Age-Friendly Manchester monthly e-bulletin.

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E-Bulletin Issue 204 – May 2022

This monthly update provides news, event details, information and advice for older people and those who work with and support older people.

If you have any articles or news you would like to be considered for a future Bulletin, I can be contacted on joanne.taylor@manchester.gov.uk. I look forward to hearing from you.

Latest Guidance

Keep up the fight against Coronavirus (COVID-19) 

COVID-19, along with many other respiratory infections such as influenza (flu), can spread easily and cause serious illness in some people. You may be infected with a respiratory virus such as COVID-19 and not have any symptoms but still pass infection onto others.

There are simple things you can do as part of daily life that will help reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory infections. 

1. Get vaccinated.
2. Let fresh air in if meeting others indoors.
3. Keep good hygiene:
   -  wash and/or sanitise hands regularly around the home and when   
      outside in shared spaces
   -  cover your coughs and sneezes
   -  clean your surroundings frequently
4. Wear a face covering or a face mask.

Face coverings and face masks can help reduce the chance of you spreading infection to others, especially in crowded and enclosed spaces, and may protect you from becoming infected by some respiratory viruses.

For the latest information and support visit Manchester City Council website.  

If you have COVID concerns ring Manchester's COVID-19 helpline on 0800 840 3858 or text 07890 036 892.

Travel advice

If you're travelling around Greater Manchester, use the TfGM Journey Planner to get you on your way.

Avoid traffic queues by checking your local radio station for up-to-date travel news ahead of travelling.

For the latest train information and possible disruptions check National Rail website.

Travelling outside the UK?

For the latest guidance and checklist, visit the Government website.

Manchester Airport

Check the Airport website for departures and arrivals, COVID-19 testing and to check up-to-the-minute estimated security waiting times.

Latest News

Do you look after someone in Manchester?

If you look after someone in Manchester, Carers Manchester is here to help you access the support and advice you need.

Carers Manchester is a group of organisations, working together to improve services for Manchester’s unpaid carers.

The Contact Point acts as a first point of contact for all unpaid carers in the Manchester City Council area, who require advice and support.

This service is delivered through a partnership of Gaddum, LMCP, Manchester Carers Forum and Wai Yin Society.  Carers Manchester also provide services in the local community, through a network of 18 organisations and run regular free workshops such as Being a Carer, Nutrition, Worry v Problem Solving, Welfare and Benefits and more.

Visit www.carersmanchester.org.uk for more details or sign up to their fortnightly e-newsletter.

Carers can also get in touch by:

• calling on the Contact Point helpline 0161 543 8000
  (Monday – Friday 10am – 4pm except bank holidays, and 10am – 6pm on Wednesdays)
• email contactpoint@carersmanchester.org.uk or Facebook messenger.

The Neighbourhoods Apartment Service - offering short-term accommodation for people 55 and over

The Neighbourhood Apartment Service provides short-term accommodation for those who need some extra help and support for a short period of time in order to support them to continue living independently. There are 25 apartments throughout Manchester, within extra care schemes and sheltered schemes.

You must be referred to the service by a professional, for example, a social worker or your GP, who can email the Neighbourhoods Apartments Service for more information on Neighbourhoodapartments@manchester.gov.uk

All the neighbourhood apartments are fully furnished and free of charge.

You may be able to access a neighbourhood apartment if you

• need adaptations in your home and you need to stay elsewhere
• are in hospital and unable to go home because your needs have changed
• cannot live at home at the moment because of a domestic housing emergency or unsafe property conditions, e.g. a fire, flood or awaiting a crisis clean
• are at risk of harm and you need somewhere safe to stay.

If you need help at home contact the Manchester City Council contact centre for advice and support on 0161 234 5001.

Shore Green - accommodation and housing related support for people with memory loss conditions over the age of 55

Irwell Valley Homes is committed to providing specialist housing and support, to meet a range of needs. Shore Green is based in Newall Green, Manchester.  It provides supported accommodation and housing related support to people over 55, with long-term memory loss conditions such as dementia, Alzheimer’s and who have a care assessment.  Shore Green works in partnership with Premier Care and Manchester City Council.  Priority is given to Manchester residents.

Manchester Age Friendly Libraries

From 1 June all libraries in Manchester will have 'Age Friendly Libraries' status and proudly display the new Manchester Age Friendly Library Logo!

Manchester Libraries team-up with the Wildlife Trust

During June, Manchester Libraries will be supporting the Wildlife Trust's national campaign "30 Days Wild"  - Take a walk on the wild side... 30 Days Wild, the UK’s biggest nature challenge, is back! | The Wildlife Trusts.

Jubilee Events 

Libraries across the city

Tuesday 31 May to Saturday 4 June

Friendly career support for over 50s - GMCA and Stay Nimble 

Are you over 50 and need help figuring out your next work move, or finding a path to better-paid work?

You may be eligible for free 6 hours online support from a qualified career coach, if you're aged 50+ and:

• are in receipt of one or more of:
  • Universal Credit (UC), Job Seeker's Allowance (JSA), Employment Support Allowance (ESA), Housing Benefit, Child Tax Credit (CTC), Working Tax Credit (WTC) or Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
• earn less than £25,000 per year or less than £14.00 per hour

With dedicated coaching time and an easy to use website, you will have help to understand your strengths and skills, build confidence and be inspired to explore future career goals.

Register at Stay Nimble Greater Manchester Career Coaching Registration

Events and Activities

Get musical with Sonder Radio - 3 week online music course

Begins Monday 6 June, 10.30am to 3.30pm everyday from Monday to Friday

For Manchester residents 50+

• Gain new creative digital skills
• Create your own live radio show
• Build employment skills
• Develop confidence and make new friends

Contact Sonder Radio on 07933 773 118 or email hello@sonderradio.com

Bereavement Support Group 

St Richard's Church Hall Peel Hall, 100 Peel Hall Road, Wythenshawe

Wednesday 8 June, 1.00pm to 3.00pm

Refreshments provided

Have you lost a loved one?  Or perhaps the loss of a friend?  Do you need someone to talk to?  Someone to listen to you.  Someone like you.

If you think this could be what you are looking for, contact Phil Tomlinson of the Buzz Health & Wellbeing Service on 07557 677 969 or email Philip.tomlinson@gmmh.nhs.uk, or contact Pat Higson on 07737 185 213 or email pat.higson65@gmail.com.

City of Trees - dementia friendly walks in Withington

Tuesdays - 14 June, 12 July and 9 August, 2.00pm to 4.00pm

Join City of Trees and the Whitworth Art Gallery for a monthly walk around the beautiful Whitworth Park in Withington. The walks are designed for anyone living with a diagnosis of dementia, their friends, family and carers.  Choose to join one, or each of the monthly walks.

During the walk, the group will chat all things wildlife, nature and
gardening!  Please bring suitable sturdy footwear and a waterproof coat for
changeable weather. Walkers will be outdoors for about an hour and then
head inside for a hot drink and craft activity. Toilets and café are
available to use inside the Art Gallery.

Meeting point is at the rear of the gallery, at the Park Side reception,
accessed via Denmark Road, M15 6FG.

Booking is essential and can be done either by emailing Katie on 
katie@cityoftrees.org.uk or calling her on 0161 872 1660.

TfGM - Safer Driver Seminar aimed at drivers aged 60+

AJ Bell Stadium, 1 Stadium Way, Barton-Upon-Irwell, M30 7EY
(free parking)

Tuesday 14 June, 10.00am to 2.00pm (lunch included)

This seminar is an opportunity for attendees to listen to presentations on a series of road safety and wellbeing related topics from various organisations such as Greater Manchester Police, National Highways, TfGM, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service and many more.

The seminar will also be an opportunity for individuals to sign-up for the FREE Safer Driving for Longer courses and on-road coaching session. This is a great opportunity to boost driving confidence in experienced drivers.  There will also be presentations from public transport professionals promoting services for those drivers who are considering alternative ways to travel. 

To book you can call 0300 123 1518 (lines open 8.30am to 3.30pm).  Alternatively, you can email the Road Safety team quoting the email subject SEMINAR on roadsafety@tfgm.com or visit website www.drivesafe.org.uk

Local Digital Skills sessions - Manchester Adult Education Service (MAES)

Manchester Adult Education Service (part of Manchester City Council) provides courses and activities to improve the lives and skills of adults in Manchester. Their digital Skill Up sessions provide the perfect opportunity to get tailored support from qualified teachers on a range of digital issues. They take place at local libraries and learning centres across the city, with morning and afternoon sessions every weekday, apart from Thursdays.  Check the MAES website to see the Spring timetable.

Whether you need help setting up a new phone, updating your Universal Credit Journal, printing tickets or writing a CV, MAES can help.

For more information, contact Kate Harrison either by email kate.harrison@manchester.gov.uk or call 07814 0414 32.

Windrush Day 2022 

Alexandra Park, 180 Russell Street, Manchester, M16 7 JL

Saturday 25 June, 12.00pm - 6.00pm

The Caribbean & African Health Network (CAHN) are hosting Windrush Day at Alexandra Park.  There will be lots of stalls, cultural workshops, entertainment, sports, family activities and much more.  They also have health checks on offer.

Register via CAHN.

Manchester Carers Wellbeing Morning

Wednesday, 29 June, 10.00am to 1.00pm

St Andrew's Manse, St Andrew's House, Brownley Road, Wythenshawe, M22 0DW

Breakfast provided

Meet fellow carers, share ideas to support and improve health and wellbeing.  Open to carers and the people you care for who live in Manchester.  Lots of wellbeing activities throughout the morning.

Register via Eventbrite registration link.  Or call Ben Talbot on 07552 249 937 or email him on ben.talbot@gmmh.nhs.uk

Research, reading and resources

Have your say - City Centre Active Travel Scheme second stage consultation

Friends Meeting House, 6 Mount Street, Manchester, M2 5NS

Wednesday 1 June, 4.00pm to 7.00pm

People in Manchester are encouraged to take part in the second-stage consultation to help to create better walking and cycling routes across the city.

A face-to-face drop in event is taking place on 1 June at the Friends Meeting House.  You can also have your say by completing the online questionnaire by emailing atscitycentre@manchester.gov.uk. 

For more information, visit the Manchester City Council webpage.

Cost of Living Survey 

Age UK

To support the new “It Doesn’t Add Up” campaign, Age UK’s Campaigns Team have created a survey to hear the experiences of older people who are worried about the rising cost of living.

“It Doesn’t Add Up” is Age UK’s follow up to the Cost of Cold campaign, continuing the call for immediate and sufficient support for older people as the cost of living rises to unprecedented levels. To support the campaign, we have created a survey to hear the experiences of older people who are worried about the rising cost of living. 

Many older people, particularly those on low and fixed incomes, are struggling to make ends meet. Soaring energy bills have been just the beginning, with the cost of food and fuel, among other necessities, on the rise.

Age UK is campaigning for the Government to provide the necessary support older people need to avoid struggling. They’re looking for older people to share your perspective by completing a short survey on:

• How the rising cost of living is affecting you
• What you're cutting back on or struggling to afford

With this insight, Age UK can inform the Government how rising costs are affecting older people and what sort of support will help.

The Manchester Urban Ageing Research Group - online Zoom conversation

University of Manchester

Tuesday 7 June, 3.00pm to 4.00pm

James Nazroo from the University of Manchester will host an online conversation with Dharmi Kapadia and Atiha Chaudry about racism, ageing and urban environments.

Guest speakers include Atiha Chaudry who is Chair of the Manchester BME Network and has over 25 years of experience within the public, voluntary and community sectors. Recently, Atiha was part of the Uncertain Futures project at Manchester Art Gallery and will be sharing some of the research findings.

Dharmi Kapadia is a Lecturer from the University of Manchester whose research focusses on racism, health, mental health and older people. Dharmi is a member of the ESRC Centre on Dynamics of Ethnicity (CoDE), where she is Co-Investigator of the COVID Rapid Response project, 'Ethnic and Racial Inequality in a Time of Crisis'.

Register online for your free place on Eventbrite

Peer volunteers being recruited for new study

Are you over 55 years old and interested in a 6-month volunteering role supporting people over 65 to get out and about and to take part in activities in their local community?

ACE (Act, Connect, Engage) is a study sponsored by the University of Birmingham to look at ways people who are 65 years and older can be supported to stay mobile and maintain their independence for longer. 

Together with Manchester University, they plan to do this is by matching them with volunteers who are themselves over 55 years old so they can get out and about and enjoy taking part in local activities together. Manchester University are looking for local people, over 55 years old, to act as peer volunteers.  If you are 55 years or older and interested in taking part, please contact Amy Davies by email on Amy.Davies@manchester.ac.uk or call
the research team on 0744 294 3716.

Doing digital in later life : practical guide launched 

GM Ageing Hub and Good Things Foundation

The GM Ageing Hub and Good Things Foundation have today launched a brand-new practical guide to support more people to get online and benefit from doing digital in later life.

Research shows that the thought of getting online can be intimidating for people in later life & they may need support and guidance from someone close to them to do so. 93,000 over 75s are digital excluded in Greater Manchester with a third never having used the internet. Research shows that the pandemic hasn’t led to a big rise in over 75s going online.

That is why this new guide has been designed for anyone from relatives and friends to carers and front-line workers to help them get started and support someone they know to do digital in later life. The content has been produced with organisations supporting older people in Greater Manchester and with input from older people. It also recognises the wider digital and technological exclusion many over 75s experience, such as those unable to heat food because their microwave is so complicated, or to use their digital central heating systems so are carrying a portable heater from room to room.

The guide makes clear there’s no one size fits all when it comes to going digital in later life. You don’t need to be a technical whizz to help an older person do things online – being patient and encouraging is what matters most.

The guide advises that a good starting point is to find out what interests the person and what experience they’ve already had of digital. Older people must feel strongly motivated if they are to give digital a go. It’s important to focus on real-life relevance not formal digital training, helping people do the things they want to do and building confidence. The guide recommends one to one support is best, ideally with the same individual.

This guide has been produced as part of the Greater Manchester digital inclusion ambitions. Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham is committed to tackling the digital divide in for residents across Greater Manchester.

As part of his Mayoral Manifesto commitments, Andy Burnham set out ambitions for Greater Manchester to become one of the first city-regions in the world to equip all under-25s, over-75s and disabled people with the skills, connectivity, and technology to get online. This guide is one of the ways Greater Manchester is working to support more residents over the age of 75 to participate digitally.

General advice and support

Feeling out of sorts?
Anxious, sad, lonely, grieving, or feeling a burden?

• Help is out there, talk to someone you trust
• Whether you are feeling anxious, sad, lonely, are grieving, or depressed, help is out there
• The first step to feeling better is talking to someone, it could be a loved one, a health professional or a neighbour.

For advice, support or to get help today go online 

Call Samaritans on 116 123

Text 'Shout' to 85258

Someone to talk to

Age UK are only a call away 0161 833 3944
Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays

or email enquiries@ageukmanchester.org.uk

Age UK Manchester

You're not alone 

Manchester’s Community Response Hub

Freephone: 0800 234 6123, Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm
For support with managing fuel top-up payments, access to food,
delivery of medication and combating loneliness.

The Age-Friendly Manchester Team

Established in 2003 as Valuing Older People, Age-Friendly Manchester is a partnership involving organisations, groups and individuals across the city playing their part in making Manchester a great place to grow older.

We'll be back with our next e-Bulletin in a month's time.

Please send us any news articles or event/regular group listing requests at least two weeks ahead.

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