Carers Newsletter Issue 23 - the Western Health and Social Care

Carers Newsletter
Vol 23— September 2014
CONTENTS
Carers Week 2014
Two major events were held during carers week 2014 for adult
Page 1
carers. The first was on Tuesday 10th June in the Killyhevlin Page 2
Carer Week
Hotel, Enniskillen. Despite the torrential morning showers, the
Carers Rights
Food Bank
event was attended by ninety six carers.
Shine NI
Maureen Edmondson from the Patient, Client council spoke about
her personal experience of a substantial caring role within her
Page 3
own family. Maureen gave an insight into the challenges faced by Page 4
carers in navigating the maze that is ‘Health and Social Care’.
Benefits
Carers Week
Photos
Maureen recommended the flexibility and control that Direct
Payments provides in supporting service users and family carers.
Page 5
The second event was held on Thursday 12th June in the White
Foyle
Alzheimer’s
Horse Hotel, L’derry and was attended by sixty carers. The event
in L’Derry was supported by Tescos who provided ’goodie’ bags
Carers NI
Summit
for Carers.
Michelle Major from the Sunshine Project delivered a wonderfully
Young Carers
Page 6
CAUSE
interactive session of Laughter Yoga at both events. Michelle’s
warmth and enthusiasm was indeed inspirational and gave Page 7
everyone a great boost.
A great deal of hard work goes into organising the events. The Page 8
Supporting
Older Carers
Contacts
Carer Support Team were delighted with the positive comments
on the evaluations and greatly appreciated the thank you cards
and phone calls following the events.
Carers event 10th June 2014
Picture Left
(L-R) Carmel Corrigan WHSCT,
Dr Maureen Edmondson Patient
and Client Council, Michelle
Major Sunshine Project, Laura
Ritchie WHSCT, Aidan Gordon
WHSCT, Barbara Stuart NonExecutive Director WHSCT,
Cathy Magowan WHSCT, and
Helen Ferguson Director Carers
Working Rights
The extension of working rights is an important
step in helping workers to combine caring
responsibilities for family members with paid
Rotary Foyle Foodbank
employment, charity Carers UK says.
Changes to employment law which came into
force on Monday 30 June 2014 extends the
rights which are currently confined to specific
groups with family responsibilities.
Prior to the change, only those who have
children or caring responsibilities for older or
disabled family members had the right to
request flexible working – but with this
extension, any staff member who has worked
with their employer for more than 26 weeks will
be able to request flexibility, for any reason.
Among the UK’s 6.5 million carers 3 million are
in employment with many struggling to juggle
work with caring for a loved one. Carers UK has
warmly welcomed the extension, which will now
include carers caring for friends or neighbours,
who were excluded from the existing rights.
Most carers already had the right to request
flexible working, however an estimated
96,0001 carers were missing out, as caring
responsibilities for some friends or neighbours
were not recognised by existing flexible working
legislation.
Carers UK, which co-ordinates business forum
Employers for Carers, also argues that the
extension of these rights will help to ‘normalise’
flexible working – so that people with caring
responsibilities feel more able to come forward
and ask for flexibility from their employers.
SHINE NI
Foyle Parents and Friends Association,
(FPFA) have become Referral Agency for the
first food bank in our City.
We are only too aware of the stresses and
strains faced by Carers on a daily basis and
the hardship that they may endure because of
their caring role. Some may have to give up
work to care for their loved one and this can
lead to financial hardship.
Therefore FPFA became involved because we
see a genuine need for help amongst carers
and we feel that we are in a position to help
Carers gain access to this great service.
The Foodbank is easy to access via us and it
is a completely confidential service. The
Foodbank is based in London Street and
opens on a Monday, Tuesday and Friday form
12pm until 1.30pm.
Vouchers will be issued on an assessed family
need, for example, the number of adults and
children, under the age of 16, and the carer
can redeem the voucher for 3 days nonperishable food items.
The ‘champion’ supermarket for the Food Bank
is Sainsbury’s and we at FPFA are pleased to
be a part of it. If you need any further advice or
would like to avail of a voucher please contact:
Mary on 02871 371882 or Seanna on 02871
271017
Shine Charity provides a range of services for people with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus and
their families. Support is available from point of diagnosis, usually at the 20 week anomaly scan
and continues throughout childhood and into adulthood. Shine NI offers the services of a Health
Adviser, Education Adviser and a team of Support & Development Workers who work in each
Trust Region. Advice is available in all aspects of living with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus.
Shine NI also organises social events for children, adults and parents across Northern Ireland
and Information events for Health and Social Care Professionals. For further information or
advice please contact Mrs Sheila Mc Carney, Support & Development Worker for Western Trust
Region on 07789 616451 or email sheila.mccarney@ shinecharity.org.uk, or Mrs Cathy Mc
Killop, Director Shine NI on 07762 574861 ,or email cathy.mckillop@ shinecharity.org.uk
Benefits Information
Disability and Carers Service
Pension Service - Pension Credit
Address: Castle Court, Royal Avenue,
Belfast, BT1 1HR
Address
Pension Service– Pension Credit
PO Box 205
Phone numbers:-
Londonderry BT48 6YB
Application line 0808 100 6165 (Freephone)
Attendance Allowance: (028) 9090 6178
Carers Allowance and Carers Credit (028)
9090 6186
Phone number
Enquiry Line 0845 601 8821 (Freephone)
Application line 0808 100 1165 (Freephone)
Text Phone: 0800 243 787
Text phone
Fax
(028) 9049 0220
Enquiry line 0808 100 2198 (Freephone)
Fax 028 7127 4643
Opening hours:
Monday — Friday, 9am—5pm
Not sure what benefits you are entitled to or need a benefits check?
Benefit Rates
For independent advice and support contact: -
(April 2014)
Omagh Independent Advice Service
CARER'S ALLOWANCE
£61.35
Tel: (028) 8224 3252
Dove House Resource Centre, Derry
Carer premium - £34.20
Earnings limit - £102
Tel: (028) 7126 9327
The Resource Centre, Derry
Tel: (028) 7135 2832
ATTENDANCE
ALLOWANCE
Churches Advice Centre, Spencer Rd, L’Derry
Higher rate - £81.30
Tel: (028) 7134 2536
Lower rate - £54.45
Rosemount Community Resource Centre, Derry
Tel: (028) 7128 2829
DISABILITY LIVING
ALLOWANCE
Limavady Community Development Initiative (LCDI)
Care Component
Tel: (028) 7776 5438
Highest - £81.30
Citizens Advice Bureau:
Middle - £54.45
(Fermanagh) Tel: (028) 6632 4334 (L/Derry) Tel: (028) 7136 2444
Lowest - £21.55
(Strabane) Tel: (028) 7138 2665
Mobility Component
Carers NI also provide advice and support via a helpline Tel: (028) 9043
9843
Higher - £56.75
Lower - £21.55
Page 3
CARERS WEEK 2014
Pictured right: Members of the Fermanagh
Carers Walking group gave a presentation
about the benefits of walking and being part of
the walking group.
Pictured Left: Mencap staff providing
information for Carers at the event in the
Killyhevlin Hotel
Pictured right: Carers receiving information
from the Uptake of Benefits Team (Derek
Moran and Thomas Corry).
Pictured left: The audience at the Carers
Event, Killyhevlin Hotel.
Pictured right: Sixteen young carers
attended Todd’s Leap on Saturday
14th June as part of the Carers Week
celebrations. The event was
organised by Barnardos who deliver
the regional young carers project in
the Western Trust area.
Page 4
Northern Ireland
Housing Executive
Information on
Supported Housing.
Alzheimer's Society Services in Foyle Area
Following feedback from those that attend the
groups in the area we have decided to move the The person you care for may consider
independent living, supported or sheltered
venues of some of them.
•
The Limavady Dementia Café will now run housing.
•
•
•
every second Tuesday from 11am-1pm in Supported or sheltered housing enables
the Drummond Hotel, Ballykelly. Launch of people to live independently, but with extra
the new Café is Tuesday 29th July 2014.
daily support.
The Limavady Carers Support Group will
move to the Drummond Hotel at the new There is help and advice for people with
time of 10am-11.30am offering morning disabilities on the application process from
coffee and tray bakes. The Carers Support the Housing Executive.
Group takes place the second Wednesday
http://www.nihe.gov.uk/
of every month, resuming in September.
disability_tenant_manual.pdf
The L’Derry Carers Support Group is moving Alternatively, copies of the information are
to Da Vinci’s Hotel on the Strand Road and
available from the Carer Support Team or
stays at the time 7pm-8.30pm. The Carers
Support Group takes place the first call the NIHE on the number below.
Wednesday of every month, resuming in
Call us on 03448
September.
The L’Derry Dementia Café remains in the
Verbal Arts Centre every second Tuesday
from 1-3pm. The next Café is Tuesday 5th
August 2014.
Carer Information Programme
A Carers Information Programme over for weeks
will be held in October/ November. Details will be
advertised nearer the time.
920 900
CARERS NI ANNUAL SUMMIT AND
AGM
TUESDAY 14TH OCTOBER,
CRAIGAVON CIVIC CENTRE.
Foyle Memory Walk
The Memory Walk is coming round again on
Sunday 7th September 2014 at Ebrington Square.
ANYONE WISHING TO ATTEND
A big thank you to everyone who got involved last
year whether that be walking the route, telling
your friends or volunteering on the day.
TO ARRANGE TRANSPORT.
Registration for this year’s memory walk is now
open on the website www.memorywalk.org.uk
BOOK YOUR PLACE WITH CARERS NI
If you need any further information or would like to
attend any of the services ring into the Foyle
office on 028 71348887.
Page 5
PLEASE CONTACT LAURA OR CARMEL
PLEASE NOTE YOU WILL NEED TO
TEL: (028 9043 9843)
Email: reception@carersni.org
CAUSE actively supports carers of those with a serious mental illness and recently ran a
successful six week carers course in the TARA Centre Omagh which ended on the 3rd of June.
As one carer commented; “The course was informative and delivered in a very friendly manner.”
Another found “the small group great and felt many others could benefit from this training.”
David Tierney the Training & Development Officer with CAUSE commented:
“Overall, at the end of the course carers said they felt less alone, more equipped to deal with the
issues facing them and learned a lot from the thoughts and opinions of others in a similar caring
role.”
A new CAUSE carers course will begin on the 16 September and continue for six consecutive
Tuesdays in the Aisling Centre. There are still a few places available. To book please contact
David Tierney on 077 4041 0169 or email training@cause.org.uk
In addition, the other training courses run by CAUSE in the Western Trust include:
Helping Conversations
This new and innovative course is designed to help carers develop effective communication
skills to support, encourage and motivate those that they care for. It provides useful techniques
and strategies to enable friends and family who are caring for a loved one with a serious mental
illness to communicate in a positive and affirming way.
Course Dates: 17 October 2014 Location: Fermanagh House - Enniskillen
9.30-4.30
Course Dates: 14 November 2014
9.30-4.30
Location: Silverbirch Hotel - Omagh
CAUSE Family and Friends Empowerment (CFAFE) programme
A residential training weekend for relatives, partners and friends supporting loved ones with
either diagnosed or undiagnosed personality disorder.
Course Date: 8 - 9 November 2014
Location: Silverbirch Hotel - Omagh
9.30-4.30
Carer Development Workers
The Carer Development Workers are keen to attend groups and events to provide information
for carers. Contact details below.
Carmel Corrigan (Mrs)
WHSCT Carers Development Worker
Shantallow Health Centre
Racecourse Road,
Londonderry BT48 8NL
Tel: 028 7135 5023
E: Carmel.Corrigan@westerntrust.hscni.net
(Strabane/Derry/Limavady)
Page 6
Laura Ritchie (Mrs)
WHSCT Carers Development Worker
Community Services Dept
2 Coleshill Road
Enniskillen BT74 7HG
Tel:028 66344000 Direct Line:02866 344180
E: Laura.Ritchie@westerntrust.hscni.net
(Fermanagh/Omagh/Castlederg)
Supporting Older Carers
The Commissioner for Older People for Northern Ireland, Claire Keatinge, has launched a report
which shows that many older carers are not receiving the information and support they are
entitled to because not enough is being done to promote awareness of their right to a Carers
Assessment.
The Commissioner's report, entitled "Supporting Older Carers," examines the reasons for low
uptake of Carers Assessments by older carers in Northern Ireland, and highlights the need for
government to do more to ensure their needs are assessed and met to help them in their caring
role.
Speaking at the launch of the report at a Carers NI Fun and Fitness event in the Antrim Forum,
the Commissioner said:
"Northern Ireland is an ageing society and as many older people choose to live in their own
homes for longer, the number of older carers is expected to increase. Older carers play a vital
role in supporting others to live dignified and fulfilled lives in their own homes, and despite
providing around £1.02 billion to the economy in Northern Ireland through caring, many go
without much needed support and respite which would help them in their caring role.
"The findings of my report have shown that many older carers do not consider themselves to be
carers, and so do not realize that there is support available to help them. Other older carers have
told me that they didn't see the value of the Carers Assessment as they did not feel that it would
lead to any extra support but saw it as a "paper exercise."
"Health and Social Care Trusts are legally obliged to make sure that carers are aware of their
right to a Carers Assessment, however my report shows that 70% of older carers state that they
had not been offered an assessment.
"I am calling for the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to put targets in place to
increase the number of older carers receiving a Carers Assessment and to ensure that
appropriate services are in place to support their needs.
"Older carers cannot be taken for granted; they deserve to be provided with the information,
practical, emotional and respite support they need. Increasing uptake of Carers Assessments will
help identify what their needs are to help them in their caring role and ensure that appropriate
services are in place to meet the needs of today's and tomorrow's older carers."
The Director of Carers NI, Helen Ferguson, welcomed the report:
"Too many older carers struggle for far too long without outside support, and this puts their own
health at risk. We really want to see more older carers being actively encouraged to take up
Carers Assessments. That way they can be properly involved as expert partners in the delivery of
care to their loved ones, and also they get the help they need to protect their own well-being. We
welcome this report and its recommendations, which should improve older carers access to the
very best of the good practice we know Trusts want to deliver for carers”.
http://www.carersuk.org/northernireland/news-ni/supporting-older-carers-ni
Thank you to Carers NI for this article.
Page 7
Carer Support Co-ordinator
Cathy Magowan
Cathy Magowan
Carer Support Coordinator
Western Health and Social Care Trust
2 Coleshill Road, Enniskillen
Co. Fermanagh BT74 7HG
Tel: (028) 6634 4000 Direct Line (028) 6634 4163
Email: Cathy.Magowan@westerntrust.hscni.net
Carers Database /Register
Carers Northern Ireland
Please use the slip below to notify us if your
details have changed. If you are no longer a
carer you can remain on the database for as
long as you wish. However, at any time should
you wish us to remove your name please
telephone or email.
If you are not already on the Trust Carers Register and would like to be included please fill in your details
below and return to Carer Support Office, WHSCT 2 Coleshill Road, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh BT74
7HG. Or if your details have changed you can this form to notify us.
I give permission for my details to be included on the Carers Register with the WHSCT
Change of details
Title: *Mr / Mrs / Miss / Ms (*please delete)
First Name
Surname
Address
Postcode
Telephone
Email:
Mobile
D.O.B.
Signature:
Ethnic background: White
Asian
Black
So that we can make sure information being sent to you is relevant , we need some information about who you care for.
Please tick below
Age 0—18
Learning Disability
Dementia
Alzheimer's
Renal/Kidney disease
Old and frail
Other (please specify)
18—65
ASD
Arthritis
Heart condition
MS
Downs Syndrome
65 and over
Physical Disability
Diabetes
CVA/Stroke
Parkinson’s disease
Brain Injury
Mental Health
Page 8