Author Archives: Clive Price

A new service for your wellbeing

Handy hints, practical tips and expert guidance on mobility and independence are offered in our brand new service on wellbeing.

FREE RESOURCES

A wide range of subjects are explored in this innovative section – here on the MMHS website. There you can get access to resources on a wide range of issues concerning mobility and independence. And many of those resources are free:

– a guide on how to choose the right mobility scooter;
– advice from Which? on how to arrange respite care;
– NHS guidance on keeping warm in the winter;
– an online map to find your local community transport provider;
– a free service for wheelchair users;
– a guide on keeping safe and driving for as long as possible.

USEFUL HANDOUTS

The ‘wellbeing’ section is growing all the time, as we are constantly researching and adding useful handouts and weblinks to the list. We are in contact with a range of other agencies who supply us with news on the latest developments in the area of wellbeing.

Keep visiting our website for wellbeing guidance, regular news, residents’ stories and the online versions of Roof ‘n’ Roots.

Share your story of caring

How do you – or a carer you know – support someone living with dementia? The organisers of National Dementia Carers’ Day – which took place on 10th September – want people to share such stories.

GREAT SUCCESS

NDCD was ‘a great success’ on social media, the organisers told us. A number of guest bloggers submitted content. Unfortunately, individual stories were small in number. However, NDCD are still interested to hear people’s stories and share them.

As many of us have experienced, caring for a loved one with dementia poses many challenges. Perhaps you can share what it means to be a carer. National Dementia Carers’ Day (NDCD) say all submissions will be read and may be shared as part of their work.

The day is an annual event, and the hope is that NDCD 2018 will be bigger than ever. The initiative is founded by a coalition of partners – SweetTree Home Care Services, Dementia UK and Alzheimer’s Society.

GOD MEMORIES

Quite separately from NDCD, over recent years a number of resources have been produced by various organisations, looking at dementia from a faith perspective. These include:

– Dementia: Living In The Memories Of God by John Swinton (William B Eerdmans, 2012);
– Where Memories Go: Why Dementia Changes Everything by Sally Magnusson (Two Roads, 2014);
– First Steps To Living With Dementia by Simon Atkins (Lion, 2013);
– Creating Church At Home: For Older People Living With Dementia by Patrick Coghlan (Kevin Mayhew, 2016);
– Dementia: Pathways To Hope by Louise Morse (Monarch Books, 2015);
– Prayers For Dementia by Fay Sampson (Darton, Longman and Todd, 2017).

‘When you’re caring for a loved one with dementia the world can be a very lonely place sometimes,’ said Nicki Bones from SweetTree Home Care Services. ‘Raising awareness is vital if we’re to build dementia-friendly communities.’ For more information and to share your story about living with dementia, visit here.

Use community transport

What if we don’t have access to cars, taxis or buses? Well, don’t worry – try community transport.

Ranging from car schemes to minibuses, these can be a lifeline in both rural and urban areas.

Community transport takes disabled people to work, children to school, sick people to healthcare and older people to the shops. Click on this link to find schemes in your area. (Photo: Clive Price)

 

Fighting fit for life

Some of us might notice it’s taking longer to get to the bus stop than it used to. For others, perhaps our weekly supermarket shop takes longer than before.

These can be signs that we’ve started slowing down. If that’s the case, we can take some steps to make sure we’re still on the move.

Here’s a guide to help us improve our health and general fitness and get us back in control.

 

Let’s think about our food

Remember to eat well. This is important as we get older.

There are certain foods we should try to eat – and others we should limit or avoid. We should also watch our weight, cut down on salt and make sure we prepare and store food safely.

But most important of all, we should also make sure we actually enjoy our food! Here are some guidelines. (Photo: Clive Price)

Take a break

We all know a change is as good as a rest. That’s especially true if you’re a carer.

If you provide care for a relative, friend or neighbour, there’ll be times when you need to take a break.

You may wish to attend appointments or simply take time out. Which? explains the respite care options available, how to choose and finance this type of care, and what benefits it can offer you and the person you care for. (Photo: Clive Price)

 

We’re going mobile

Mobility scooters can offer a great deal of independence when we need that extra boost to get out and about.

There are many different types available. Prices can range from under £400 to over £5,000, depending on the size and quality of the scooter.

Because there’s so much variety, it’s important to think about what will suit you before you buy. A useful guide is available from Rica (formerly Ricability), the trading name of the national research charity Research Institute for Consumer Affairs. (Photo: Rica)

 

Wheelchair without charge

We all need a little extra help to get around at some time or other. But what if we need to hire a wheelchair?

You can borrow a wheelchair from the British Red Cross for up to 12 weeks, free of charge.

In most cases you’ll need to visit your local mobility aids service to collect and return a wheelchair.

For more details, visit here. (Photo: Simon Rawles, British Red Cross)

 

Free to wander in Wales

Let’s face it. We all like a treat! Fancy a free ride across Wales?

A pilot bus service offering free weekend travel to passengers across Wales has been launched by the Welsh Government. It covers buses using the TrawsCymru network.

Designed to boost visitors, the scheme runs every weekend until May 2018. (Photo: Alan Dop / Alamy Live News)