Dementia Carer Voices August Newsletter is now available

Make a Difference talks across Universities and Colleges – the class of 2017

As many people take their first steps into nursing and many other areas of health and social care, Dementia Carer Voices are proud to continue our relationships with universities and colleges across Scotland. We are looking forward to meeting with the classes of 2017 as they start their journey into the wonderful profession of caring for people. As a continuation of the last 4 years, Dementia Carer Voices will be taking our ‘Make a Difference seminars’ to all Scottish universities offering courses to 1^st year students in health and social care over the course of September, October and November.

Please see dates on our blog for when we will be at which university. We have many more dates to add please follow this post for updates on our tour across universities and colleges across Scotland as we meet the #classof2017

You can also view the inspiring pledges from our previous visits at the link here

#CNOScot

Dementia Carer Voices visits Cooriedoon care home in Arran

On Friday 11^th August Dementia Carer Voices UK Engagement Lead, Tommy Whitelaw visited Cooriedoon care home on Arran.

Tommy was joined by ALLIANCE colleagues Rhona Millar, Events, Communication and Academy Co-ordinator, who spoke about the ALLIANCE and Health and Social Care Academy and Gregory Hill-O’Connor, Our Voice Development Co-ordinator, who spoke about Our Voice. They also heard from Andy Lowndes, ‘The Music Detective’ and Deputy Chair, who addressed the audience about the charity, Playlist for Life.

It was a great afternoon of conversations and information sharing with talks, questions and getting to know each other.

Dementia Carer Voices film with NHS 24

As part of our ongoing partnership work with the CNO Scotland, Fiona McQueen, Dementia Carer Voices have been interviewed for a short film with NHS 24.

The short film is in two parts, in the first instance our UK Engagement Lead, Tommy Whitelaw, shared a personal experience looking back at when he was caring for his late mum, Joan. This film was shown last week to the board and staff at an NHS 24 board meeting and shared on the NHS 24 Facebook page.

You can view the interview here.

ALLIANCE Director, Irene Oldfather’s article in The Scotsman

ALLIANCE Director, Irene Oldfather, wrote a comment piece in the Scotsman arguing that we owe it to people with dementia in Scotland to work together to get on and do it. She argued that while there has been considerable progress in care provision and policy around dementia there is still more to do.

Read Irene’s full article here.

Dementia Carer Voices responds to the National Dementia Strategy

The third National Dementia Strategy was published on 28 June 2017, coinciding with a range of activity in the Scottish Parliament related to the ALLIANCE’s Dementia Carer Voices programme, including a Member’s Debate on dementia in the name of James Kelly MSP, a parliamentary reception and the launch of our latest report – Dementia Carer Voices – Rights and the Carer Voice.

Dementia Carer Voices was represented on the National Strategy Group and welcomes the publication of the strategy.  Below we have detailed a number of our initial views on the strategy.

You can read about our exhibition in parliament in last month’s newsletter, as well as reading the full response here.

‘Dementia prevention, intervention, and care’ – New Dementia Research

ALLIANCE Director, Irene Oldfather, responded to the latest research on dementia in the Lancet on our blog. You can read the full response here.

‘It’s about unleashing, not controlling’

In June the Health and Social Care Academy hosted ‘Emphasising Humanity over Bureaucracy in Social Care‘; an event that explored what emphasising humanity looks like in practice, not just for those receiving care but for those providing it.

William Kløverød Griffiths, Policy and Information Intern, Dementia Carer Voices spoke at the event about the work of Dementia Carer Project and the emerging themes from the pledges that have been gathered.

In this blog William writes about the You Can Make a Difference campaign and the importance of celebrating the kindness of people living with dementia, their families and carers. It was great to see it picked up by The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) based in the US.

Dementia Carer Voices presentations over the summer

Over the summer UK Engagement Lead Tommy Whitelaw has been giving a number of presentations. You can see detailed reports on these presentations on our blog.

• Northumbria University Senior Student Nurses Add Pledges

• Salford University Nursing Society add pledges

• Pre-Registration, BSc Adult Nursing Students Birmingham City University pledge

Upcoming ‘You Can Make a Difference’ presentations

In addition to the talks to first year students in Scotland’s universities and colleges our UK Engagement Lead, Tommy Whitelaw will be giving the following talks:

• 25.08.17 – Educational Seminar Loretto Care – Training and SVQ Teams in Glasgow
• 30.08.17 – 2 Educational Seminar`s at Stornoway Hospital
• 31.08.17 – 3 Educational Seminar`s at Jarvis Court Care Home

To get more information about any of these talks please see our upcoming talks page on our blog, or email us at dementiacarervoices@alliance-scotland.org.uk.

Get in touch with Dementia Carer Voices with your story

Dementia Carer Voices would love to hear from you with your story. If you are a health and social care professional or student, an unpaid carer or a person living with dementia, please do contact us with your story.

There are many ways to connect with Dementia Carer Voices. We have launched our Facebook page, we can be reached on Twitteror 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.

New research on caring my Carers UK and Jo Cox Loneliness

Carers UK and the Jo Cox Loneliness commission recently published a report on loneliness among carers in the UK. They argue that it is time to start a conversation about caring, as their research shows more action is needed to support unpaid carers who feel isolated and lonely. Greater understanding from friends, colleagues, and the public, as well as more opportunities for breaks and social activities, are all needed to combat a ‘silent epidemic’ of loneliness affecting those providing support to ill, older or disabled loved ones.

Some of the key findings included

• More than 8 in 10 (81%) surveyed unpaid carers described themselves as “lonely or socially isolated” due to their caring responsibilities,
• That current carers who have not felt lonely were less likely to suffer mental (42%) and physical (35%) ill-health compared to those who did.
• Carers who had felt lonely or isolated were almost twice as likely to report worsened mental (77%) and physical (67%) health.

You can read their press release here and their report here.

 

National Dementia Carers Day – 10th September

10^th September is National Dementia Carers Day, which was founded by @alzheimerssoc @dementiaukand @sweettreeHCS to recognise the efforts of informal carers of people with dementia. #NDCD17

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

Honoured to have a portrait of Mum and Dad in #Ittakesavillage at the Edinburgh Book Festival

Hi

I am so very honored to have a portrait of my Mum and dad in an exhibition this weekend at the Edinburgh book festival as part of  #Ittakesavillage 

The portrait  below was part of an exhibition  across Scotland last year .you can read more about the exhibition below 

As part of the Edinburgh book festival the exhibition will take place on August 12th & 13th at the  Greenhouse, George Street Edinburgh quite close to Charlotte Square.

 The exhibition is free and open to the public from 10am - 4.30pm both Saturday and Sunday:

https://www.edbookfest.co.uk/the-festival/whats-on/it-takes-a-village-10485

A Preview of It Takes a Village, a new exhibition by Colin Gray and the Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care (SPPC).

This powerful and challenging new work features a series of portraits by Colin Gray exploring the concept that ‘if it takes a village’ to raise a child it also takes a range of people to look after someone who is dying and their family. Based on interviews by the SPPC, the exhibition shares personal insights and experiences from the various perspectives of people who have cared for someone who’s dying or their family.

The Preview marks the beginning of Death Awareness Week Scotland, which aims to raise awareness of the positive benefits of planning ahead for death and dying. It is part of the Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care’s ongoing Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief work to promote more openness about death, dying and bereavement in Scotland.

Full press release can be downloaded here.

List of Venues and Dates of Exhibitions

Dementia Carer Voices short film with NHS 24

As part of our ongoing partnership work with the CNO Scotland, Fiona McQueen, Dementia Carer Voices have been interviewed for a short film with NHS 24

Massive thanks to Sheena Wright, Director of Nursing & Care/Interim Director of Operations, Lisa Dransfield, Senior Communications Manager and all at NHS 24 for the kind opportunity to work together.

The short film is in two parts, in the first instance our UK Engagement Lead, Tommy Whitelaw, shared a personal experience looking back at when he was caring for his late mum, Joan.

This film was shown last week to the board and staff at an NHS 24 board meeting and shared on the NHS 24 Facebook page.

You can view the interview below.

A second piece of filming is soon to be published featuring a conversation about the ” 5 must do with me” steps ,which are a big feature of our talks and are embedded  in all we do at Dementia Care Voices

This film will be published soon and we hope to share here when ready.

Once again, a big thank you to all at NHS 24 for the opportunity to work together we look forward to more over the next few months.

Thank you for all the team at DCV

Posted in News

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

‘It’s about unleashing, not controlling’

On 26th June, the Health and Social Care Academy hosted ‘Emphasising Humanity over Bureaucracy in Social Care‘; an event that explored what emphasising humanity looks like in practice, not just for those receiving care but for those providing it. 

William Kløverød Griffiths, Policy and Information Intern, Dementia Carer Voices spoke at the event about the work of Dementia Carer Project and the emerging themes from the pledges that have been gathered. In this blog William writes about the You Can Make a Difference campaign and the importance of celebrating the kindness of people with dementia, their families and carers.

President of Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Don Berwick, has been credited with saying “The heart of improvement is not in controlling, it is in unleashing.” For me this really sums up the work of Dementia Carer Voices ‘You Can Make a Difference’ campaign. The work we do is about unleashing not in controlling what people do, their messages and their stories.

The campaign is about celebrating and unleashing the kindness and dedication of people with dementia, their families and carers. It is to emphasise that they are equal partners in the care they receive. To this end we collect the stories and experiences unpaid carers have in providing care to their loved ones. Dementia Carer Voices are building a range of multi medium case studies, asking people what matters to them. It is our hope that these will provide useful evidence about the lived experience of the lives of unpaid carers. In that regard, we hope to be a platform to unleash the messages of unpaid carers.

The project also shows the lived experiences of people with dementia, their families and carers to those who work in the health and social care system. It is a difficult and underappreciated role that health and social care staff do every single day, day in and day out, but it is essential to the health and wellbeing of millions of people. Thousands of people come into contact with NHS Scotland every day, an estimated 37,000 people living in care homes in Scotland, and many more receiving home care visits. If our campaign can unleash some compassion, care and consideration into every one of those human contacts, then we will make our health and social care system better.

So the work we do at Dementia Carer Voices is about unleashing the passion and kindness of unpaid carers. It is about those people who sit by our beds, knock on our front doors and who we speak to on the phone. It is about the people who treat us when we are unwell, about those who offer kindness when we are vulnerable and are able to make a difference in people’s lives. To all those who follow the five must dos of caring for someone, and place the person at the centre of their care.

When I first joined this project a little over two months ago, I took out a selection of the pledges we have received over the years. Just over 13,000 people have made a personal pledge to make a difference, giving people the opportunity to commit to, to share and celebrate the difference they and we can all make every time we meet someone. That is what this project is about, it is about unleashing the voice of people with dementia, their families and carers. These are people seldom heard, but with our project hopefully gives them the chance to express themselves and take this message to people who make policy.

Dementia is everyone’s business. It is not about buildings or organisations, it’s about the people within and the people we meet, on every occasion it’s about people and relationships. It’s about the life and love stories of families all across the county. So I truly hope the people the pledges, the life and the love stories are about unleashing what matters, who matters and about unleashing the parts we can all play in every moment, every day and every time.

If you would like to learn more about the project, or to sign up to our mailing list, please email dementiacarervoices@alliance-scotland.org.uk

@WK_Griffiths@DementiaCarerVo

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

I Million reads of my Blog Thank you from my heart

My wee blog that started when caring for my kind mum Joan, our films,  produced  to share our story has today  now reached 1 Million Individual page views , 

ALONG with film views and meeting

85,000 People in person at talks on the tour. I am very proud to say over 1,250,000 reads,views and people have engaged with our campaign 

I want to thank everyone from my heart who has taken the time to read, share, attend a talk, send a letter or comment for the great kindness and support.

This kindness and support played such a big part in  helping  my mum living with dementia and myself as a son and carer and has continued to do so till this day as UK  engagement lead at dementia carer voices

When I first started caring for mum, I thought my mum was the only person living with dementia and I was the only carer. I was soon to find out how far from true that this  was

The blog and subsequent talks and tour enlightened our lives and introduced us to so many inspiring, caring and kind people and for that I shall be eternally grateful

Someone asked me a few months back,

what did I learn caring for my mum living with dementia?

The answer is a lesson my mum tried to teach me all my life, that people are kind and caring and if you take time to listen this will become clear. I wish I would have listened much sooner in life,but I suppose my mum was still helping right through to the last day

Thank you from my heart for reading my blog, for watching the films, for coming to  the talks, for the letters, lessons and kindness along the way

People are amazing and I am glad to have met so many along the way

Thank you for caring 

Thank you  for reading my blog, You can now view my 8 short flims here!  http://tommy-on-tour-2011.blogspot.com/2013/10/my-mums-name-was-joan-whitelaw-my-3.html?spref=tw

Make a Difference campaign Key Dates 2017

January

·         09.01.17 Educational Seminar at Strathclyde University Talk with Graeme Morrison from the ALLIANCE.  To MPharm 3rd Year Pharmacy Students

·         10.01.17 Educational Seminar at Balhousie Care Group at Ambassador Event, Perth.

·         12.01.17 Educational Seminar at Huddersfield University.

·         16.01.17  Wmty17 Steering Group

·         17.01.17 2 Educational Seminars at Erskine Care Home.

·         18.01.17 4 Talks Keele University

·         20.01.17 Educational Seminar at Delirium Conference in Newcastle - Q&A with Nadine Schofield from Lets Respect. 

·         23.01.17 Launch of the Specialist Dementia Unit Learning and Development Network Event at Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh.

·         24.01.17 Educational Seminar at Scunthorpe Hospital.

·         26.01.17 Educational Seminar at University of Portsmouth.

February

·         01.02.17 Attending Focus on Dementia Advisory Group

·         02.02.17 Educational Seminar UCLAN

·         03.02.17 Attending the Scottish Health Council and The ALLIANCE Our Voice information event at Chest Heart Stroke Scotland

·         07.02017 Educational Seminar Scottish Ombudsman

·         10.02.17 Educational Seminar Trainee Nursing Associates, Exeter

·         15.02.17 Educational Seminar GHA Mosspark

·         20.02.17 Educational Seminar Colchester

·         22.02.17 Attending Cross Party Group on Carers

·         22.02.17 Attending Acute Care Network 

·         22.02.17 Educational Seminar GCU – Heart Specialists

·         23.02.17 Educational Seminar RCN, Glasgow

·         23.02.17 Educational Seminar Glasgow City College

·         23.02.17 Speaking MMC phone to add to Queen Margaret University Module

·         24.02.17 Presentation to CNOD

·         24.02.17 Attending “What Matters To You” Planning Group Meeting

·         25.02.17 Attending Decision day North Ayrshire

·         27.02.17 Attending Vale of Leven Implementation Group

·         28.02.17 Educational Seminar Health Education Awards

March

·         01.03.17 Educational Seminar South Lanarkshire Carers

·         01.03.17 Educational Seminar New Lanarkshire College

·         02.03.17 Attending GHA Art Club to Design GHA pledge wall

·         03.03.17 Attending Dementia Ambassadors Conference 

·         06.03.17 Presentation Dementia Nurse Consultants

·         06/03/17 National Standards and Guidance Development Programme for Urgent Primary Care

·         07.03.17 Educational Seminar UWS Paisley Campus

·         08.03.17 Educational Seminar NIPEC Conference Belfast (am)

·         08.03.17 Educational Seminar Alzheimer’s Society NI Conference (pm)

·         09.03.17 Educational Seminar *2 Specialist Dementia Unit Bridgeton

·         10.03.17 Catch up with Alzheimer Scotland CEO

·         13.03.17 Educational Seminar *2 Hospice Stafford

·         14.03.17 Launch Pledge Tree Park Springs Care Home, Motherwell

·         15.03.15 Educational Seminar Morningside Justice and Peace, Edinburgh

·         15.03.17 Fair for all programme board North Ayrshire

·         15.03.17 National Conference and Graduation Event for Cohort 7 Dementia Champions Event

·         16.03.17 Meeting with Age Scotland ESDP

·         17.03.17 Educational Seminar Glasgow City College (am)

·         17.03.17 Educational Seminar Edinburgh Napier University (pm)

·         18.03.17 Educational Seminar RCN Ayrshire & Arran Branch 

·         20.03.17 WMTY17 Planning Group

·         20.03.17 Educational Seminar Glasgow University

·         21.03.17 Focus on Dementia Steering Group (am)

·         21.03.17 Evidence Health and Sports Committee, Scottish Parliament

·         22.03.17 Educational Seminar  RCN Bournemouth *3

·         22.03.17 Educational Seminar  RCN Bournemouth *

·         24.03.17 Recording #WMTY17 Podcasts

·         27.03.17 Fair for All Programme Board North Ayrshire

·         28.03.17 Meeting at Scottish Parliament with First Minister

·         29.03.17 Educational Seminar *4 Northumbria NHS

·         30.03.17 Educational Seminar *4 Northumbria NHS

·         31.03.17 Educational Seminar Moray

April

·         05.04.17 Educational Seminar at Healthwatch Newcastle

·         11.04.17 Educational Seminar at Belfast Health & Social Care Trust

·         12.04.17 Attending Older Peoples Development Group Meeting

·         20.04.17 Attending Integrated Health & Social Care Advisory Board

·         21.04.17 Educational Seminar at Erskine Care Home

·         24.04.17 Attending What Matters to You Planning Group Meeting

·         24.04.17 Attending Conference Hairmyers Hospital

·         25.04.17 Educational Seminar Association Non-Medical Prescribers Conference, Manchester

·         26.04.16 Attending Specialist Dementia Unit Learning Session

·         27.04.17 Educational Seminar at Erskine Care Home

·         28.04.17 Educational Seminar at Glasgow City College

May

·         03.05.14 Educational Seminar Health and Social Care Students at Glasgow City College

·         10.05.17 Focus on Dementia Partnership Improvement and Learning Event ‘on the couch session’ in the afternoon and stand

·         11.05.17 Educational Seminar at Royal Stoke University Hospital, Palliative & End of Life Care Conference, Stafford

·         16.05.17 Educational Seminar in Nursing & Midwifery Conference, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle

·         17.05.17 Attending Living Well in Communities (LWIC) Delivery Group

·         18.05.17 Educational Seminar at Lancashire Teaching Hospital

·         22.05.17 Attending What Matters to You Planning Group Meeting

·         23.05.17 Attending Focus on Dementia - National Advisory Group

·         24.05.17 Educational Seminar at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust Conference

·         25.05.17 Attending Cross Party Group on Carers

·         26.05.17 3 Educational Seminars at Edge Hill University, Lancashire

·         30.05.17 Attending The ALLIANCE Annual Conference 2017 – Register here

·         30 May -2 June Educational Seminars – Western Isles Tour

June

·         02.06.17 Dementia Carer Voices Alzheimer Scotland Conference Poster board and stand

·         13.06.17 Educational Seminar Carers Trust Cambridgeshire Awards

·         15.06.17 Educational Seminar Huddersfield Town Hall for Dementia UK

·         20/21.06.17 Dementia Carer Voices NHS Scotland Conference Poster Presentation

·         22.06.17 Educational Seminar What Matters to You event in Belfast with Shaun Maher

·         27-29.06.17 Dementia Carer Voices Parliamentary Exhibition and lunch time event

·         28.06.17 Educational Seminar at The Northumbria Band 5 Nursing Conference

July

·         03.07.17 3 Educational Seminars Southport District Hospital

·         06.07.17 2 Educational Seminars and Tree Launch Colchester Hospital

·         07.07.17 2 Educational Seminars Dudley NHS Trust

·         12.07.17 3 Educational Seminars Birmingham University

·         17.07.17 Educational Seminar Salford University

·         26.07.17 2 Educational Seminars Ellerslie Care Home

·         27.07.17 Educational Seminar Northumbria University

August

·         03.08.17 Team meeting with NHS Dumfries and Galloway Health Board

·         11.08.17 Educational Seminar with ALLIANCE team at Cooridoon Care Home

·         25.08.17 Educational Seminar at Loretto Care – Training and SVQ Teams

·         30.08.17 2 Educational Seminars at Stornoway Hospital

·         31.08.17 3 Educational Seminars Aberdeen Jarvis Court Care Home

September

·         01.09.17 Educational Seminar Student Led Conference Middleburgh University

·         06.09.17 Educational Seminar RCN Glasgow Education Day

·         12.09.17 Educational Seminar RCN Nottingham

·         13.09.17 Educational Seminar Patient and Client Council of Northern Ireland

·         14.09.17 Educational Seminar Bristol NHS Trust

·         15.09.17 2 Educational Seminars UWS Ayr

·         17.09.17 Educational Seminar RCN Halifax

·         19.09.17 Partnership tour and Educational Seminars across Jersey

·         26.09.17 Educational Seminar RCN Learning, Disability and Nursing Conference in Belfast

·         27.09.17 Educational Seminar UWS Hamilton

·         28.09.17 Educational Seminar London City College

·         29.09.17 2 Educational Seminars Claremont Care Home, Ayr

·         30.09.17 Carers event in Glasgow – DCV Stand

October

·         03.10.17 Educational Seminar York Nursing Conference

·         04.10.17 Educational Seminar Glasgow City College

·         05.10.17 Educational Seminar Derbyshire NHS Trust

·         06.10.17 Educational Seminar UWS Paisley with CNO Scotland

·         12.10.17 Educational Seminar National End of Life Care Conference

·         13.10.17 Educational Seminar RCN Eastern Region (AM)

·         13.10.17 Educational Seminar RCN Milton Keynes (PM) 

·         17.10.17 2 Educational Seminars Napier University

·         18.10.17 Educational Seminar Carers Consultation Conference at Strathclyde Park

·         19.10.17 Educational Seminar Care Quality Commission Annual Conference

·         26.10.17 Educational Seminar Healthwatch Hartley Poole

·         27.1017 Educational Seminar NHS GCC

·         30.1017 Educational Seminar NHS GCC 

·         

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