You are invited to join us for breakfast at the Carers Centre on Friday 16 October at 10 am to take part in ‘Britain’s Best Breakfast’, a national fundraising campaign organised by Carers Trust to raise money to help support carers and raise awareness of the role they play. Carers, their friends and family and members of the general public are invited to join us for a fun breakfast and make a donation of £2. More information can be downloaded here.
Respitality Bungalow Now Available for Breaks for Carers
A beautiful bungalow in Perthshire has been offered for the use of carers as part of the Respitality project. Carers in the Falkirk area are invited to get in touch if they might be interested in booking a week in this pretty one-bedroom bungalow (below) which sleeps 2 people, initially in the period from November 2015 to January 2016. The bungalow is in Pitlochry and can be booked for periods up to one week at a charge of around £50/60 per week to cover servicing and cleaning. If you are a carer living in the Falkirk area and would like to find out more about the Bungalow and this offer, please get in touch with Sharon Campbell at the Carers Centre.
The purpose of Respitality is to give unpaid carers a break from their caring responsibilities so they can have some time for themselves to ‘recharge’ their batteries. This is achieved through the generosity and support of local hospitality providers who gift a Respitality break in the form of, for example, an overnight stay in their hotel, or a dinner for two, or a complimentary pass to their leisure club. More about Respitality here
Fronto-Temporal Dementia Carers Group
The Falkirk Fronto-Temporal Dementia Carers Group is being set up to provide help and advice to carers and relatives of people with Fronto-Temporal Dementia.
At the moment, most support groups available in Falkirk are set up specifically for carers of Alzheimer’s disease and Vascular Dementia. However, in our experience, people with Fronto-Temporal Dementias have very different needs. Many carers feel isolated from other carers as their personal situations are very different from their own.
The support group is open to the carers / relatives of the person diagnosed with Fronto-Temporal Dementia who are known to the Community Mental Health Services for Older Adults in Falkirk. Monthly meetings will be held to provide advice and social support in an informal setting.
Professionals are invited on a regular basis to talk about the clinical, social and legal aspects of care.
The group will be run by:
Alister Edmond, Community Psychiatric Nurse
Donna Mulder, Carers Training Co-ordinator, Carers Centre
Ruth Gardner, Occupational Therpist
Forthcoming meetings will take place at the Carers Centre on the following Fridays from 1.30 – 3.30 pm: 25 September, 30 October and 27 November 2015.
For further information, to book a place or if you require alternative care for the person you care for, so that you can attend please contact: Donna Mulder at the Carers Centre or download the programme here.
Caring for someone with dementia?
If you are caring for someone who has a diagnosis of dementia, you may be interesting in forthcoming weekly sessions on Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) starting at Falkirk Community Hospital on 19 October.
CST is a group intervention for people with dementia and for the family member or friend who supports them. It has been found to significantly benefit cognitive abilities such as memory and language (the person you care for must have a diagnosis of dementia and be able to communicate adequately to participate in a group setting).
Further information can be downloaded here. If you have questions or would like further information, please contact Louise Simpson or Kathryn Jackson, Occupational Therapists, Falkirk Community Hospital on 01324 673805.
Care With Confidence Sessions in Denny
During September, carers are invited to Care with Confidence sessions in Denny on Managing Stress. Sessions take place each Wednesday from 9 to 23 September at St Alexanders Church, Denny, FK6 6DL from 10.30 am to 12.30 pm. Contact the Carers Centre for more information or to book a place, or download the full programme here.
Care With Confidence Autumn 2015 Programme
A programme of weekly Care With Confidence sessions for carers in Falkirk district and Clackmannanshire will be taking place from the end of August to the end of November 2015. Topics will include: planning for the future; foot care; Power of Attorney; stress; Self-Directed Support and a range of other topics. There is no cost to attend these sessions which are held from 10 am to 12 noon at the Carers Centre in Falkirk and Hawkhill Community Centre in Alloa and carers can come along to some or all of the sessions.
Further information is available from Stella McDonald at the Carers Centre, Falkirk or Ian McCourt at the Carers Centre, Alloa and a copy of the programme can be downloaded here:
Care With Confidence Programme, Falkirk, August 2015
Care With Confidence Programme, Clackmannanshire, August 2015
Carers Forum Coming Up
Carers are invited to have their say at local Carers Forum meetings coming up in August:
Wednesday 19th August 2015, 10.00am, Hawkhill Community Centre, 132 Hillcrest Drive, Alloa, FK10 1SB
Monday 24th August 2015, 10.00am, Carers Centre, 1a Bank Street, Falkirk, FK1 1NB
The forum will be discussing the Carers Bill – National Eligibility Framework for Carers with Heather Noller from Carers Trust Scotland, the development of a Forth Valley Carers Card, and there will be news from the local Carers Representative on the Joint Integration Board.
Carers and Health and Social Care professionals are encouraged to attend. To register your attendance, please contact Ian McCourt at the Carers Centre in Alloa or Claire Crossan at the Centre in Falkirk.
Better Breaks Outings 2015 – Summer Outing Closing Date Monday 20 July 2015
Applications are invited for upcoming Better Breaks Outings for children and young people (up to 20 years) with additional support needs and their families in Falkirk district and Clackmannanshire:
- Auchingarrich Wildlife Park, Comrie (Falkirk families), Tuesday 4 and Thursday 6 August 2015
- Auchingarrich Wildlife Park, Comrie (Clackmannanshire families), Wednesday 5 August 2015
- Pantomime ‘The Little Mermaid’, Macrobert Centre, Stirling (Falkirk and Clackmannanshire families), Saturday 12 December 2015
To request a place, please complete the Better Breaks Application Form available from Rebecca Fowler at the Carers Centre: phone 01324 611510, email to request a form using our contact form or download an application form here: Better Breaks Application Form.
The deadline for receipt of completed applications for the summer outing is Monday 20 July 2015 and for the Christmas outing is Friday 4 September 2015.
Places cannot be guaranteed and priority will be given to families who have not participated in, or who have participated in fewer, previous Better Breaks outings.
Better Breaks outings are funded by the Scottish Government’s Short Breaks Fund
Messing About On The Water
Our Men’s Carers Group which meets on the second Tuesday of the month at the Carers Centre in Bank Street, Falkirk will not be meeting in their usual location on Tuesday 14 July. Continue reading “Messing About On The Water”
Carers Week 8th – 14th June 2015
Carers Week is an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges carers face and recognise the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK.
This year ‘s campaign will focus on Building Carer Friendly Communities – Communities which support carers to look after their loved ones well, while recognising that they are individuals with needs of their own. Continue reading “Carers Week 8th – 14th June 2015”