Hello Everyone – Respite, Respite, Respite !!!
Now that I am a carer I really understand the need for respite and this weekend I have engineered it that I have a weekend off, guilt aside. It just so happens that my MOT runs out today, you are not allowed to drive without an MOT, unless you are driving to get the MOT done.
I could only get a service and MOT first thing Monday morning and I will be there at 8.30am. This means I am staying at home in the village and relaxing and taking time for myself as I realised this week after completing my Mental Health First Aider Certificate that I am suffering a little from stress and anxiety, because my caring role has increased and is a little more complex. I want to thank Graham for encouraging me to have a monthly support session to assist with my stress.
So, what I am saying is that respite in its many guises is essential for carers and for anyone really. My advice is take respite where and when you can get it and do things for you, self-care is vital for good wellbeing. On my MH first aid course, we have been encouraged to have an happy hour/time and I don’t mean cheap drinks LOL.
I will be taking lots of walks with my wellbeing buddy, collect funds for the Poppy Appeal and going to a pumpkin patch so that Phil can do his artistic magic and carve another wonderful pumpkin.
I will however, immediately after the car thing, drive to take my Dad for the first time in ages (he’s getting there) to se my Mum at the nursing home, so that they can be together and celebrate their 59th Wedding Anniversary.
There will not be a blog on Monday but see you next Friday
This is my wellbeing buddy ….
Good Luck and have a wonderful retreat …
Next week is another retreat week at the Suffolk Buddhist Retreat, run by the London Buddhist Centre and I wanted to wish each carer who is going a restful and wellbeing enhancing stay. Remember you deserve a break and have fun, laugh a lot, sleep a lot, enjoy the amazing food and get some fresh air.
Any carer wanting to add their name to the waiting list, please email Audrey@ccth.org.uk and I also want to thank Audrey for her hard work in getting everyone booked in.
Carers Annual Survey
There is still time to complete the Carers Centre Annual Survey, we want to hear from you about your experience here at the Centre. We want to know what we did well and what we need to do better.
The survey ends on 30th November and only takes 5 minutes of your time.
TAKE SURVEY HERE https://us18.list-manage.com/survey?u=5d5aa8bbe5c10b954c4ac3b28&id=ad35f0c98c&e=*|UNIQID|*
Thank you for your time
So have a positive and lovely weekend, look after yourselves, so you can care for others.
New for November …
Life After Caring – Wednesday 23rd November 11am to 1pm
We are repeating our workshop on Life After Caring, as carers have requested another session. This workshop enables carers to learn what they need to do proactively if they care for someone who is at the last years of their lives.
You have the chance to give your loved one’s a range of options that allows them to make choices about their care, how they want to live their remaining years and take control of their lives. This workshop allows carers to understand the needs of their loved ones and feel good about the arrangements and care they will make for cared for’s and family.
It also gives you the chance to think about yourselves and what would you want? Have you thought about what you want when you caring role comes to and end?
email tony@ccth.org.uk for a place
Don’t forget …..
Time to Move – Mondays 1.45pm to 2.45pm
This weekly movement with dance activity, is an excellent way to get your body moving, be with others, have fun, doing it sitting down if needed but most importantly take time out to move, time out of your caring role as doing exercise be it gently can help benefit your emotional wellbeing, reduce the risk of Diabetes, keep you supple and stop your body from getting stiff.
Come and have some fun and join in with our wonderful teacher – Charlie as she is here to help.
Next Week’s Activities
Always Check out the https://ccth.org.uk/new/calendar/ for fun, activities, workshops and treatments
Don’t Forget to Get your Jabs – it makes sense to protect yourself so you can protect the person/s you care for……
Celebratory event for carers of Tower Hamlets residents.
Thursday 24th November
Come and join an amazing event for carers at The Ecology Pavilion Mile End Park
About this event
Do you provide regular unpaid support to someone living in Tower Hamlets? If so, you are welcome to join us at the Ecology Pavilion in Mile End Park for a fun-filled event to celebrate YOU and the role of unpaid carers of Tower Hamlets residents.
Organised by Tower Hamlets Council with its partners, and co-developed with unpaid carers, there will be a range of free activities available on the day, including:
- chair disco
- yoga
- chair massage
- craft activities
- smoothie bikes
- information and advice stands
- carers rights workshop
- lunch and teas, coffees to be provided
- and more to be confirmed
For support and information available to unpaid carers of Tower Hamlets residents please visit the Carers Centre Tower Hamlets website – https://ccth.org.uk/new/.
Please note: no parking is available at the venue itself. Resident is available around the venue, which is well served by public transport.
iSupport for South Asian Dementia Carers
Welcome meeting 23rd November 1.30pm to 3.30pm
- Do you support or look after a family member or friend who has Dementia?
- Do you speak Bengali?
- Are you aged over 18?
We would like your feedback on a resource for people looking after some with dementia.
iSupport is an internet-based support package for people who care for someone with dementia. It aims to help you learn about dementia and how to manage it, and how to take care of yourself with the end goal of empowering you to support your family member or friend. It was developed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and is currently available in English.
A research project at University College London in partnership with Carers Centre Tower Hamlets is translating iSupport into Bengali, and culturally adapting it so that more people can access the resource.
We are inviting people to review iSupport materials in into Bengali then take part in a one-off group discussion to provide feedback.
What is involved?
- You will be sent iSupport resources in Bengali to read before the group discussion (either via email or printed copies).
- You will then be invited to attend the discussion taking place at Carers Centre Tower Hamlets to share your feedback and any recommendations for improvement.
- The discussion will last approximately 2 hours and will be held in Bengali.
You will receive a £75 Love2Shop voucher as a thank you for being involved.
Email Tony to reserve your place
The Carers Centre wanted to thank Patrice and her fellow dancers for their wonderful gift of African Dances Classes and what a lively and wonderful experience we all had. Carers have said they want more so watch this space.
Check out this link to the video and see the amazing show https://youtu.be/z-VT8pCXWDk
Festivities to mark the centenary of Bethnal Green Library
Residents recreated a landmark photograph taken 100 years ago to mark the opening of Bethnal Green Library. The photo will hang alongside the original to mar the celebration.
The much-loved library opened its doors on 13 October 1922, had a memorable photograph taken on opening day with huge crowds outside the building.
Read more >
Six new FOOD Stores to tackle poverty
Six new food pantries are being launched by Tower Hamlets Council to tackle poverty and support residents through the cost of living crisis.
In partnership with national charity Family Action, the FOOD Store project aims to provide affordable quality food.
Find out more >
Avoid the tumble dryer
Avoid using a tumble dryer for your clothes: dry clothes on racks inside where possible or outside in warmer weather to save £70 (£35 in NI) a year.
Important Numbers:
Domestic Violence Duty Line: 020 7364 4986 between 9am – 5pm.Victim Support: 020 7364 2448/7957
Tower Hamlets Connect/Adult Social Care : 0300 303 6070
When you have some minutes spare, you want to stay cool and listen to my soothing voice….
Listen to the Carers Ignite PODCAST – New One Coming Soon
Why not listen to The Carers Centre Podcast – This is our first podcast and we are pleased with it. A couple of carers approached me to ask if we could broaden our social media and develop a podcast for carers, made by carers and supported by the centre. We approached Graham our Chief Exec and he was all for it and gave the green light and thanks to Chandrika and her producer skills and the wonderful Lloyd who is the co-host with myself we developed our first podcast.
We discuss being a male carer, barriers to men seeking support, carers wellbeing while having a laugh and fun. We will be producing further podcasts and welcome stories/themes and guests to email me tony@ccth.org.uk
https://ccth.org.uk/new/information/carers-ignite/
| Launch of Somali National Helpline 0800 6102020 |
Better Safe Communities are pleased to inform you of the launch of the first historic Somali National Helpline, sponsored by the local businesses up and down the country and in regards to poor service provisions of UK public services for Somali communities nationally.
The Helpline was founded by Khadra Hersi, a student of London Met University. It is aimed at the Somali community, helping with language barriers, immigration, and mental health issues due to war in their country. The Somali National Helpline are a service that uses professionals to support people overcome issues they are facing. They exist to support individuals with language matters, mental health issues, and beneficiaries to solve their problems. They also provide translating and interpreting services. They are here to support and advocate for many problems faced within the Somali community such as young adults suffering from knife crime, and elderly people who feel isolated and lonely due to language barriers.
Why do you need a Lasting Power of Attorney?
Does the person you look after making their own decisions but want help managing their money? Maybe they can make their own decisions now but want an arrangement in case they can’t in the future. Without a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) your family may need to go to Court. This can cause lots of hassle, delay, and expense.
There are 2 types of Lasting Power of Attorney; finances & property matters and decisions about health and care.
Why should you do it now?
- 1 in 3 of us will suffer dementia
- Many of us will retain mental capacity, but will physically struggle to manage our affairs at some point in our life
- Being married or asking your chosen person to act for you is not enough – you need to legally give them the power to help you
- If you leave making your Power of Attorney until you need it, it will be too late.
Carers Centre Partners
The Carers Centre Tower Hamlets is pleased to work in partnership with respected Law firms to provide carers with affordable support with LPA.
Jones Whyte are a Glasgow based multi award winning Solicitor firm and the reigning Law Firm of the Year 2021
- They prepare thousands of Powers of Attorney every year
- Have partnerships with many major national charities
- They offer competitive Power of Attorney fees £349 + vat
Carers Centre staff can refer you, or you can contact them yourself on 0330 175 1234 or email appointments@joneswhyte.co.uk
You can find our more about Jones Whyte here Power of Attorney – Solicitors Glasgow | Jones Whyte Law
Duncan Lewis Solicitors – “We believe in access to justice for the most vulnerable in society and do everything we can to ensure legal advice and support is available for those who need it most”.
Duncan Lewis Solicitors are a national firm with offices locally.
- They prepare thousands of Powers of Attorney every year
- They are available for face-to-face appointments at their local office (1 Kingsland High Street, Dalston, Hackney, London, E8 2JS) or surgeries at the Carers Centre if requested
- They offer competitive Power of Attorney fees £350 + vat
Carers Centre staff can refer you, contact us on 0207 790 1765 or at enquiries@ccth.org.uk
You can find out more about Duncan Lewis here https://www.duncanlewis.co.uk
Most solicitor firms support with LPA and carers are under no obligation to use either firm listed above and are free to seek support from any firm they choose.
What is I do not want to pay for support with LPA?
We also provide workshops and information for those who want to set up an LPA themselves, many people set up LPA without legal support. You can check our Calendar or give us a call for updates on our latest workshops.
You can also see the information links below for information.
Different ways to manage someone’s affairs
Call us on 0207 790 1765 or email enquiries@ccth.org.uk to find out more about LPA.
A carers guide to home fire safety
A new video resource has been launched on the London Fire Brigade website to help carers learn how to keep people that receive care safe from fire.
Sadly, around one third of those here who die or are severely injured by fire are in receipt of some form of care or support. If you are a formal (domiciliary care worker, support worker or clinician) or informal carer (family member, friend or neighbour) and are caring for someone in their own home, this new resource will help you identify fire risks and show you what you can do to reduce them. There is also more information available on the website around fire safety and prevention.
Watch the video >
WALKING ALONE? REMEMBER THESE 10 TIPS
1) Plan Your Route
Make sure you plan your route ahead of time. If you are walking in an area you are not familiar with, this can help keep you from getting lost. You will be able to walk with confidence. If you do get lost, don’t wander aimlessly, find a gas station, supermarket, or fast-food restaurant where you can ask for directions.
2) Make Sure Someone Else Knows Your Plans
Don’t go out when it is dark without telling someone, even if you are just taking the dogs out for a walk around your neighbourhood or walking home from a friend’s house nearby. It may seem paranoid, but in fact, knowing someone knows where you are can be reassuring and help you feel safe. If you fall and hurt yourself or run into trouble, and someone knows where you are, they can send help if you don’t arrive at your destination on time.
3) Always Carry Your Phone with You
Always carry your phone, but not for music or to make social calls as your walk. Your phone can be a lifeline if you see something suspicious or worse if something happens to you. Download a safety app on your phone, so you’ll be able to discreetly alert the authorities if you feel threatened or see something suspicious.
4) Avoid Suspicious People and Areas
Areas that are dark, deserted, or out-of-the-way, such as an alley or a parking lot, can be riskier than a well-lit area full of people. Stick to busy, lighted paths, to minimize the risks. Also, walk mainly in familiar places where you are known. That way, if you feel like a suspicious person is following you, you can always duck into a store you know or knock on a neighbour’s door. Avoid empty streets and pathways with thick shrubbery.
5) Keep Your Hands Free
Except for a flashlight and one of the items discussed below, keep your hands free. If you are carrying anything, put it all in one bag or backpack. This will make it easier for you to react if you notice someone following you. In a dangerous situation, carrying too many bags can keep you from moving as quickly as you can if your hands are free or if you only have one bag.
6) Carry a Non-Violent Deterrent
In addition to a flashlight, carry a non-violent deterrent such as a whistle, mace, or pepper spray. A whistle will help you alert others and call them to aid you if something is wrong. The loud noise may put off attackers, and they’ll move on to find someone else. Mace or pepper spray can give you enough time to evade a potential attacker, and in a pinch, a flashlight can be used as a weapon. Make sure you know how to use the mace or pepper spray to get its full effect.
7) Wear Reflective Clothing to Prevent Accidents
When it comes to personal safety, it’s not just about suspicious people. Areas with low visibility can be prone to accidents. Reflective clothing allows bikers and cars to see you as you walk along. A flashlight or headlight can also help drivers see you if there are dark stretches of road on your route.
8) Take a Self-Defence Class
When fighting off something as an assault, the element of surprise can work in your favour. If you regularly walk alone, take a self-defence class. You don’t have to become a black belt. In fact, it’s probably better to learn something like Krav Maga, which has been popular for self-defence. The idea is to disable your attacker enough for you to get to safety, and a class focused on self-defence will help give you those survival skills.
9) Remove Any Distractions
Keep your phone in your hand in case you need to hit the panic button on your safety app, but don’t let it distract you. When walking alone at night for exercise, music can be motivating and energizing but also distracting. You may not hear someone driving or walking up behind you. Avoid wearing headphones or talking on your phone as you walk.
10) Trust Your Gut
When walking alone at night, trust your gut. If you feel like an area or situation may be dangerous, don’t wait around to find out. Stop and scan your surroundings if you think someone is following you. If you are being followed, walk as quickly as you can to a well-lit public place. You can wait until you feel safe, or call a friend, a taxi, or an Uber to help you get safely get home at night.
Following these personal safety tips will help keep you stay safe when walking alone. Always be aware of where you are and alert to suspicious activity.
Opening hours
Monday - Friday – 9.30am – 5pm
Saturday and Sunday – Closed
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