David McDonald Backs My Chance To Talk ………………….

David McDonald Backs My Chance To Talk ………………….

Big thanks to David McDonald city councilor who represents Pollock for offering and agreeing to co host my talk at the city chambers,

This is extra special as my wee dad grew up in Pollock and David is well respected by carer groups and carers for representing their life’s and needs

So thank you David

Tommy

Lourdes School Letters About Young Carers ……………………..

I popped into the local high school today to say thank for the project on caring and the 100 letters they sent on young carers as part of my awareness campaign .i handed in copies of the film (some pupils featured on the first film we made)

I handed the letters they sent over as part of my campaign on November 10^th last year

I hope to go back and talk with the pupils about the campaign after my meeting with the deputy first minister a week on Wednesday

i grew up on the street facing this school and my wee mum was a cleaner there for many years ,and if i say so myself the hardest workig lady who ever worked there

Tommy

Councilor John Flanagan arranging a talk …………….

Hi


my local councilor john Flanagan is arranging for me to speak at the city chambers to Glasgow city councilors

I hope to speak about dementia, being a carer, issues brought up on the tour ,the peolpe ihave met and show the short film

As a long time carer and would be campaigner I hope to use this opportunity to the best of my abilites

Also had a great meeting today with Daniel Connelly from the NHS communities engagement team ,

I will post details of our future plans shortly

Tommy

NHS Community Engagement Team ..............................

NHS Community Engagement Team

Good morning,

I will be meeting with Daniel Connelly from the NHS Glasgow community engagement team today,

I met with Daniel at the improving care for older people event held  at the Marriott hotel ,I am hoping Daniel will help get the film shown on NHS web sites and events along with asking if I can speak at some future events ,I also hope to discuss issues brought up on my tour and campaign with regards to areas covered by NHS ,I hope we can come up with some ideas to raise awareness and tackle issues together

Tommy

A Plea From A Son And Carer

Dear all

On Feb. 8^th at 5:30pm, I will be meeting the deputy first minister for a private talk about caring for my mum, the carers and families I have met on this campaign, and the content of the letters I have received to date

I for one am greatful, respectful and full of hope for this meeting and I believe the deputy first minister has great interest in finding out how we feel, live and cope

I am inspired by the people I have met and the letters received

On the second leg of my tour people at you’re groups showed interest in telling the story and I hope if they do you will pass on this great opportunity to get it heard

We promote and we fight to give carers a voice

WELL I AM A CARER, I have a voice, we have a chance to raise our voice together , I hope you will forward any letters or thoughts you may have from carers and families who attend you’re groups and help promote their voice ,stories and hopes for the future .And add to the amazing people who have already shared the experiences and stories

Thanks for all the support and thanks to all who have promoted this campaign so far and shared their stories

You can e mail me direct

Or post to

Tommy whitelaw

39 Crosslee Street

Craigton

Glasgow

g521sl

Tommy

Anas Sarwar MP Glasgow central …………….

Anas Sarwar MP Glasgow central …………….

Hi

I had a meeting today with Anas Sarwar MP for Glasgow central, he was very supportive of the awareness campaign and is sharing the film with colleagues in both Edinburgh and Westminster, he is also arranging for me to meet with the shadow health minister and has promised to keep in touch with both the campaign and the issues facing carers and families facing dementia

tommy

Care Inspectorate Meeting………………

Care Inspectorate Meeting………………

Good afternoon

I had a very interesting and encouraging meeting with the care inspectorate today to discuss issues brought up on the tour

We are meeting again a month from now, and have discussed further meetings with carers and the possibility of someone attending groups to get the views across the board area by area, group by group by all who attend

The idea is as with the letters to hear the story behind the person being cared for  and the life of the carers, to help get an idea of the struggles we face and help promote models that work

I hope you will all help me put some dates together to come and visit

Tommy

Care Inspectorate, Today ………….

Dear all,

Well I am off to meet with the care inspectorate today, to hand over files and discuss the opinions, concerns and thoughts from many of the hundreds of carers and families I have met with all across Scotland  on the Tommyontour awareness (supported by Alzheimer Scotland) a big thanks to all who have made contact ,written to me and given support and encouragement ,I will be requesting an open discussion date fro people who have supported this campaign to get their concerns ,and opinions across

Thank you for the support so far and I hope it will continue

On the 8^th of Feb. I will be meeting in private with the deputy first minister to discuss the letters campaign to date and future plans

I hope I can revisit you all to update and discuss the next stages.

Tommy

Johann Lamont…………….

Johann Lamont…………….

Big thanks to Johann Lamont for taking some time to meet with me tomorrow

Johann who as well as being the new Labour Leader, hosted my event at the Scottish parliament when i visited the Deputy First Minister.both of whom treated me with great kindess and repsect

I look forward to updating Johann on my campaign and hopefully get some advice on the next stage,

Also as Johann represents’ my area she was of great help when my mum was denied day care and sent a letter on behalf of my mum and I to the local authorities, I am happy to say this problem has been resolved

Tommy  

MAP………..Joan and Tommy’s story

MAP………..Joan and Tommy’s story

A big thank you to Ryan and Caroline for visiting us to today, to  help us with this amazing  project, The theory of MAP is to look back over life, at the present time, and look at hopes and dreams

It’s a very emotional and inspirational journey and I will update more as I digest today’s events

Please see a photo with Caroline my mum and I and behind us you will see the MAP outcome

Quite an experience and I recommended it to all

I will add more and links soon…………………………

The Good Morning charity.............................

Good afternnoon ,

on my travels i bump into people providing great help and sevices  ,

I have met with Nicky a few times on my tour and thought I would help spread the word on her work

please see below a wee message from Nicky


"5 conversations a day are as important to your health as 5 pieces of fruit"

The Good Morning charity provides a daily telephone befriending and alert service calling out to vulnerable older people 365 days a year. Telephone Befrienders get to know clients well, build trust to become a friend on the phone there to listen and give emotional support through the difficulties and challenges often associated with advancing age.
With regular contact Good Morning staff become part of someone's social network.
The value of social support should not be underestimated: it is associated with higher levels of happiness and it may well be a key factor in reducing the risk of dementia as we grow older.
Their Telephone Befriender is often the first person someone will speak to about being worried about their memory - talking to family or a GP is, put simply - too scary. The fear of being shrugged off or even judged is a powerful deterent.
Also, in knowing clients well Telephone Befrienders can be the first to recognise when someone's having problems.
Good Morning also alerts to potential health problems at an early stage when a call remains unanswered and when Telephone Befrienders recognise a deterioration in health or circumstance.
Launched in 2000, this light touch support service gives older people the confidence to live alone - retaining their independence to live in their own home and community.
Find out more here:

Nicky Thomson
Charity Managerhttp://www.goodmorning.org.uk/dementia_forum/

Meeting with Henry Simmons.alzscot,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Meeting with Henry Simmons………….

I had a very good and inspiring meeting with Henry Simmons (chief exec Alzheimer Scotland) and Jim Pearson welfare rights manager today,

We discussed dementia in Scotland the Tommyontour campaign and many of the issues facing families and carers, we agreed on a few things with regards to working together and my campaigning future and once I have all the details I will update the blog

I feel it’s the correct step forward for Tommyontour, Alzheimer Scotland have given me great help and support throughout this campaign

Tommy  

Princes Royal Trust For Carers ………………………

Princes Royal Trust For Carers ………………………

Good afternoon

I will be meeting with Lynn Williams next week, I have met with Lynn a few tomes over this campaign and she came to support me when I handed the letters over to Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon last November, We are meeting for a wee coffee to discuss and get advice on some of my planned and future plans for the next months, I will keep you all updated on our chat

Tommy

NHS Community Engagement Team ……………….

Good Afternoon .

Big thanks to Daniel Connelly for getting in touch ,I met Daniel at the improving care fro older people talk at the Marriott hotel in December, we are meeting next week to discuss options for raising awareness ,within the NHS, the new film and a few other ideas we both have

daniel is the Community Egagement Manager and is based at the Victoria hosptial in Glasgow.

I look forward to meeting with him again and will keep you all updated

Tommy

Social Chat WIth Social Works ……………………

Social chat with social works ……………………

HI  

I spent the afternoon chatting with Ann Cummings (adult services) we discussed the campaign and some aspects of the role social works play in the care of people with dementia, we discussed many points and I hope the report on my tour is of value and help

We will be meeting again soon to discuss the new film amongst other issues raised on my campaign

Tommy

Carer Tommy Meets Carers Scotland…………….

Hi 

Big thanks to Simon Hodgson, and Fiona Collie from Carers Scotland for taking the time to meet with me today.

We had a chat about lots of caring issues and discussed the next stages and future plans for Tommyontour.

Carers Scotland has promoted my films and campaign on their site in the past, and I hope we can do some work together in 2012

Tommy

A quick reminder

Hiya,

Just another wee reminder that I'm meeting with Nicola Sturgeon, Deputy First Minister, on Tuesday 7th February. The last time we met was when I handed in the letters and I'm looking forward to talking to her about all the experiences other carers have shared with me, both in the letters and when I've met people at groups.

Looks like 2012 will be just as busy as 2011 for Tommy on Tour!

Cheers,

Tommy

Meeting With The Care Inspectorate…..

Meeting With The Care Inspectorate…..

I will be meeting with the care inspectorate on January 27^th to discuss some of the issues brought up on my tour

If you have anything you would like me discus please get in touch

This is another chance for carers to have a voice

Tommy

North Dementia Forum ............

Hello  

Big thanks to john p Kelly for inviting me and all who attended the meeting today

We had a long chat about my campaign, Future plans and caring for my mum, it was great to hear more about all the great work they do and i look forward to working with them and helping me out with my future campaigning with their knowledge thoughts and ideas

Tommy

Meeting With NHS Glasgow Vice Chairman ..................

Good Afternoon  all

I had the most positive meeting with peter Daniels vice chairman of the NHS Glasgow. We discussed many things and he will be introducing me to lots of people to allow us to raise awareness within the care sector

We discussed many issues regarding care and I was truly encouraged by this meeting, and look forward to our continued discussions

Cathy from Alzheimer Scotland accompanied me to the meeting and we all enjoyed discussing the points raised

Tommy  

Back To Parliament ..........................

Dear all,

I have kindly been invited back to meet with the deputy first minister Nicola Sturgeon on February 7^th ,to discuss the letters, my campaign and future plans

I look forward to this meeting and will keep you all updated

Tommy

Advice And Guidance FromThe L.T.C.A

Big thank you to Ian welsh from the L.T.C.A for taking the time to meet with me today.

Ian along with Irene Oldfather offered me much advice and guidance.

Back in May last year the L.T.C.A put the story of my campaign and tour in their newsletter and it was good to catch up on all that has happened since

Both Ian and Irene attended parliament in November to support me as I handed over letters to deputy first minister Nicola sturgeon Who I will be meeting once again soon  to discuss the letters and the next steps for Tommyontour  

Tommy

Safety First…………

I have had a safety gate installed at the top of the stairs between my room and my wee mums

I never thought growing up watching my mum work so hard to do the best she could for us ,that one day I would have to install a gate to stop her wandering during the night as I sleep and be at great risk of falling down the stairs ,

But that’s what dementia does it changes everything and constantly moves the goal posts ALONG with the massive changes it brings even the small ones bring challenges, realization, and sadness

Tommy

New Year ,New Itinerary

Dear all

A new year, with new plans

Next week I have set up the following meeting to take my awareness campaign forward

9^th        Meeting with Ian welsh from the LTCA

10^TH       Meeting with peter Daniels vice chairman NHS (someone from oxford street coming with me )

11^th     Speaking at the North Dementia Forum

12^th      Meeting with carer Scotland Fiona and chief exec

Mid January start work on a new film and work on the Tommyontour awareness book will also  be meeting with the care commission

And finally late January meeting with the Deputy first minister again to discuss the letters, the people I have met, and all of the above

Tommy