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Dementia Carer Voices June-July 2017 Newsletter

Dementia Carer Voices Goes to Parliament It’s been a busy couple of months for Dementia Carer Voices; we marked What Matters to You? Day 2017, Carers’ Week 2017 and had a five day tour of the Western Isles for Dementia Awareness Week 2017.  We also launched our latest publication Dementia Carer Voices – Rights and the Carer Voice, with a stand at the Scottish Parliament from 27th to 29th June. This was a chance to celebrate the over 14,000 pledges we have received over the years on our ‘You Can Make a Difference’ campaign and share our new publication with MSPs. On Wednesday 28th June, MSPs debated Dementia Carer Voices’ work in a Member’s Business Bill held in the name of James Kelly MSP. You can watch catch up on the debate via this link. In addition to our stand and the debate, DCV hosted a lunch on Thursday; a chance to discuss our latest publication and have conversation with people who have made the pledges. The audience consisted of people living with dementia, carers, nurses, student nurses and others. They heard from ALLIANCE Director, Irene Oldfather; UK Engagement Lead, Tommy Whitelaw; NHS Scotland Chief Executive, Paul Gray, and Jackie Baillie MSP.  What Matters to You Day 2017 – #WMTY17 The 6th June was ‘What Matters to You?’ Day 2017 – a chance to flip the conversation from ‘What’s the matter with you?’ to ‘What matters to you?’ Individuals and organisations across Scotland joined in and Dementia Carer Voices marked the day with a series of activities and posts. This included a conversation between Tommy and Shona Robison MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport, about what matters to her. View a summary of all our activity for the day itself here. Scotland's National Dementia Strategy 2017-2020 Launched  On Wednesday 27th June, the same day as our debate on dementia in Parliament, the Third National Dementia Strategy was launched. Dementia Carer Voices' response to the strategy will be up on our blog shortly.  In general terms, the National Dementia Strategy set out a direction of travel highlighted around: continuing emphasis on early diagnosis; a more flexible approach around post diagnostic support; and emphasis on ensuring appropriate palliative and end of life care. Carers Week 2017 with Dementia Carer Voices Dementia Carer Voices marked Carers Week 2017 with a series of events and activities. Carers Week is an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges carers face and recognise the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK. This year it was held 12th to 18th June. ALLIANCE Director, Irene Oldfather, spoke at a British Society of Gerontology Scotland event hosted at Glasgow Caledonian University during Carers Week 2017. Irene spoke about how to ensure person centred in the integrated health and social care environment to support carers in particular. Tommy was privileged to host and speak at the Carers Trust for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough “Pride in Our Carers” Awards 2017 on Tuesday. You can read the latest news piece from Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Trust. Policy and Information Intern, William Griffiths, wrote a guest piece to mark Carer’s Week on the Health and Social Care Academy’s blog. ‘You can make a difference’ tour dates Big thanks to Richard Williams, Fellow Practice Education Lecturer, the staff and students at Edge Hill University for kindly inviting Tommy to give 3 talks across all years and modules to around 1100 students on 26 May 2017. The day was incredible and the care given by all to Tommy was wonderful.  We are proud to share the 406 pledges below from the inspiring Edge Hill Future Nurses. Put the kettle on and enjoy the wonderful words here. Also, many thanks to Maisey Dear and Vanessa McLean, Dementia Care Nursing Specialists at Colchester Hospital for inviting Tommy back to give two more talks and to unveil a piece of artwork that has been designed to raise awareness called The “Dementia Care Pledge Tree” at Colchester General Hospital on Thursday 6 July. The tree, which is approximately 8ft tall, has been painted by Lara Wallington, aged 16, of Highwoods, an A-level Student at Colchester Sixth Form College. Colchester Daily Gazette also covered the story and you can read it here. Guest blogs Now it’s time to act - Following on from the #WMTY17 Day we received a poignant guest blog today from our colleague Marianne Brennan, Partnership and Practice Programme Development Officer, Self Management Team. Letter from America…. – We also received a guest blog from Dr Claire L Copeland, Consultant Physician in Care of the Elderly and Stroke Medicine at Forth Valley Royal Hospital. She recently spoke at a conference on delirium in Nashville, Tennessee. Read her story here and follow her on Twitter at @Sparklystar55 Future DCV events Keep up-to-date with events DCV are attending over the next month. To find out more, see our “Get Involved” page over on our blog. Connect with Dementia Carer Voices There are many ways to connect with Dementia Carer Voices. Our Facebook page is reaching more and more people, we can be reached on Twitter or through email at dementiacarervoices@alliance-scotland.org.uk. Do get in touch with any questions about our upcoming talks or events, if you want to share a blog with us or just to say hi.  Submit Nominations to the Self Management Awards 2017! Self management is so important to the lives of people living with long term conditions and their carers. To recognise the amazing individuals and organisations pioneering this work our colleagues in the Self Management team are Celebrating Change during Self Management Week 2017 (2nd-6th October). Submitting a nomination to the Self Management Awards is your opportunity to celebrate people and organisations really making a difference. Join us at the wonderful award ceremony in the Scottish Parliament demonstrating to Holyrood, and beyond, just what working in this way means to the people of Scotland. We are now accepting nominations for the following awards: Self Management Project of the Year (this award will be open to a public vote when the judges have finalised a shortlist) The Changemaker Self Management Resource of the Year Self Management Champion of the Year Shazia Akhtar Individual Transformational Story of the Year Integration Partnership of the Year Read more about the criteria for each award on the website, then... Download your nomination form here!

Thanks for reading my blog, You can now view my 8 short flims here! http://tommy-on-tour-2011.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/my-mums-name-was-joan-this-is-our-story.html