Author Archives: Clive Price

The making of Barrie

The family aren’t too far away, the local Methodist church is close, and it’s a nice walk to Pizza Express. Home is down a quiet lane, tucked away from the city roar.

Dragonflies dance on the pond full of ornamental fish in this semi-rural idyll. If you tire of gardening, potter in the shed that houses a model railway.

TAUGHT HISTORY

Is this a dream? No. ‘I’ve never lived anywhere as nice as this,’ Barrie told us. ‘I can’t think of anywhere I’d rather live.’

Revd Barrie Tabraham and wife Joan have been Society residents since June 2010. You may remember his name. He’s written two major books – The Making of Methodism and Brother Charles – the former is one of the most popular resources for those exploring the background of Methodism.

However, it’s not been a smooth ride to their retirement home in Surrey. Barrie had taught history for 12 years, then was a Methodist minister for 24.

SAVED LIFE

But cancer, two heart attacks and a series of surgical operations took their toll. Barrie ended up being signed off work for eight months in 2004. His district chair said to his wife Joan, ‘He should retire, he should stop’.

With reluctance and relief, Barrie was given permission to retire at 61 in 2008. ‘Joan thinks the church saved my life,’ said Barrie. ‘She said if I stayed in work, I’d be dead by now. I probably put in too many hours. My enthusiasm gets the better of me sometimes.’ (You can read Barrie’s full story in the winter 2017 edition of Roof ‘n’ Roots. Photos by Clive Price)

Winter 2017

While storms lashed these islands – followed by the worst snowfall in seven years – Roof ‘n’ Roots has been falling on doormats across the country.

Offering comfort and encouragement to our residents, here is a sample of the heart-warming content in our winter edition:

  • how Society resident and author Revd Barrie Tabraham found a place of peace;
  • why customer satisfaction is at an all-time high for the Society;
  • the launch of our new service for your wellbeing;
  • how fire safety is high on our agenda;
  • Revd Dr Neil Richardson on why God is willing to take up residence in our hearts and homes.

 

 

 

How to tech care

We all know we’re surrounded by a whole world of technology. But do we know it could help make life easier when caring for someone?

According to Carers UK, simple devices and apps can help someone live independently for longer. To equip and inform you, Carers UK have supplied us with their guide What Can Tech Do For You? – which you can download here or visit the Carers UK website.

Many of us use technology in our everyday lives. But seven out of ten people don’t think of technology when it comes to caring.

Why not use it to help you take care of your loved one? You could set up one or two devices or applications – or even a larger system that is connected to you and other carers.

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)