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The month of April saw the exciting launch of Care Companion, an online resource helped to support those who care for loved ones. The resource has been developed by our very own Warwick University alongside a panel of carers, the local CCGs and Warwickshire Council.
Looking forward to May, agencies are busy preparing for Mental Health Awareness Week and Dementia Action Week. And there's a lot going on....
Coventry will be hosting a range of events across the city to raise awareness with the hope of making Coventry a dementia inclusive city and raise awareness and positive conversations around Mental Health. This month's bulletin focuses on some of those activities happening across the city.
Thanks for reading - Gabrielle Borro - Joint Carers and Engagement Lead.
The Care Companion is a website created by people who are looking after someone. This includes a panel of people who have years of hands-on caring experience; GPs, mental health specialists and researchers at Warwick Medical School; Global Initiative (a digital agency), managers from local authorities, the voluntary sector and the NHS. The Care Companion has been funded by the NHS and charitable sources.
Aiming to provide a unique, personalised experience for carers who are seeking additional help, advice and support, or just looking for ideas to take time out, the Care Companion resources have been carefully chosen for being up to date, relevant and useful. The Care Companion offers:
- An online profile to ensure everything is personalised to your needs.
- A library of carefully selected resources tailored to your individual care needs.
- A mood monitor to help you become aware of mood changes over time.
- A diary to help you document personal feelings and events, recording upcoming appointments and notes.
Everyone who uses the Care Companion can become part of a community that influences its future design and development by feeding back your ideas and suggestions for content.
To register please use the following link: https://www.carecompanion.org.uk/
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Caring for a person with a mental health condition can bring about a whole set of challenges which can make many feel isolated. Many carers tell us they find it difficult to switch off, worry about the impact of the illness, may feel excluded from professional discussions and very often do not know where to turn for support.
Mental Health Awareness Week is an annual campaign coordinated by the Mental Health Foundation and runs from 13-19 May 2019.
The week aims to raise awareness of mental health and usually has a targeted theme which changes each year. The theme for 2019 is Body Image – how we think and feel about our bodies.
Body image issues can affect all of us at any age. During the week Coventry and Warwickshire MIND will be hosting a range of events in support of Mental Health Awareness Week and this year’s theme. Coventry and Warwickshire MIND Mental Health & Wellbeing Bus will be on the road across Coventry and Warwickshire and stopping in a number of locations.
Plus, Coventry and Warwickshire MIND will be readily available through their Wellbeing Hubs to provide mental health support and people will be encouraged to think positively about themselves and what makes them unique.
Read more information and see the timetable of events.
The Carers' Trust Heart of England will also be holding a stall in Broadgate Square on Saturday 20 May as part of Mental Health Awareness Week.
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Dementia Action Week 2019 is on the horizon and we’re bringing you the information that will help you to get involved, have fun and be part of making Coventry a more Dementia Inclusive City.
This year Dementia Action Week is about starting conversations, asking the questions you’ve always wanted to ask and taking action to increase the wellbeing of both carers and people with dementia.
The Alzheimer's Society is supporting Coventry and Warwickshire Year of Wellbeing and you may see this logo at a number of events. For more information please go to their website.
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Understanding a bit more about dementia
Attending a Dementia Friends session can be a great way to increase your understanding of dementia. These friendly and interactive sessions increase your knowledge of dementia and ask you to consider what small actions you can do to make a positive difference to people affected by dementia in the community. Keep a lookout for Dementia Friends sessions running during Dementia Action Week and after by heading to their website. This is a great opportunity to do your bit in trying to create a more dementia-friendly Coventry.
Dementia Inclusive Coventry
Another great way to get involved is by joining Dementia Inclusive Coventry. This group launched in February and is made up of community members (including people affected by dementia), voluntary organisations and businesses. Dementia Inclusive Coventry gives Coventry an opportunity to stimulate more local dementia-inclusive activities, which will raise awareness of dementia across the city. If you would like to get involved in this group then please contact Alice Williams on awilliams@belgrade.co.uk for more details.
Brass Bands always make you think about summer fetes and days out. What special memories do you have of musical occasions or summer holidays? If you’d like to share your story over a cup of tea and brass band entertainment then come along to St George’s Church (CV6 1EA) on Tuesday 21 May from 2pm-3.30pm. And if you don’t want to share a memory then come along and share some cake and tea!
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As a Dementia Action Week ‘Special’ Belgrade Theatre are holding an Arts Gymnasium ‘Living Well’ taster session on Friday 24 May from 11am-1pm. This lively and energetic session will then be followed by an opportunity to chat over a cream tea. If you would like to take part in the taster session and cream tea (£4.00 per person), please contact the box office on 024 7655 3055 by Wednesday 22 May to book.
Arts Gymnasium ‘Living Well’ fun weekly sessions promote positive wellbeing through imagination and movement, and are open to people with memory impairments and/or early stage dementia and carers.
Coventry Cathedral is holding its first Tea Dance during Dementia Action Week on Tuesday 21 May from 2pm-4pm.
The Tea Dance is an excellent way to meet new friends, learn some new dance moves with a trained professional and enjoy tea and cake whilst listening to tunes from yesteryear, performed by Miss Gloria Sunset.
Taking place during Dementia Action Week, this event will also give you a chance to chat with the teams from Alzheimer's Society and learn about support available to you and your family.
Free to attend | All ages welcome
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If you fancy something different during Dementia Action Week why not watch Connie’s Colander on Tuesday 21 May at 12 noon. Connie is a retired domestic science teacher. Connie’s daughter, Emily, is enjoying hosting her first TV cookery show, bringing her mother’s recipes onscreen and up to date. This compelling play is being performed at Tile Hill Library and follows the evolving relationship between Connie and her daughter, and the impact Connie’s Alzheimer’s has on this.
A couple of the libraries in Coventry have been running sharing memories sessions for a while now. These provide a chance to chat and enjoy memory evoking pictures and items and welcome anyone to attend, especially those with dementia. For Dementia Action Week Stoke Library is hosting a sharing memories taster session from 2-3pm on Monday 20 May. Why not head along to see what these sessions are all about?
Whilst you are at a library in Coventry, check out their range of books on prescription. Reading Well Books on Prescription for dementia recommends books that you might find helpful if you have dementia or are caring for someone with dementia. Reminiscence collections and information about local dementia services are also available at your local library.
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If you have any comments or wish to contribute something to the next bulletin, please let us know by contacting us at carers@coventry.gov.uk.
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