The last year has certainly brought about more unusual challenges than we might have expected going into 2020!
Here’s a review of what we’ve been able to carry out since the beginning of the pandemic, and the ways in which we’ve adapted to continue helping as many carers as possible!
“This year, carers across the country are continuing to face new challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many people are taking on more caring responsibilities for their relatives and friends who are disabled, ill or older and who need support.
They need to be recognised for the difficulties they are experiencing, respected for all they are doing, and provided with information, support and understanding. So during Carers Week, we’re coming together to help Make Caring Visible and Valued.” ~ www.carersweek.org
Carers Week 2021 will run from Monday 7 June until Sunday 13 June. To celebrate Carers Week, we have put together an 
extensive programme of events running throughout the week, including: The Big Carers Week Raffle!, a Cool Creatures Watch Party, and more! To find out more about what’s happening, click this link!
Please note, all of our Carers Week activities and groups will use Zoom, so if you would like any help with accessing Zoom, please contact us on 01324 611510 (option 4) or email centre@centralcarers.co.uk and one of the team will be happy to help.
For carers who have no access to the internet, our support workers are here daily and available to help with any information, advice or support you need as a carer. Please call us if you need to talk on 01324 611510.
Patricia Cassidy, Chief Officer of Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership said: “I hope this Carers Week not only celebrates the invaluable work of unpaid carers across the Falkirk area, but also helps raise awareness of the many different ways someone can be a carer.
“Many people don’t realise the support they provide for their family member, close friend or even their neighbour, could make them a carer. I would encourage everyone to share the campaign’s messages, and if they see themselves in the stories of carers, please access the wonderful support provided by the Falkirk and Clackmannanshire Carers Centre.
On 27 May 2021, Life Changes Trust are hosting a conference called ‘Community and Dementia: Creating Better Lives in Forth Valley’. It’s an opportunity for local people to share what it feels like to live in Forth Valley, when you live with dementia, care for a loved one with dementia, or work with people with dementia and/or unpaid carers. It is also an opportunity for local groups, organisations and decision-makers to respond.
Life Changes Trust are inviting you to say what matters to you, as someone with dementia or as an unpaid carer, by attending a special session run by the Village Storytelling Centre and held before the conference. What you and others tell us will be at the heart of the conference.
The storyteller uses stories and imaginary characters to make it easier for people to talk about dementia in a way that doesn’t feel too personal. It is an opportunity for your voice and your thoughts to be heard, exactly as you want them to be. Whatever you want to say is added to that of others taking part and, together, you create a hypothetical character – a person with dementia or an unpaid carer. The ‘characters’ represent what it is like to live in Forth Valley with the experiences you have given the characters.
The storytellers analyse the conversations that have created these ‘characters’. We draw out priorities which will be shared at the conference for discussion and responses. The priorities will be presented with some quotes (anonymised) taken from the sessions. You can see an example of this, delivered by Shona Cowie from the Village Storytelling Centre at the Edinburgh & Lothians event in November 2020.
There is a session for people with dementia, another for unpaid carers and a third for workers and volunteers providing support to people with dementia and unpaid carers.
Posted on behalf of Life Changes Trust
The Carers Centre staff team has been working from home providing support to local carers by telephone, email and online since March. The service will close from Friday 25 December 2020 until Monday 4 January 2021 (inclusive), re-opening on Tuesday 5 January 2021. Details of local support and emergency services are available below:
Finally, the staff and Board of the Carers Centre wish carers a happy, healthy and safe festive season and look forward to continuing to offer information and support in the New Year.
Instead of our usual Christmas Carers Lunch, this year we are going to run 12 Days of Christmas Raffle with 12 prizes being given out daily from 1 December.
This is free to enter! All carers have to do is register by phone or email us, making sure to include their contact telephone number.
Prizes include: gift vouchers for local businesse and local experiences!
Keep an eye on our social media for more information!
Merry Christmas from the team at Falkirk & Clackmannanshire Carers Centre 🎅🎄
Call: 01324 611510
Email: centre@centralcarers.co.uk
“This Carers Week, we’re recognising that now, more than ever before, it’s time for us to come together and help Make Caring Visible. Everyone has a part to play in making sure carers are seen, heard, and understood; and helping them to get the support they need to care.”
The 2020 Carers Week will run from Monday 8 June until Sunday 14 June. To celebrate Carers Week, we have put together an extensive programme of events running throughout the week, including: The Big Carers Quiz!, a Cool Creatures Watch Party on Facebook, and more! To find out more and to view our full programme, click this link!
Please note, all of our Carers Week activities and groups will use Zoom, so if you would like any help with accessing Zoom, please contact us on 01324 611510 or email centre@centralcarers.co.uk and one of the team will be happy to help.
For carers who have no access to the internet, our support workers are here daily and available to help with any information, advice or support you need as a carer. Please call us if you need to talk on 01324 611510.
Please join us for our next meeting of the Falkirk Carers Forum on
The meeting will include a presentation by Marina Harper from Caesar & Howie on the Accident Claims Service, which, in conjunction with Age Scotland, seeks to give older people in Scotland a fairer service when it comes to making a personal injury claim. There will also be an opportunity for carers to discuss and request future forum topics and speakers. A link to the meeting agenda can be found below.
To book a place please email susandocherty@centralcarers.co.uk or telephone the Centre in Falkirk on 01324 611 510.
February 2020 Carers Forum Agenda.
Thanks to those who participated in the first Carers Strategy Consultation event this week … if you missed it, there is another opportunity to get involved on Wednesday 16 January, 6 pm to 8 pm at the Centre in Falkirk. We look forward to seeing you then!
