invitation to carer essentials session on wednesday 4 february from 2 to 3.30 pm

February Carer Essentials

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Carer Essentials are back and you are invited!

This session is designed to inform and empower unpaid carers in Falkirk & Clackmannanshire so that they can care with confidence.

Youโ€™ll learn about:

  • Your rights as an unpaid carer
  • What we do at the Centre and how we can help
  • What other local services and support are available
  • What an Adult Carer Support Plan (ACSP) is and how you can benefit from it
Youโ€™ll also get to meet our teams and have the opportunity to ask your questions!

Ideal for those who are:

  • are new to caring for a relative or friend
  • have registered with the Carers Centre in the last 6 months
  • or just would like a refresher of what we do and how we can help

Details:

📅 Wednesday 4 February
⏰ From 2 pm to 3.30 pm
📍 Carers Centre or Zoom
📝 Register here
For more information or to enquire about future sessions, please email 📧daynafaulds@centralcarers.co.uk
care with confidence programme header showing an older gentleman and woman with their daughter and giving information about the sessions (Tuesdays from 10.30 am for Falkirk and Clackmannanshire carers)

Care with Confidence Programme – January to February

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Our new programme has now been released!

Come along to learn about topics that can help you with your caring role.ย 

Tuesday 20 January 2026: Welcome Back – Burns Day

Letโ€™s start our 2026 program with a toast to the anniversary of the poet Robert Burnsโ€™ birth, one of our most famous and celebrated Scots. Our local historian Ian Scott will join us to share interesting tales of the Bard, followed by a Burns lunch.

Tuesday 27 January 2026: Dementia & Delirium

Delirium is common in people with dementia and can make them increasingly confused and distressed. Learn to recognise the signs and what you can do to help someone feel calmer and more in control. Find out how delirium is treated and what to expect during recovery.

Tuesday 03 February 2026: Digital Switchover

Landlines are changing, and the UKโ€™s telephone network is going digital. By January 2027, the old analogue network will be completely switched off and replaced by new digital landlines, which will work using broadband. Come along to find out how this could affect you and any telecare devices you may use, such as personal alarms, pendant alarms, and home care monitoring systems.

Tuesday 10 February 2026: A guide to driving safer for longer

Your car needs an MOTโ€”shouldnโ€™t mature drivers have a similar check-up?
As we age, changes such as declining eyesight, slower reaction times, and the effects of medication can impact driving ability. To help mature drivers stay safe on the road, Road Safety Scotland has launched a new campaign: โ€œA Guide to Driving Safely for Longer.โ€
Join us to learn about the legal requirements and discover practical steps you can take to keep driving confidently and safely for as long as possible.

You can download the programme leaflet fromย here.

To book a place or for further information on any of the above, please contact your Training Co-ordinator:

👩ย  Donna Mulder – Working hours:ย 21 hours per week (Monday โ€“ Wednesday)
📱ย  07824 381280
📧ย  donnamulder@centralcarers.co.uk

If you are aย carer in Clackmannanshire, you are welcome to join these Falkirk sessions either over Zoom or, if youโ€™d like to attend in person, travel may be provided. Please reach out to Donna for more information.ย 

celebratory image with one of our staff handing over the respitality certificate to Reset float centre

Respitality Donor Spotlight: Res(e)t Float Centre

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Celebrating 2 Years of Support from Res(e)t Float Centre!

Res(e)t Float Centre in Grangemouth has been part of the Respitality initiative for 2 fantastic years, donating free float therapy sessions to unpaid carers, allowing them to take a break from their caring role.

Their continued support makes a real difference, and we would like to express our gratitude by celebrating them on this very day, when they joined the initiative in 2024.

Who is Res(e)t Float Centre?

Res(e)t Float Centre in Grangemouth is a specialist float therapy centre dedicated to helping people find deep relaxation and mental clarity through float therapy. Founded by Donna and Susan in 2021, the centre offers state-of-the-art sensory deprivation pods designed to reduce stress, provide pain relief, and improve overall well-being.

The centre is known to offer a calm, clean, and welcoming environmentโ€”praised by visitors for being spotless, soothing, and supported by friendly, expert staff. Guests can escape the noise of everyday life and experience true tranquillity.

How did carers benefit?

Carers who visited Res(e)t Float Centre through Respitality described their experience as deeply relaxing and transformative.

Many arrived feeling stressed and exhausted, but left feeling recharged, pampered, and at peace. One carer said, โ€œIt was the first time I had complete silence and time just for meโ€”I underestimated how much I missed that.โ€ Another shared, โ€œI felt like the bad day had dissolved; everything felt lighter.โ€

These moments of calm and solitude are priceless for those who give so much of themselves every day.ย 

Read the full case study here.

Are you a local business?

Learn more about the Respitality initiative and how you can get involved here.

Are you a carer?

To find out more, please contact our Short Breaks team on 01324 611510 (Option 1) or email shortbreaks@centralcarers.co.uk

invitation to falkirk carers voice on 26th January from 10 am in the Carers Centre

Invitation to January Falkirk Carers’ Voice

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Falkirk Carers, help shape Carers Strategy in 2026 and beyond!

Come along to have your say!

Join us to speak with Jennifer Faichney, Policy and Research Officer at the Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership, about your needs as a carer and what you consider a priority for Falkirkโ€™s carers.

Meeting details:
📅 Monday 26 January 2026
⏰ย From 10 am to 12 noon
📍 At the Carers Centre in Falkirk or via Zoom

Register for the event here: https://form.jotform.com/CentralCarers/falkirk-carers-voice
Or get in touch with Sharlene Ramage, our Carer Participation Development Worker: sharleneramage@centralcarers.co.uk

⁉️ Did you know that you can read the previous meeting minutes on our website? Go to https://centralcarers.org/information/publications/

dementia programme header showing an older lady with her daughter and giving information about the sessions (last Tuesdays of the month from 10.30 am for Falkirk and Clackmannanshire carers)

Dementia Information Sessions – January to March

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Our new Dementia programme is out!

Come along to learn about topics that can help you care for someone with dementia.

Tuesday 27 January 2026: Dementia & Delirium

Delirium is common in people with dementia and can make them increasingly confused and distressed. Learn to recognise the signs and what you can do to help someone feel calmer and more in control. Find out how delirium is treated and how long it takes to recover.

Tuesday 24 February 2026: Dementia – Sundowning & Shadowing

You may notice that the person you care for becomes more confused and/or agitated in the late afternoon and evening. This is known as โ€œSundowningโ€. Learn about the steps you can take to help reduce sundowning, for their benefit as well as your own. Shadowing is a form of behaviour in which a person with dementia follows their caregiver around. Find out how to manage this behaviour by gaining an understanding of why this occurs.

Tuesday 31 March 2026: Dementia – Behaviour: Hints & Tips

Changes in behaviour can be one of the most difficult aspects of living with dementia. Itโ€™s important to see beyond the behaviour itself and think about what may be causing it. There may be specific reasons why the person with dementia is behaving differently. Come along to learn more about what you can do to help.

You can download the programme leaflet from here.

To book a place or for further information on any of the above, please contact your Training Co-ordinator:

👩ย  Donna Mulder – Working hours: 21 hours per week (Monday โ€“ Wednesday)
📱ย  07824 381280
📧ย  donnamulder@centralcarers.co.uk
If you are a carer in Clackmannanshire, you are welcome to join these Falkirk sessions either over Zoom or, if you’d like to attend in person, travel may be provided. Please reach out to Donna for more information.ย 

Information Sessions for Professionals

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Falkirk Professionals, you’re invited!

Come along to network and learn about what we do and how you can help unpaid carers!

If you know any other professionals who work with carers, please let them know about this opportunity. This session will give professionals an overview of what we do at the Carers Centre and how we can work together to support the carers they work with.

✅ Learn how we support unpaid carers
✅ Meet our teams and learn what they all do
✅ Connect with other professionals
✅ Gain practical insights into the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016, Adult Carer Support Plans and Young Carer Statements, the hospital discharge process involving the carer, and more!
Let’s work together to support carers in our community!

📅 Thursday 29 January 2026
⏰ย From 10 am to 12 pm
📍 Carers Centre, 1a Bank Street or via Zoom

Register for the event here!ย 

⁉️ ย Alternatively, if you can’t make this one and you’d like to be informed about upcoming sessions via emails,, please register your interest here.

invitation to transitions overview session for parents and carers of children with ASN

Transitions Overview by FHSCP

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Parents and unpaid carers of young people with additional support needs, this session is for you!

Join us if the child you care for is approaching or going through transitions.

Fiona Douglas, Transitions Coordinator for Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP), is coming to the Carers Centre to provide a Transitions Overview for parents and unpaid carers. Fiona supports primarily children with autism who struggle with changes, helping them come to terms with transitioning from primary school to high school, or from high school to work. She also helps parents and carers transition from children to adult services.

Join to:

✅ Learn about the transition process from children to adult services
✅ Understand available support and resources
✅ Ask questions and share experiences

Details:

📅 Tuesday 27 January
🕒 From 3 pm to 4 pm
📍 Carers Centre, 1A Bank Street, Falkirk, FK1 1NB
❗Book your place here! – If you cannot attend this session, there’s an option on the form to register for a waiting list.

Christmas-themed image showing closure times

Festive Opening Hours and Support Services

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Falkirk and Clackmannanshire Carers Centre will be closed from Wednesday 24 December 2025 and will reopen on Monday 5 January 2026. The Carers Centre in Falkirk will close on Tuesday 23 December; however, our phone lines will remain open on Wednesday 24 December. Details of local support and emergency services are available below:

  • If you need an urgent Social Work service outwith normal office hours, you can contact:
    • Clackmannanshire Emergency Social Work on 01786 470500
    • Falkirk Emergency Social Work onย 01786 470500
  • For information about local health services which are available, such as GPs and Pharmacies, please visit NHS Forth Valley – Know Who To Turn To When You Are Ill.
  • There is a Minor Injuries Unit for anyone living in NHS Forth Valley. Contact NHS 24ย onย 111, day or night, before attending the Minor Injuries Unit, or visit Minor Injuries Unit.
  • For an A-Z of health services, you can go to NHS Forth Valley – Local Services Finder.
  • Our friends at CVS Falkirk have also put together a Wellness in Winter page on their website with lots of useful information and links – CVS Falkirk – Wellness in Winter 2025/26
  • Whatever youโ€™re going through,ย Samaritanโ€™sย will face it with you! Theyโ€™re there for you 24 hours a day, 365 days a year โ€“ call forย FREEย onย 116123.

Finally, the staff and Board of the Carers Centre wish carers a peaceful, healthy and safe festive season, and we look forward to continuing to offer support in 2026.

Invitation to Dementia Consultation

Consultation: Dementia – Services and Support

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We are inviting Falkirk carers who care for someone with a dementia diagnosis to this consultation.

We would encourage you to join even if you havenโ€™t attended the previous consultations, asย your valuable insights can help shape dementia support.

Yvonne Cairns, NHS Forth Valley Dementia and Delirium Lead, and Emma Douglas, leader of the Community Mental Health Team for Older Adult Services, will be joining us again and are continuing to gather your views and experiences related to dementia services and support. The specific topic for this session will be confirmed later. During the session, Yvonne will also share top tips, and any progress that has been made to the services, thanks to carers having shared their experiences last time.

Please register by 2 pm on Tuesday 13 January; however,ย if you require a translator, please let us know at least 2 weeks in advance.

Details:
📅 Thursday 15 January 2025
⏰ From 10 am to 12 noon
📍 In person at the Falkirk and Clackmannanshire Carers Centre or on Zoom
Celebratory image about Brucefield Estate being a Respitality Donor

Respitality Donor Spotlight: Brucefield Estate

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Celebrating 3 Years of Support from Brucefield Estate!

For three incredible years, Brucefield Estate has been part of the Respitality initiative, donating 2-night stays to unpaid carers, allowing them to take a break from their caring role.

Their continued generosity makes a real difference, and we would like to express our gratitude by celebrating them on this very day, when they joined the initiative in 2022.

Who is Brucefield Estate?

Brucefield Estate is a luxury ecotourism destination located near Forestmill in Clackmannanshire, Scotland, about an hour from Edinburgh and Glasgow. It offers Scandinavian-inspired eco-cabins set within a historic 1,000-acre woodland estate, blending modern comfort with heritage.

The estate is deeply committed to sustainability, operating under a 10-year ecological management plan that protects habitats for species like red squirrels, pine martens, and rare butterflies. Guests can enjoy artisan-crafted cabins, local food hampers, outdoor fireplaces, and guided nature experiences in a wildlife-rich environment.

How did carers benefit?

For carers, Brucefield wasnโ€™t just a break; it was a moment of restoration – a chance to escape, relax, and recharge their batteries. ย 

Carers felt welcomed with warmth; the owner greeted them personally, showing them how to light the wood burner and leaving thoughtful touches like fresh eggs, homemade jam, and bread.

Carers found the estate a sanctuary, surrounded by nature, and the peace was almost surreal. They spent time walking along quiet paths, curling up with a bookโ€”a rare luxuryโ€”and simply soaking in the beauty of the scenery. The Schenbothy, with its cozy interior and comfortable bed, felt like a little home away from home.

Read the full case study here.

Are you a local business?

Learn more about Respitality and how you can get involved here.

Are you a carer?

To find out more, please contact our Short Breaks team on 01324 611510 (Option 1) or email shortbreaks@centralcarers.co.uk