Many many ELC staff are carers, providing unpaid care by looking after an ill, frail or disabled family member, friend or partner. They have to manage the difficult job of balancing work with their caring responsibilities, and this sometimes means that they have very little time to take care of themselves and their needs.
In recognition of this, ELC’s Carer Positive Team has put together a Carers Hub on the council intranet to help carers find support they need at work and general sources of advice and support for their caring role. Just type ELC Carers Hub into the intranet search box..
This Dementia Friendly Week (30th May – 5th June), the ELHSCP, along with Dementia Friendly East Lothian, Open Arms Carers and Musselburgh Area Community Partnership are delighted to confirm that funding has been secured to create a Dementia Meeting Centre within Musselburgh this Autumn – with the scope to expand to further satellite sites across East Lothian.
What is a Meeting Centre?
Meeting Centres help people with mild to moderate dementia to deal with the challenges around communication, finances, relationships, changes in behaviour and so on. But ultimately it’s a place where people can come together, enjoy each other’s company and activities together.
What makes a Meeting Centre is how people with dementia and carers feel when they are there – welcome, included, supported and listened to. Everyone is considered an equal partner; staff, volunteers and attendees wear name badges only – no titles, and it is the people living with dementia who suggest and decide on the activities that are made available for all to enjoy.
The video below, from Powys, Wales, features a poem written by Yvie George, titled “The Magic”. It is a reflection of her experiences as a Meeting Centre co-ordinator and provides a wonderful insight into what a Meeting Centre is like, and what will soon be available within East Lothian.
Connect is a free service for women who have had some involvement with the justice system and who need support with challenges such as substance use, mental health difficulties or low self-esteem, or feel isolated or have experienced domestic abuse.
Read the very positive article about this service and our wonderful Justice Social Work Team in the East Lothian Courier here.
The Scottish Government’s ambition is to make Scotland the best place in the world to grow old.
Their aim is that as people in Scotland get older they experience a great quality of life though safe, integrated, person centred health and social care. They are able to live actively, and drive the decisions about their health and wellbeing; with their human rights respected and their dignity protected.
Ageing is inevitable but ageing in poor health should not be. It is important for everyone in Scotland that we make sure our health and social care services are delivering for older people so that we can grow older healthier and live independently. Hearing the views of a wide range of people will therefore be an important part of developing this new strategy.The Scottish Government has been talking with a wide range of older people to get their views on their health and social care services, how these have been affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic and how services could improve, to better meet the needs of our ageing population.
The importance of health and social care of older people has never been more urgent. A quarter of Scotland’s population will be 65 years and over by mid-2043, and pandemic has brought to light the inequalities that many older people face in being able to access a wide range of support services, allowing them to maintain their health and wellbeing and help prevent social isolation and frailty, which can lead to falls and ill health.
Come along to hear about the Scottish Government’s proposals and give your views on what you think older people in our community want and need. Please book your place.
• Louise Scott, Team Leader – Older People’s Health, Cancer and End of Life Care Unit, Healthcare Quality and Improvement, Scottish Government
Public Health Scotland has published six new briefings that outline the relationship between Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) and Scotland’s public health priorities.
In Scotland, VAWG is a major public health issue. Gender and sex are important determinants of health with many health conditions, health behaviours and exposures to health risks varying because of gender inequality. We know it is important to consider gender and recognise the impact of gender inequality to address VAWG. The briefings take this into account and offer recommendations for what a public health response to VAWG could look like. The briefings highlight:
The challenges faced by women in Scotland to live in safe places and communities
How the early years shape attitudes towards violence against women
How the impact of experiencing violence as children can impact on adulthood
The challenges faced by women in Scotland to achieve positive mental health
The complex relationship with alcohol and drugs
The weaker economic position of women in Scotland, relative to men
The barriers to eating well, having a healthy weight and being physically active
The briefings also offer recommendations for what a public health response to VAWG and the priorities could include.Nor further information contact: Emma Kennedy emma.kennedy1@phs.scot or Kevin Campbell kevin.campbell1@phs.scot
