. The trainer will ask the group on the day what techniques they would like to learn - this could include managing seizures, heart attacks or head injuries amongst many other medical needs that you face as a carer. Participants will receive a certificate accredited by Highfield at the end of the session.
Cost is £5 per person
Contact Mary Godwin to book a place
Bollywood dancing
Would you like to get fit and have fun? A ladies Bollywood dance and exercise group runs on Thursday mornings for
one hour at Vestry hall from 9 - 10am and they are welcoming new members. It is an easy going, en-ergising and entertaining session, and a fun way to get fit and make friends. The first group is free,
and subsequent sessions are only £3.00
For more details, please contact Verni
07852 459263 or 020 8793 6434.
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Did you know that South Thames College offer Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy services for next to nothing all week until 9pm? Across Merton and
Wandsworth campuses we have 8 salons which are fully equipped and offer up to the minute services. Pick up a price list from either reception and make an appointment to treat yourself. Prices start for just £2 and if you would like to arrange a salon night for up to ten people for a private function we are able to accommodate. Everyone needs time to themselves even if that time is short so a treat now and again will revitalise you and reduce the stresses of everyday life. Hairdressing services are available in Merton and All services are available in Wandsworth. Follow this link for more information and contact details: http://www.south-thames.ac.uk/
search.html?q=salon
Time for You Day Thursday 9th April
10.30am to 2.30pm
The Vestry Hall, London Road, Mitcham
As a carer it is important to look after yourself and take some time just for you. Come along to our Time 4 You Day and take advantage of some great therapies and beauty treats.
Reiki, Reflexology, Massage, Facials, Manicure,
Pedicures plus more.
Relax and read the day’s papers, enjoy a cuppa and take time to unwind or chat with other carers
Please contact Mary to book your appointment
Aged 20 years and over and not used a Merton Library in 12 months? Why not help Merton Libraries improve services for the future by taking part in a survey to share your views on the current service offer and how they can shape it to meet your needs?
Use of Merton’s award winning library service is increasing and feedback from all users is very positive. However usage is significantly higher among children and young people and they are keen to engage with and improve services for those aged 20 years and over. Merton Libraries need your help to do this.
Visit www.merton.gov.uk/improvinglibraries to take part in the survey. The survey is open from 1 February until 15 March 2015 and should take about eight minutes to complete. To thank you for your time and feedback, Merton Libraries will enter you into a prize draw with a chance to win a £100 shopping voucher.
ARE YOU CARING
FOR SOMEONE WITH
MENTAL HEALTH
PROBLEMS?
Join us at CSM’s CARERS CAFÉ Our monthly Café continues to flourish and it’s great to see you as carers, enjoying the social atmosphere and a brief respite. There will be a hot or cold snack or light tasty meal as well as tea, coffee, soft drinks and sweet things to tempt you. Each month the café has a different theme, and we always welcome new carers to join us and experience the welcoming atmosphere. Daytime groups are held at the Vestry Hall once a month on Friday ‘s 12.30-3.00. Evening groups are held at the :- Lantern Café, Raynes Park Methodist Church, Worple Road, Raynes Park, SW20 6.30pm to 9.00pm. For dates see page 3 Join us and meet other carers in a supportive environment—we look forward to your company. Contact Margaret on 0208 646 7515 for more details
clearing our all the clutter from the previous day. If we don’t get enough sleep it can effect our mental and physical health. There are some simple steps than can help you get a good nights sleep such as: Write down thoughts and tasks for the next
day as well as any anxieties you may have, then rest and reflect on good memories from the day to enable a relaxed sleep.
Avoid caffeine and heavy meals late at night. Set regular times to go to bed and wake up There are a lot of useful tips on aiding your sleep available at www.nhs.uk under the Livewell section. If your sleep is disturbed by others seek the support of family or friends to see if they could stay over one night or try and take a short nap in the day.
Notice the beauty around you—take time to
enjoy the changing seasons, visit an art gallery or a museum and wonder at the splendour of artefacts' from days gone by. Visit alone and enjoy the silence or join friends on a day out. Why not come along to the Natural History Museum with us on 26th March (see page 4).
Connect with the people around you, don't be
afraid to seek support from family and friends, neighbours, colleagues or anyone you can talk to. Come along to any of our CSM activities and connect with other carers or sign up to our new Talking Tonics Group Think of these people as building blocks and invest in time in developing further connections.
Eat Well A healthy diet is crucial to keeping
fit and healthy, slow down and savour the taste and smell of your food. Try and eat your 5 a day and limit intake of alcohol. You can prepare, cook and eat well on a budget—find out how at http://www.nhs.uk/LiveWell/eat4cheap/Pages/cheap-food-shopping.aspx
Give Back do something nice for a friend or
stranger, give company to someone isolated and lonely (eg. Becoming a dementia friend www.dementiafriends.org.uk) Volunteer your time to charitable organisations such as Carers Support Merton. Helping those less fortunate than yourself or in a similar position is fundamental to good emotional health.
Time for You To stay fit and well both
emotionally and physically its is important that you take time for yourself - at CSM we have lots of outings and activities to help you do this. Have a look at our events pages to see what’s on. Come along to our ‘Time for you’ day on 9th April (page 7) and enjoy a relaxing massage or beauty treat or browse your local library for a good book. Even a soak in a scented bath can help you feel relaxed or a walk in the open air.
Learn something new or rediscover an old
interest. Visit you local college and see what courses are available. CSM often have workshops around learning new skills –its worth signing up to our Weekly Email Bulletin to ensure you don't miss out on any of our activities.
Stay Active go for a walk, get out into the
fresh air, join an exercise class. Discover a physical activity that you enjoy and suits your level of fitness. Come along to the Vestry hall and enjoy a Bollywood Dance Class or sign up for our Don’t Tone Alone Programme (see page 6) many local carers have already benefited and see a big change in their health.
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The Beyond Barriers Mentoring Project is designed to work specifically with hard to reach communities such as Refugees, Black and Ethnic minorities and Lesbian, Gay,Bisexual and Transgender ( LGBT) people. Our goal is to provide a Volunteer Mentoring service to support those who may be reluctant to use agencies or services and perhaps may not consider themselves as carers, even though they may be caring or have cared for an older person, a partner, adult or child with physical or learning disabilities or adults with mental health issues. We aim to be a source of support, advice, emotional support and information on Carers’ issues and the availability of services throughout the boroughs of Merton, Lambeth, Croydon, Sutton and Wandsworth. With our ongoing training and support, our Volunteer Mentors will be a valuable support for carers living within the London Boroughs of Merton, Lambeth, Croydon, Sutton and Wandsworth, providing them with much needed advice and support.
If you as a carer or someone you know may benefit from this service please contact: [email protected] or call 020 8648 9677 extension: 218
We are about to start recruiting for the roles of Volunteer Mentor/ IT Mentor for the Beyond Barriers
project. If you would like further information on becoming a volunteer Mentor please contact:
We’re going through a big period of change in the UK. From welfare reform to the payday lending market, the cost of housing to rising energy bills, life is getting increasingly complicated. This means it’s even more important that you can access relevant, impartial advice and get help when you need it to make the complex decisions in your life
Support the future of the independent advice sector and take the
Big Advice Survey visit www.bigadvicesurvey.org.uk
The Big Advice Survey has been set up by front-line services such individual Citizens Advice Bureaux, Law Centres and an incredibly diverse range of other organisations including solicitor firms, community groups, local businesses, foodbanks, housing associations and others
The survey will explore where people need advice in the borough and how they would like help. Your support will ensure a strong response to the survey and will help gather information about advice services in Merton. The Big Advice Survey is open to all members of the UK public right now and until the 31 March 2015
Headway Southwest London runs a monthly family and friends support meeting alternating between W imb ledon and Croydon. The group is open to any carer, family member or friend of a person affected by an acquired brain injury. The group offers the opportunity to meet others in similar situations and share experiences over a cup of tea. Our next meeting takes place on Wednesday 4th February, 7.30 - 9pm, Drake House, 44 St Georges Road, Wimbledon, SW19 4ED.
For further information about upcoming meetings, please check
our website www.headwayswlondon.org or contact Hannah McCorry, Family and Friends Support
Carers Support Christmas Appeal Thank you to everybody who donated to our Christmas Appeal. We reached our fundraising target and were
able to treat thirty carers to a fantastic Christmas lunch. To celebrate Christmas and the end of another busy year, thirty carers were invited to Gino’s Italian restaurant in Mitcham to enjoy a delicious meal and the company of other carers. A couple of new carers attending the meal hadn’t yet had the chance to attend any other events or activities, so it was a great opportunity for them to meet others and start to form new friendships. It was a lovely afternoon, and everyone had a very enjoyable time.
ATP Tennis Finals
In November, Carers Support Merton were delighted to be offered some free tickets by the All England Lawn Tennis Club to the ATP Tennis Finals at the O2. The tournament is the final event of the men’s professional tennis season, and features only the world’s top eight players. Seven carers went along and enjoyed two matches; one a doubles match featuring the Bryan brothers who went on to win the tournament, and a singles match with Marin Cilic and Tomas Berdych. It was a a great afternoon and a brilliant opportunity to watch some of the world’s best players live in action. We would like to extend our thanks to the All England Lawn Tennis Club for offering these tickets to us.
Eleven Carers attended a 6 week jewellery making workshop run by Create Arts. It was thoroughly enjoyed by all and as you can see from the pictures some beautiful jewellery was made. Comments made by the carers are as follows:-
‘I have thoroughly enjoyed each jewellery making session’ ‘I loved making the beautiful jewellery, thank you so much. It made me feel calm and relaxed’ ‘I have really enjoyed doing this and am now making jewellery at home’ ‘Thank you for unleashing the creative designs and dexterity to do such fine motor-skills work, absolutely fabulous, rehabilitating. ‘Thank you so much for giving me a new skill, jewellery making is my new hobby!’
A huge THANK YOU to the South West London Mental Heath Trust for sponsoring the Carers Lunch for those who look after someone with Mental Health issues. This is the 4th year that we have been able to host this wonderful event and for the second time we enjoyed lunch at the South Thames College Taste Restaurant. The college’s house band performed a wonderful medley of songs and kept us entertained throughout.
Jewellery Making
Workshop
Carers Lunch
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Jim Brown-JohnMy name is Jim Brown John and I work at Kew House Care Home in
Wimbledon where I come across people in Merton who may not be ready for
residential care but do need help and support. It is my strongly held personal belief
that we are all part of our community and after a fifteen year involvement in Scouting
I feel I can contribute through the great work of Carers Support Merton’
Carol Maturian I am a carer for my adult daughter, who has intellectual disabilities, and also for my husband, who has multiple and complex health issues. I initially trained as a maths teacher in secondary schools, but when I returned to work after having my children I moved to teaching children and then adults with special needs. By the end of my teaching career I had taught all ages of special needs from 2 to 32 years old. After retraining as a secretary I worked in a variety of companies and organisations, including a PALS Officer for a local Health Trust. And after all that, I retrained again and became a Pilates instructor, taking one of my classes at Vestry Hall. All this time I have been involved with a number of organisations supporting carers and people with disabilities in Merton. I am currently also a Trustee of Merton Centre for Independent Living (MCIL). I have been involved with local authority working groups and attended national consultation meeting in various capacities. I have always felt that it is important to share and use our experiences and knowledge to
inform those who do not know and to help others learn by them.
A big thank you to all those volunteers who supported us in our fundraising at Sainsbury's Sava Centre on Carers Rights Day, Friday 28th November. We were lucky enough to be supported in our fundraising by Bond Road School Choir, St Thomas of Canterbury School Choir and ‘Going for a Song’ choir. All funds raised will go towards supporting carers in Merton
Our next fundraising date is
Saturday 14th February If you can help please call
Debbie Kilby 0208 646-7515
An easy way to support Carers Support Merton on a regular basis is to join our 100 Club. Our lottery gives you the opportunity to help support our work with carers, while giving you the added benefit of the chance of winning a CASH prize. The cost is just £5.00 per month and 3 lucky numbers will be drawn every quarter giving you the chance to win a CASH prize
If you would like to support us or would like more information please contact
