Community and Dementia: Creating Better Lives in Forth Valley

STORYTELLING SESSIONS

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

Carers Week 2020!

“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.

Forum Feb 2020 agenda image

Falkirk Carers Forum on Wednesday 19 February 2020

Please join us for our next meeting of the Falkirk Carers Forum on

  • Wednesday 19 February 2020 at Trinity Church, Falkirk
  • 10.45 am to 1 pm followed by a buffet lunch

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.

 

Carers Christmas Lunch 2019

Local carers are invited to a festive Christmas Lunch on Tuesday 10 December 2019 from 12 noon to 2 pm.

The Carers Christmas Lunch brings carers together to relax, have a break from their caring role, meet and chat with other carers and have some festive fun.

Lunches will be held at the Grange Manor Hotel in Falkirk FK3 8XJ and Dunmar House in Alloa FK10 2EN.

For further details and to book a place, please download a Christmas Lunch flyer below.  Places are limited and require to be booked in advance.

Carers Christmas Lunch Booking Form (Falkirk)

Carers Christmas Lunch Booking Form (Clackmannanshire)

Carers Christmas Lunch 2018

Local carers are invited to a festive Christmas Lunch on Tuesday 11 December 2018 from 12 noon to 2 pm.

The Carers Christmas Lunch brings carers together to relax, have a break from their caring role, meet and chat with other carers and have some festive fun.

Lunches will be held at the Grange Manor Hotel in Falkirk FK3 8XJ and Dunmar House in Alloa FK10 2EN.

For further details and to book a place, please download a Christmas Lunch flyer below.  Places are limited and require to be booked in advance.

Carers Christmas Lunch Booking Form (Falkirk)

Carers Christmas Lunch Booking Form (Clackmannanshire)

Care with Confidence

Frontotemporal Dementia Carer Sessions

The Frontotemporal Dementia Carer Sessions are open to carers of people with a confirmed diagnosis of Frontotemporal Dementia.  The monthly sessions provide information and support to carers in an informal setting.  Professionals are also invited on a regular basis to talk about the clinical, social and legal aspects of care.

The programme which includes sessions on Food for Thought, Stress & Distress and a Topic Choice chosen by the carers who attend will start on Friday 28 September from 1.30 pm to 3.30 pm.  Thereafter the group will meet on the last Friday in October and November 2018.

To book a place, or for further information, please contact Rebecca Fowler at the Carers Centre.

Care with Confidence

Care with Confidence in Falkirk: What Carers Need to Know

The What Carers Need to Know programme will help carers to improve their confidence and develop their knowledge and understanding of their caring role.  For those who cannot attend our day time programmes, we are offering carers an opportunity to attend six evening sessions, 6 pm to 8 pm, at Falkirk & Clackmannanshire Carers Centre, starting on Wednesday 12 September 2018.  Refreshments and finger buffet will be available on arrival.  Please download a programme for more information.

To book a place or for further information, please contact Rebecca at the Centre in Falkirk.

Falkirk Carers Forum on Wednesday 22 August 2018

Please join us for our next meeting of the Falkirk Carers Forum on

  • Wednesday 22 August 2018 at Trinity Church, Falkirk
  • 10.45 am to 1 pm followed by a buffet lunch

The meeting will include an update on the local Short Breaks Statement.  The Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 which came into force on 1 April 2018 will place a new duty on local authorities to prepare and publish a Short Breaks Services Statement.  There will be an opportunity to discuss the local Short Breaks statement which will provide carers and the person they care for with information about the short breaks services available locally and across Scotland.

To book a place:

Email: clairecrossan@centralcarers.co.uk or telephone the Centre in Falkirk.