DEMENTIA AWARENESS. Newsletter. Nithsdale. Healthy Connections. ...Welcome to the September 2015 Edition...

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1 Nithsdale DEMENTIA AWARENESS Newsletter...Welcome to the September 2015 Edition... Healthy Connections Hello and welcome to the latest edition. I hope that this newsletter finds you well and you are enjoying some of the late summer/early autumn sunshine. It is great to read about all the activities that are going on in the area both for raising awareness of dementia and fundraising. Watch out for some of these over the page and in the local press and if you know of something we haven t covered let us know! We always like to receive articles and feedback. Regards, Emily Kennedy Chair It is estimated that 68% of adults in the UK feel lonely either often, always or sometimes. To help support people to cope with life s challenges and help improve wellbeing, the Dumfries and Nithsdale Health Improvement Team have set up a new service Healthy Connections which connects individuals to activities and organisations to help improve wellbeing. Lifestyle advice is also offered, covering various topics such as weight and keeping active. By connecting people with various activities, Healthy Connections aims to increase levels of social contact and social support. Anyone can become involved in the project, and following contact with a designated link worker, individuals will be signposted and often accompanied to various activities that best support their needs. A wide variety of activities may be accessed such as health walks, writing groups, exercise sessions and advice and support from various agencies. Many other groups may also be accessed; the support provided is individualised. For more information, please contact Mairead Rowan on or dumf-uhb.nithsdalehit@nhs.net

2 Page 2 U.C.I USER & CARER INVOLVEMENT Creating a Dementia Friendly Community in Dumfries and Galloway. Join us at UCI in helping to make this a reality! User and Carer Involvement (UCI) is a charitable company working in Dumfries and Galloway. Our purpose is to make sure that people who use services and their Carers have their voices heard and that those voices can inform and influence the quality of policy and service development. This can include Collective Advocacy Services. UCI is pleased to announce an important piece of work in process at present, and we want to invite people living with Dementia and their Carers to contact us if you are interested in helping to create a Dementia Friendly Community in Dumfries and Galloway, and in wider Scotland. It is your energy, ideas and experience which can make this a reality. Creating a Dementia Friendly Community Working in partnership with the Life Changes Trust, Alzheimer Scotland and others, UCI is launching a project which will make sure that people living with Dementia and their families and Carers have their expertise recognised, and can help to make sure that every person affected by Dementia, wherever they live in Dumfries and Galloway, can feel safe, valued and supported. We are particularly keen to help people living in hard to reach places or communities, minority groups or care homes to make their contributions. This project is funded for 3 years by the Life Changes Trust, who are also funding 14 other Creating Dementia Friendly Communities projects in Scotland. If you would like to get involved in this exciting piece of work, please feel free to contact Paul Thomas at UCI, Irish Street, Dumfries DG1 2PQ - telephone paul.thomas@userandcarer.co.uk We would also like to hear from any Care Homes who would be interested in helping us to give people living with Dementia a voice in this project. Please check us out on You can find out about the work of the Life Changes Trust and other Dementia Friendly Communities work in Scotland at UCI is a charity registered in Scotland under the Charity number SC

3 It s a Knockout! Page 3 It s A Knockout fundraising extravaganza took place at park farm in Dumfries on Saturday 29 th August. Every penny raised at the fantastic event organised by Alzheimer Scotland will be invested back into the services in Dumfries and Galloway. Dumfries It s a Knockout was based on the famous British TV show and featured games, inflatables, challenges and of course water. 28 Teams of 10 took part, but there could only be one winner on the day. The victory goes to Tesco Un-finest from Annan. With friends and family cheering the teams on, it was a real fun day for everyone. Winning Team - Tesco Un-finest Alzheimer Scotland would like to say a huge thank you to all the teams who took part and the volunteers for all their hard work. We have so far raised over 21,000, with the final grand total to be announced. For further information please contact Nina Parkin, Community Fundraiser on or NParkin@alzscot.org Dementia Drop-in s This summer Alzheimer Scotland have been launching Dementia Drop-in s across the region. This pilot aims to provide monthly drop-in s at local health centres across Dumfries and Galloway, providing one to one support and information from your local Dementia Advisor. GP s are being asked to support the pilot by signposting both people who are worried about their memory and carers to the drop-in and to the local Dementia Advisor. Plans to provide more local support groups which are easier to access in more rural areas are currently being arranged and starting soon. Carers courses in Annandale and Eskdale, Nithsdale and Upper Nithsdale and the Stewartry are also being held. For further information please contact Mandy Pool, Dementia Advisor on or mpool@alzscot.org

4 Page 4 A free Mindfulness course for Carers Starting January 2016 Mindfulness is a practice that is known to benefit health and wellbeing. Mindfulness courses teach a number of simple practices that can be used by anyone, anytime, anywhere. It involves learning how to develop greater self-awareness, to manage day-to-day challenges and ways to look after yourself. Helpful, comforting and supportive Carer 2014 People who have completed Mindfulness courses report lasting benefits, such as: The ability to step back and see things more clearly Coping better with negative thoughts The ability to relax Sleeping better Improved relationships Greater self confidence More energy and enthusiasm for life Reduced levels of stress Reduction in panic attacks Increased focus Being calmer I m okay with things, letting it go now rather than trying to be in control Carer, 2013 Mindfulness does not belong to any culture, tradition, belief system or religion and so can be described as universal and open to anyone. Neither does it conflict with any person s own faith or religion. It is not linked to any particular organisation or movement. This 8-week course will run on Saturday mornings in Dumfries, 10am-12 noon, starting on the 9 th of January The courses will be delivered by qualified and experienced teachers Jo Kopela and Tina Gibson, who have been delivering courses for many different groups, including carers, over the past 3 years. If you are interested in a place on this course, get in touch and an application form will be sent out to you. Please contact Jo Kopela on or jokopela@yahoo.com

5 Page 5 The Patient and Advice Support Service (PASS) will raise awareness of patients rights and provide support to patients on how to give feedback about their healthcare. The advice service is among a series of initiatives from the Patient Rights Act. Patients now have a legal right to complain, give feedback or comments, or raise concerns about the care they have received from the NHS and Patient Advisers will be on hand to provide advice and to encourage patients to give feedback on their experiences to help further improve NHS healthcare. The Patient Advice and Support Service will: Help clients understand their rights and responsibilities as patients Provide information, advice and support for those wishing to give feedback or comments, raise concerns or make complaints about health care delivered by NHS Scotland. Ensure clients feel listened to, supported, and respected when raising concerns about difficult experiences Work with the NHS to use feedback to improve NHS service provision. The Patient Advice and Support Service also provide general advice and help on a range of issues, such as housing, employment, benefits or money worries. Support with these issues can have a positive impact on the health of clients. Clients can also access information and advice on how to access health and community services that offer additional support with health care needs. The service is a valuable resource for frontline NHS staff because it offers a wide range of support for patients in relation to health and health care. You can contact PASS on or contact Samantha Johnston on sam.johnston@dagcas.org

6 Page 6 THE HIGHTAE OPEN - GOLFING MEMORIES, JULY 2015 Following the very successful Football Memories programme, the introduction of Golfing memories was established in August Numbers have been growing steadily and one relatively new member offered the group a day at his private purpose built 5 hole course - Who could refuse? The close working partnership of Alzheimer Scotland Dumfries & Galloway, along with Dumfries Rotary Club has played a significant role in the success of this relatively new golfing memories group for people with dementia and associated memory loss. The day started with warm up exercises, after coffee and home baking, followed by the 5 hole competition. An excellent lunch and then putting competition took care of the afternoon, with one or two very unusual shots being taken. I'm sure no one would mind me telling you that our two oldest participants aged 95 and 85 both walked away with medals. Thanks to our Host Iain Carruthers for a fantastic day, and to Michael White, Memories Manager for presenting the awards. A truly magical day, enjoyed by all. For further information on Golfing Memories please contact Helen Smith on or hsmith@alzscot.org. You may also wish to visit Memories Golf Club on Facebook.

7 COMMUNITY DEMENTIA PARTNERS EDUCATION PROGRAMME Page 7 Scottish Care are providing FREE dementia education for ANYONE who supports people living with dementia. It is a 2 day programme (each day 3 weeks apart) which aims to help us understand how it may feel to live with dementia. It is both informative and experiential and encourages further thought into how we can best support people living with dementia. The programme material is suitable for those doing SVQ levels 2/3 and also very beneficial to family/friend carers and other support agencies in our communities. Groups of professional, family and community support workers are mixed as it is aimed at encouraging people to share experiences and learn from one another. Sessions are delivered locally across the region. On completion of the programme each participant will be a Community Dementia Partner. For further information or to book on the programme contact: Carylann.williamson@scottishcare.org or call JOIN DEMENTIA RESEARCH This nationwide online & telephone service helps people take part in research studies. It will accelerate the pace of dementia research by connecting people with & without dementia with researchers. Anyone aged 18 years or over can sign up themselves, or on behalf of someone else, either by registering online at or by contacting the helplines of Alzheimer Scotland ( free to call, open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year). By signing up to the service, people give permission for researchers to contact them with details of studies in their area that match their profile. Individuals can then decide if they would like to participate in those studies on a case-by-case basis. By registering, people do not have to take part in any studies and can opt-out at any time. See the Youtube video here v=8v0egl3ynkg for more information. Jane MacDonald is our local Clinical Studies Officer for Dumfries and Galloway and can be contacted on

8 Community Groups Forget-me-not Lunch Group 1st Thursday of each month. The Solway Gate, Annan Road, Dumfries pm. Musical Minds Music Group Do you have a love of music and enjoy singing songs from yester-year? Then we would love to see you. 3rd Thursday of each month at Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Edinburgh Road, Dumfries between pm. Walking Football & Reminiscence Group For anybody with a memory problem to come to play and chat about their love of football with other like minded fans. 2nd & last Thursday monthly at Queen of the South Football Ground, Dumfries pm. Carer Support Group For people caring for people with memory problems. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 36 Edinburgh Road, Dumfries pm on the Last Monday of each month. Golfing Memories For people who have problems with their memory to chat about their love of the game and maybe a putt or two. Dumfries & Galloway Golf Club, Club House, Castle Douglas Road, Dumfries noon. 3rd Thursday of each month. Limited spaces. For more information please contact Helen Smith, Community Activity Organiser at Alzheimer Scotland on, , or hsmith@alzscot.org Editorial Team Emily Kennedy, Dementia Awareness Chair / Prescribing Support Pharmacist Tel: emily.kennedy@nhs.net Lindsay Murdoch, Support Officer Tel: lindsay.murdoch@nhs.net Mandy Pool, Dementia Advisor Tel: mpool@alzscot.org Please contact the team for further copies, future articles or to be added to the mailing list.