September 2013 Page 1 Dundee Service Newsletter

Transcription

1 September 2013 Page 1 Dundee Service Newsletter There are so many people affected by dementia and the fact that someone develops dementia every four seconds really brings this home- but the good news is that we are learning more all the time about more effective ways to support people to live well with dementia. I feel incredibly proud of the team of staff and volunteers we have in Dundee who ensure that there is such a variety of activities going on in the Dementia Resource Centre. We have realised we need to produce this newsletter more frequently to make sure that everyone can keep up to date! It is really important that everyone who uses our Dementia Resource Centre feels welcome and valued. Sometimes it can be really busy here, especially on a Monday. We appreciate your understanding and support of everyone who comes in to use the Dementia Resource Centre. It s so fabulous to see people getting the support they need to enable them to live well with dementia. Pease let us know if there is something you would like to see being arranged at the Resource Centre and we will do our best to find a way to make it happen. We wondered if anyone would be interested in a book club or reading group? Please let us know if this would be something you would like. I have just had a request for a table tennis table from the Early Stage Group so it s on the shopping list! Gabrielle Colston, Service Manager PS Just to let you know that we will have Alzheimer Scotland Christmas Cards available to buy in the Dementia Resource Centre soon- so you don t need to pay postage if you are planning to purchase some! Tel DundeeServices@alzscot.org

2 Page 2 Day Care Last month we closed our Supper Club as it has always been underused and we are delighted that we have been able to use this funding to enable us to open an additional day of day care at the Dementia Resource Centre on a Saturday. Saturdays are already full and there is a constant demand for day care. It s hard to believe we have been in Morgan Street for 3 years now- we are freshening up the décor, have improved the garden thanks to another generous donation and are planning to have patio doors installed in the café area to make it a brighter and more welcoming space with access to the garden. Our volunteers really help bring so much to our day care and have such a diverse range of talents! We have a baking group on a Wednesday led by our lovely volunteer Catherine, a Tai Chi session led by the brilliant Norman (who also brings in his gorgeous dog once a month who everyone loves!) and we have been having a craft afternoon on a Thursday and it s wonderful to see people being so busy with their hands and enjoying being creative. Friday sees a regular walk around Baxter Park for some exercise and fresh air with Bill. Alison, who is our longest serving volunteer, helps with all the kitchen tasks and is always bringing in interesting finds such as books and articles for our service users to enjoy. Our Saturday group have been keeping busy too- with gardening and crafts. Dementia Advisor Update I have been very busy in the last three months, inundated with enquiries and referrals for information, support and access to the Dundee service. Also, raising awareness with regards to Dementia and Dundee Service, giving talks to groups and professionals. If anyone would like me to talk to any of their groups they are involved with or if you feel that another organisation would benefit from some information and a better understanding of Dementia. Please let me know. Broughty Ferry Dementia Café has been very busy; it has a vibrant and happy atmosphere. There have been many new faces, and hopefully lots of new friendships made. This joint venture with the Dundee Carers Centre is proving an invaluable resource, thanks to Sharon and her colleagues. We have also had support from Macphersons Pharmacy, the very lovely Audrey and Linda have been kept busy with lots of enquiries whilst at the cafe. Thank you.

3 Page 3 We have evaluated the café and have decided to continue opening once a month, but we will evaluate again at the end of the year with a view to maybe opening more frequently. It would be useful if you can let me have your thoughts on this. I have had some enquires re setting up groups in the Broughty Ferry Area, some suggestions have been a History Group and a Football Memories Group. Your feedback and suggestions would be great. The Broughty Ferry Dementia Café are having a Christmas Party on Tuesday 24 th of December from 11-2pm at the St Aidens Centre. Please come along and join us for some festive fun, with music and dancing from our very own Jack Reid., and a very special appearance from our Musical Memories Choir. Festive food, fun and friendship. Carer Education and Information: Due to unforeseen circumstances the next Carer Information Sessions will commence on Monday 28 October (PLEASE NOTE THIS IS INSTEAD OF 30 SEPTEMBER AS PREVIOUSLY ADVERTISED). We have a 6 week course starting on 28 th October in the Resource centre pm. The sessions are delivered from a range of professionals including NHS and Third Sector organisations. If you would like to attend this course or would like more information please do not hesitate to call me. I have a meeting in the next month looking at the possibility of having a cinema group? If anyone would be interested please let me know. Nadia Sutherland Dementia Advisor Musical Memories Choir Hello Everyone- Well, The Musical Memories Choir is going from strength to strength! Numbers are increasing each week and the music choice is becoming more vast! We had the Courier in this month, to do a feature on the choir, they came and took photographs, we all became overnight celebrities- GREAT NEWS!! We have also made recordings of 2 songs, which sounded AMAZING, so well done to all involved. Keep an eye out on the website and Facebook page for more info. I will also make some CD copies, that will be available for a small donation, the money will be used to hopefully purchase some percussion instruments for the choir to use. Can I also add my thanks to Denise and Bob for providing the recording equipment and setting it up- I very much appreciate it.

4 Page 4 We have had some great feedback from our choir members, so if you are a bit unsure about coming these comments can maybe help to tempt you to join us. Really enjoying the choir, learning lots, Thank You! Look forward to the choir every Friday, having a great time Meeting lots of new people, making new friends, always go away singing. Which lasts all weekend So if you have not come along to the choir before then please feel free to join us every Friday 1-3pm in the Old Steeple Centre Any questions or more info Contact David Wilson (Music Memories Project Worker ) See you there! Your Maestro, David Personalised Home Support Service The Personalised Home Support Service has continued to grow. This service now employs 3 Personal Assistants, Rosemary, Sarah and most recently Lindsay. The Personalised Support service is committed to offering service users and their carers individualised support on a day and time which suits you best. The diversity of tasks and activities requested by our service users continues to surpriseindividuals have been supported to attend Art with a Heart, The Scottish Opera Project, and The Musical Memories Choir. Others also enjoy attending tea dances, going for walks, trips to the cinema and Mecca Bingo House! Individuals are also supported to maintain their daily living tasks going for shopping, attending appointments and preparing meals. The Personalised Home Support Service

5 Page 5 would love to hear from you if you feel this individualised support would be beneficial to yourself or someone you care for. Laura MacDonald - Project Worker Early Stage Support Service We continue to be busy and have been enjoying the lovely summer weather, accessing community resources and participating in activities. We welcome new faces joining us including Yvonne Begg Support Worker for our service. As many are aware Lauren Hesp the Early Stage Support Worker left us at the end of August to attend university in Aberdeen to do Primary Teacher Training. We wish Lauren all the best for the future, and thank her for her hard work, enthusiasm and fresh approach. Local Reminiscing Group The group have been busy researching and creating individual displays about their lives, including photographs. They continue to meet fortnightly at the Resource centre. Ladies Group This group meets every Thursday for lunch, outings and catching up. The ladies enjoy sampling menus from different cafes, pubs and restaurants. They enjoy walks and especially ice creams in the Ferry. The group decided to start making a review of each place they visit. Here s their take on Table Table Discovery Quay Prawn Cocktail delicious. Chicken Curry tasty but a bit too spicy. Sausage and Mash delicious. Fish and Chips delicious. Caramel Apple Crumble highly recommended, clean plates! Snooker Group The interest in the snooker group has grown and now we have a group on Thursday and Friday morning in Menzieshill Community Centre, where they have a large hall with 2 full sized tables. Walking Group We have been accessing the community walking group based at St Mary s on a Monday. The walks include bus trips, and enjoy the local area also such as Camperdown, Bridgefoot and Clatto Park. SDWG The Scottish Dementia Working Group continue to hold meeting in Dundee, and members of the Early Stage Service are becoming more involved and gaining confidence within the Service. The last meeting in July was well attended and new members got involved, ask questions and gave opinions. People give each other support and advice, on how dementia has affected their lives differently, and how they cope. The SDWG is looking to expand in the East of Scotland, and increase its members and continue raising awareness and campaigning for appropriate services for people with a diagnosis of dementia.

6 Page 6 Men s Group Meets every Tuesday at the Resource centre, the men enjoy social opportunities and participating in dominoes, darts, pool and putting. Playing bowling on the Wii is also a big hit. The group especially enjoy the monthly Football Memories group, and we are grateful to the volunteers who run this group especially Dundee Goal Keeper Pat Linley and football fans Grant Cook and Les Mackay. We are also lucky to have a volunteer driver John for the mini bus on a Tuesday for the Men s group. Allotment This has been well attended over the past few months and we are always trying to keep on top of ever growing needs. The Kinnaird Allotment association continue to support us and give us lots and lots of practical help. Wendy Rankin Outreach Worker Football Memories For the past year Football Memories has run a monthly session in the Dementia Resource Centre. These sessions proved so popular, that the service has now been expanded, with a further session taking place every four weeks, on a Monday afternoon. Football Memories is a national project, and talks to football supporters with dementia about football from around the time when the person would have been a regular attendee at football matches. In Dundee, this works particularly well, with Dundee FC winning their only Scottish Championship in 1962, a time that fits almost perfectly with the programme. The service in Dundee is delivered by a group of four volunteers; the most notable of the group is perfectly suited for the role. When talking about football from the 1950 s and 60 s, who better to have in the group than someone who actually played for Dundee at the time? Step forward the goalkeeper in the Dundee team that won the title, Mr Pat Liney.

7 Page 7 We caught up with the man himself to ask him how Football Memories was going. Football Memories is a fairly simple idea, we use old photographs, from different eras, and show them to the group. The group can be made up of people of different ages, so we have a good spread of pictures, and generally we look to use as much local content as possible. For me, I get to sit and talk about the times when I was a player, maybe tell a few stories about people I played with or knew, and it is good for me as well as the people who come along, and the group is generally a fairly light hearted look at football. I was beginning to notice I was getting as bit forgetful, so when I was told about the Football Memories project, I felt it was maybe something I could get involved in. Going along and helping out is very rewarding really, and makes you appreciate some of the problems faced by those with dementia, but when you sit down with the group, and there is maybe someone staring into space, and you show them an old photograph suddenly their face just lights up, they don t even have to say anything, but you know you are getting through to them, and that knowledge makes it very rewarding. The new group on Mondays is open to anyone with dementia who wants to come along, although it should be noted that this is an independent group, so if an individual requires support, they will need to bring their own supporter with them. Football Memories Fixtures 2013 Open Group Mondays pm Early Stage Men s Group Tuesday pm September 9/9/13 1/10/13 October 14/10/13 29/10/13 November 11/10/13 26/11/13 December 2/12/13 17/12/13 Anyone interested in taking part in this Monday group (and you don t need to be a Dundee supporter as we talk about all different teams and players!) either as a participant, or a volunteer can register their interest with Gabrielle by phoning the Resource Centre on Musicality Afternoon- Luminate Festival Tayside Healthcare Arts Trust is holding a Musicality Afternoon as part of Luminate Festival on Tuesday 15 th October in the Marryat Hall Dundee between 1-4pm.The afternoon will bring together our COPD, Dementia, Parkinson s groups, staff and partners who we have previously worked with to enjoy some Singing and Music but also to reestablish our relationship with the groups, collect feedback and announce THAT s new LTC creative programme delivery through Musicality, Performance and Visual and across Tayside. Wendy Rankin, Early Stage Outreach Worker will be organising people to attend, so if you are interested in coming please let her know.

8 Page 8 Staff, Members & Volunteers Conference & Awards Ceremony We would be delighted if you could join us at the above event on1 st November 2013 in Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh. If you would like more details the programme is on the noticeboard. If you would like to attend please let Gabrielle know. Positive Aging Event This event is being held by Celebrate Age Network Forum and the Older People Engaging Needs Project on Thursday 3 rd October in the Central Baptist Church, Ward Road form 10am to 4pm. Teas and coffees and biscuits will be available all day. The Meals Service will be providing taster lunches from 12.15pm but if that doesn t suit the Abertay Students union around the corner does tasty sandwiches and coffee. This event is for all older people, why not go and find out about what is going on in Dundee. TEA DANCE ST AIDAN S CHURCH BROUGHTY FERRY HALL, For the past couple of months, we have been holding a Tea Dance in St Aidan s Church Hall in Broughty Ferry. It has been a great success- everyone has thoroughly enjoyed two hours dancing with a short break for tea and biscuits. Even if you can t dance, it s nice to just listen to the music and have a chat with friends. If you would like to come along, and maybe bring a friend, Frances and I will gladly welcome you. Since it started a few new faces have shown up, and we would like yours to be one of them. Future dates are as follows: October 12 th, November 16 th, and December 14 th. The dance on December 14 th is going to be a Christmas Party lasting 3 hours instead of the normal 2 hours, with mince pies, sausage rolls etc. Looking forward to seeing the usual faces, as well as many new ones. Jack and Frances