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From Michael Huddleston, Dementia Adviser

Today Alzheimer Scotland Mid and East Lothian are sharing our latest newsletter for June/July. Our newsletter will now be published bi-monthly to keep the people we work with and who support us up-to-date with the how we are adapting and delivering our services during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Next week (1^st-7^th June) – is Dementia Awareness Week. Under the circumstances we have had to scale back our planned events and activities but hope you can join us at various points across the week to enjoy online performances, to find out information, or by tapping into our support services for people living with dementia and their carers. See the full programme here.

In the newsletter you will read that we are distributing “Art by Post”, an initiative started by the Southbank Centre to encourage the sharing of creativity during lockdown. The first pack – focused on poetry – is attached here, and we are encouraging people to send us their compositions for a future exhibition.

1^st-7^th June is also Volunteer Week; and 8^th-14^th Carers’ Week. Our newsletter highlights the activities we will be doing to mark both.

Stay safe, keep in touch.

Michael Michael Huddleston
Dementia Adviser  | Edinburgh & Lothians  | 0131 654 1114  | 07831 859490 
Alzheimer Scotland, 3 Edinburgh Road, Dalkeith, EH22 1LA

Languishing in the lobby? Fret no more but turn to this quick start guide to Microstoft Teams – here.

NHS 24/Inform is providing alternative formats to help people with communication differences access COVID-19 information:

• translations in Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Polish, Romanian, Slovak and Urdu are available. Punjabi and Spanish will be added shortly. Visit:www.nhsinform.scot/coronavirus
• British Sign Language (BSL) translations are available on NHS inform: www.nhsinform.scot/BSL and on our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/nhsinform
• audio versions: www.nhsinform.scot/translations/formats/audio
• easy read documents: www.nhsinform.scot/translations/formats/easy-read

The Browsealoud tool helps users access information on NHS inform by: reading this aloud, highlighting and magnifying text, creating audio files. Find out more here: www.nhsinform.scot/accessibility

Brand new communication channels

We’ve developed new tools, giving people a choice of how to get the COVID-19 information they need:

• chat bot: ask COVID questions directly on the website: https://ask.nhsinform.scot/ This is an automated service. Users who can’t find the information they need will be offered the option to start a webchat
• NHS 24 COVID app: available to download free from the App Store and Google Play. This includes the COVID-19 symptom checker and COVID-19 information from NHS inform
• webchat: option offered to people who call the COVID helpline (0800 028 2816)
• voice bot: automated voice option lets people who don’t use the internet access the coronavirus
• self-help guide. This is available by phoning the NHS inform helpline (0800 22 44 88)

Getting COVID-19 information over the phone

People with communication differences can access the COVID-19 helpline (and all other NHS 24 phone services) in a number of ways:

• people whose first or preferred language is not English can use Language Line (a free over the phone interpreting service). Find out more here: www.nhs24.scot/get-in-touch/language-line
• D/deaf and Deafblind British Sign Language (BSL) users can use contact SCOTLAND-BSL (a free BSL interpreting video relay service). Find out more here: https://contactscotland-bsl.org/
• people with hearing and speech differences can use Relay UK (a national relay service accessible via textphone or the Relay UK app). Find out more here: www.relayuk.bt.com

See toolkit here.

Scotland’s route map through and out of the crisis

‘As I said last week, we can’t live this way forever. We all want to get back to some semblance of normality – whether that’s seeing our friends and family, getting back to work or school, or just being able to spend our free time in the way we want to.

‘This document sets out the steps that will take us there. It doesn’t have all the answers and it doesn’t set exact timescales. That’s because we are still learning about the virus. We will have to move carefully and gradually to ensure we keep it under control and develop the best ways of doing so.’

Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland

Read the Route Map document here.

From Sue Cairns

In the May edition of the ELTRP newsletter, you will find articles on:

• the sad passing of Jeanette Boyd
• Linda Finlayson on Musselburgh Resilience
• Local TRA news
• Sweet treat – lovely but calorific!

You can read the full newsletter here.

STV are showcasing Our Community Kitchen from 5.30 pm on 23 May 2020 as part of their Local Lifelines campaign. Hope to share link on Monday’s blog, if you don’t catch tomorrow.

From Lorraine Congalton, Community Development Officer, ELC

Hi there

I hope you are all well in these uncertain times.

Please find the link below to our first Connected Communities e-bulletin.  This first bulletin will focus on youth services and information to support mental wellbeing.

Please share round your networks.

Many thanks

Lorraine

Lorraine Congalton
Community Development Officer
 07976 596 112

The Justice Social Work Unpaid Work Team is still looking for old bikes to refurbish – find out why here. So, if you have a bike that has seen better days but might be of use, give Davie Rutherford a ring on 07776 170 478  or drop him a line at drutherford@eastlothian.gov.uk