MC Magazine - Spring 2020

YOUR COMPLIMENTARY COPY

MAGAZINE

MC

Spring 2020

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Look what you made me do

Taylor’s struggle with body image page 20

The invisible illness Living with PoTs page12

WHO DARES WINS What Lauren did next see page 4

PLUS your 22 page

STAY WELL STAY HOME GUIDE see page 23

MAGAZINE

MC

INSIDE...

©Valheria Rocha

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42

NURTURE YOURSELF WITH FOOD

BODY IMAGE

Social media gets the blame for poor body image. But there’s far more to it.

Eating good food can lift us and comfort us; some say it’s a form of meditation.

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THE TRAVELLERS’ FRIEND

Meet the woman who supports one of society’s most isolated communities.

3 WELCOME 4 WHO DARES WINS 6 SLEEP WELL 7 THE TRAVELLERS’ FRIEND 10 DYLAN SCORES A WINNER 12 I FELT LIKE I WASN’T REALLY THERE 14 LET’S GET PHYSICAL 16 ARE YOU A HOARDER? 18 DAY IN THE LIFE 19 MEET YOUR GOVERNOR 20 LOOK WHAT YOU MADE ME DO 23 STAYING WELL STAYING HOME 25 A NEW WORLD

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26 FINDING THE RIGHT WORDS

MC magazine team: Managing Editor: Steve Murphy.

Editor: Jackie Rankin.

Our guide to staying well while you’re staying home.

Contributors: Diane Cooke, Jo Henwood.

28 MAKE IT FUN 30 TIME TO THINK

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31 ARMCHAIR TRAVELLER ARE YOU A HOARDER? Experts tell us why we do it – and how to sort it.

You can contact us at: communications@merseycare.nhs.uk

32 REVEL IN NATURE 34 COULD ISOLATION BE SPLENDID? 36 DO STAY IN TOUCH 38 BE KIND

Editorial: Julie Crompton.

MerseyCareNHSFoundationTrust

Photography: Rick Gem, Joel Goodman, Freepik.com, Pixabay.

40 LISTEN TO ME

@Mersey_Care

42 NURTURE YOURSELF WITH FOOD

Design: Jo Hadfield.

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27 WHEN THE KITCHEN BECOMES THE OFFICE

FROM KEEPING IN TOUCH TO THINGS TO DO WHILE IN ISOLATION

@MerseyCareNHSFT

MEMBERSHIP AND GENERAL DATA PROTECTION REGULATION The GDPR is the General Data Protection Regulation, a European-wide law, which governs how organisations can collect, use and transfer personal data. It came into force on 25 May 2018 alongside the new Data Protection Act 2018. As a Foundation Trust, Mersey Care has a statutory requirement to develop and maintain a membership and it is necessary for us to process our members’ personal data to perform this task. Our members are drawn from the public, people who use our services or care for people who use our services and staff. We request and securely hold data on our members, which they provide when joining our membership.

The data we hold on our members enables us to show that we are representative of the community we provide services for, to keep members updated through our quarterly MC magazine via email or post and to invite all members to the Annual General meeting. We also engage with all members advising when the election for governors will be taking place, giving members the opportunity to nominate themselves to become a governor and to vote in elections for the council of governors. Should you no longer wish to be a member of Mersey Care please email membership@merseycare.nhs.uk with your details or call 0151 471 2303 asking that your details be removed.

WELCOME A

friend of our team announced that she’d always put her untidy house down to lack of time – now she’s realised that’s not the case. As we go forth in uncertain times it’s good to have some light relief.

Psychologist of 30 years Julia Samuel writes in the Sunday Times…’the truth is, this is tough.’ But in giving her advice – from preventing teenagers hogging gaming consoles to caring for an older person during periods of isolation – the response is always to communicate. For the latter Julia suggests speaking each day at the same time –and acknowledging their experiences have given them wisdom.

This issue also offers guidance and support.

Ways to keep some structure, stay in contact with friends, look after yourself as well as others.

It’s important to have some normality.

The situation is ever changing so always listen to the latest advice. The NHS and Government websites are best for what to do if you have a concern.

It’s important to have some normality. With the best intentions we’ve brought you some stories about real people overcoming other types of adversity. Football fanatic Dylan is 16 and now able to go with his brother to watch his beloved Everton thanks to a helping hand from Mersey Care’s wheelchair service. We meet the woman who for the past 17 years has been improving the lives of traveller families.

We enjoyed hearing from Paralympian triathlete and Strictly Come Dancing star Lauren Steadman on dancing with AJ, how disability hasn’t stopped her chasing her dreams –and how she enjoys the little things.

These times are forcing us to focus on those things... that can only be a good thing.

Enjoy this issue

The MC Magazine Team.

We are in an ever changing situation. The information in this issue was correct at the time of going to press, but please consult nhs.uk or gov.uk for latest advice and information.

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©Channel 4

WHO DARES WINS

Lauren (far left) is among celebrities taking part in Channel 4’s SAS Who Dares Wins Stand Up to Cancer.

N

It’s safe to say Lauren Steadman is ready to take on all comers. Not content with being a Paralympic medal winning triathlete, the 27 year old became the nation’s darling when she took to the dance floor in BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing.

ow she’s done the treble – signing up to get down and dirty with eleven fellow celebrities in a Stand Up to Cancer version of Channel 4’s toughest reality TV show SAS Who Dares Wins. Contestants are put through gruelling challenges in what’s described as the ultimate test of their physical and psychological resilience.

None of these are easy options. The public glare and social media scrutiny add risk. But Lauren seems to emerge unscathed.

She’s relaxed talking to MC magazine about life, success and proving that disability (she was born missing her forearm) is no barrier to fulfilling a dream.

4

This ‘bring it on’ attitude goes back to childhood. When she realised she wouldn’t fulfil her dream of becoming a champion swimmer Lauren changed course to the triathlon.

“I always thought I’d be a swimmer, but as time went on I knew I wasn’t going to achieve what I wanted. It was a really tough decision but I was always an all rounder, so I was disappointed but ready to switch to the triathlon.”

Her dedication to her sport meant leaving home at 14 to attend a boarding school.

“It was hard for my family. I missed them, but I was so focused on my goal I didn’t have time to stop and think.”

Lauren’s main pressure was combining sport and study. But she went on to gain a degree in Psychology as well as a Masters in Business, and become seven times European and three times World champion, as well as winning a Paralympic Silver medal.

I missed home, but I was so focused on my goal I didn’t have time to stop and think.

Lauren has it sussed. “I don’t burn the candle at both ends. I do four training sessions a day, but then I give my muscles a chance to rest and recover. I relax at weekends and I love my bed and my sleep!

©BBC

She’s an exponent of good sleep – her new role as a health ambassador for the Danish furniture store JYSK includes blogging about such things.

She’s still incredibly philosophical about success. “I enjoy being at the top of my game but you have to recognise that it’s not the be all and end all. I’ve had friends with illnesses, and although I love what I do there are so many things out there. It’s about being adaptable and flexible”.

This ‘bring it on’ attitude goes back to childhood.

She was that and more in 2018 when she swapped Lycra for sequins in BBC television’s Strictly Come Dancing with professional partner AJ Pritchard.

The pair reached the semi finals, but Lauren says the real success came in proving that a disability is no barrier to achieving what you want.

“I knew I wasn’t being kept in because I was the best dancer. But we were both motivated by the number of messages from people, many with missing limbs, who said we’d inspired them to follow their own dreams.”

In Who Dares Wins for Stand Up to Cancer Lauren competes against celebrities such as Countryfile presenter Helen Skelton and reality TV star Joey Essex. Leader Ant Middleton and his instructor are renowned for their complete disregard for celebrity status.

SPECIAL FEATURE

HOW CAN I SLEEP BETTER? Hetal Mehta consultant neuropsychiatrist at Mersey Care’s brain injury service answers this and other common sleep queries.

It’s commercial of course, but you sense it’s a genuine association. She loves the company ethos for its workforce and its wider community (JYSK is also a member of the Zero Suicide Alliance of organisations who support training for everyone to talk to someone who may be having suicidal thoughts).

It’s taught her more about the importance of sleep – experts say we can last longer without food or water than sleep. ”I’ve definitely realised the difference having a mattress and pillows that work for you. I don’t sleep as well in my other bed (she has a home in the Canary Islands) – it’s nowhere near as comfortable!

HOW LONG SHOULD I SLEEP AND WHAT TIME SHOULD I GO TO BED? There’s no right or wrong. We can’t change our body clocks they’re governed by genetics. Some of us are early birds, some night owls and about half of us are in between. Some need more sleep than others. A routine and good sleep hygiene is important.

WHERE IS YOUR BODY CLOCK? A small part of our brain is known to control our ‘circadian rhythm’, regulating our sleep-wake cycle; however, every cell has an internal body clock. That’s why lack of sleep or disrupted sleep patterns over a long time can cause health issues.

HOW CAN I SLEEP BETTER? Stay away from television and computer screens before you sleep. The ‘blue’ light suppresses the sleep hormone melatonin. You feel groggy next morning and tired in the day. It takes a while to restore your natural sleep cycle.

Her zest for life is infectious but she has good advice, especially for times like now.

WHAT ABOUT A SIESTA? 20 to 30 minutes after lunch is a really good way of recharging. Any longer or later could interfere with your sleep pattern.

“Life isn’t always about challenging everyone else. It’s little things, like going out on a bike in glorious sunshine that matter. It’s not always about the outcomes, you have to enjoy the journey.”

HOW DO I SLEEP WHEN I’M STRESSED? You need to deal with the issues causing the stress. I know because I struggle to switch off from work!

Her zest for life is infectious.

GOING TO THE LOO DISTURBS MY SLEEP! It’s quite normal as long as you are able to fall asleep straight away after going to the loo.

WHEN SHOULD I WORRY ABOUT MY SLEEP OR LACK OF IT? If you rarely or never have a full night’s sleep you can build up a sleep debt. It’s easy to normalise abnormal sleep but it can affect your health long term. See your GP and ask to be referred to a sleep clinic. ©BBC

Switching mind set from sporting hero to celebrity and back must be confusing and demanding?

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A GOOD BED... AND OTHER

WAYS TO SLEEP WELL Dr John Shaw is a psychology lecturer at De Montfort University specialising in sleep.

He’s also a sleep consultant for Danish furniture store JYSK.

“

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Sleep is integral to our lives” he told MC magazine.

In western cultures we don’t place enough emphasis on it – we’re so focused on production that sleep is something we tolerate.

Yet sleep disorders cost the economy £40 billion. We need to change our thinking.”

John’s tips for overcoming sleep problems:

• Don’t doze on the sofa before bed. But wakeful rest is ok

• Don’t dwell on it. We tend to put too much expectation on ourselves. Trying too hard to calm down can itself build a stressful scenario

• If your to do list is keeping you awake make a mental list and how much of that list you’ll get done by say mid morning

• Recognise the moment – the optimum time to go to bed is when you’re not quite sleepy but you know you will be very soon

• And finally... get a good bed and pillows that suit. Scandinavian countries have two single beds together so each mattress has its own level of firmness

• Even if you don’t get a complete nights sleep, acknowledge that every part of your sleep does something good

• The Irish proverb ‘a good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures’. This is so true!

• Don’t watch movies in your bedroom – it creates thoughts in your brain that this room is not just for sleep

DID YOU KNOW...

• If you can’t sleep don’t agonise – get up, go in a different room, maybe read – create a relaxed feel. Know you can still function tomorrow – it’s not the end of the world

‘Yesterday’ in a dream.

that dreams foster insight? Paul McCartney reportedly had the idea for

We might like our own space but animals sleep in pairs, including otters who actually sleep holding hands!

FEATURE

THE TRAVELLERS’ FRIEND

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Jayne is welcomed with open arms by a notoriously private community.

Jayne Stephens (pictured above and below right)

Jackie Rankin visits a traveller site in Liverpool and discovers how one woman is changing things for the better.

J

ayne Stephens used to be a security guard. For the last 17 years she’s been supporting residents of a local authority traveller site just outside Liverpool city centre. She’s no pushover, but she’s become trusted and listened to in a community that shuns outsiders.

As part of Mersey Care’s social inclusion team Jayne’s role is to help people from this isolated community to stay well.

Traveller health statistics don’t make for good reading.

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It’s a tough ask. Traveller health statistics don’t make for good reading. Life expectancy is almost ten years less for men and almost 12 years for women. UK studies have shown high mortality rates among unborn babies and infants.

We arrive on a bright early spring morning.

With 14 plots, all neat and tidy, the site has the feel of a no frills holiday park. Some residents have been on the site since it opened almost 60 years ago.

Jayne is welcomed with open arms by a notoriously private community. As we pass people say hello, ask questions and share their stories. Jayne is clearly in demand.

Older people here don’t read or write and rely on her to explain letters. But it’s the young people who, thanks to her bullish yet compassionate approach, are becoming

Older people here don’t read or write and rely on her to explain letters. part of the wider community – and understanding more and more how to become independent and healthy. Their implicit trust has given her license to raise issues without fear of rebuff.

“Travellers would rather live with their health problems than seek help. It’s partly because they feel judged, but also because health is not a priority for them. Illness is considered a weakness. Words such as cancer are never spoken. A traveller would never admit to having a mental health problem,” says Jayne.

She recalls a visit to a young woman who appeared to be limping. She said it was ‘just a blister’. Jayne suspected otherwise.

FEATURE “l could smell rotting flesh. When I finally persuaded her to show me her foot, she had a huge ulcer, part of her foot was literally rotting away. I persuaded her to go to hospital. It turned out she had undiagnosed diabetes and could have lost her foot.”

It’s about educating people to take control of their lives.

Others on the site have since followed suit in taking Jayne’s advice. “I draw pictures of what hospital is like to reassure them.

I’ll go with them to appointments. It’s about educating people to take responsibility and have control of their lives. I’m sometimes stern but they listen because they know I want the best for them.”

Her gritty determination to educate travellers on health and social issues is supported by her colleagues at Abercromby Health Centre.

She recalls with a wry smile, a session on sexual health with a group of young women. “When I started to explain how their intimate body parts work they all ran out screaming. I was using words they’d never heard and it was too much. But they came back and now they all go for cervical screening and mammograms.”

There are 2,500 travellers on Merseyside.

While people on this site do still travel during warmer months it’s as a holiday. They’ve found somewhere they can call home.

Families on the site span three generations

and have pride in their plots. Each trailer has a separate toilet and kitchen block. In summer families decorate their outdoor spaces with garden furniture and plants.

We meet Bridget, a mum of seven, who, before coming here, had spent her whole life on the road. She’s grateful to be settled, and with Jane’s encouragement she has integrated well with the local community.

Studies show that formal education has little relevance in a culture that has always relied on practical skills and self employment. Those who do go to school are withdrawn after the primary stage when they are taught to take on adult roles and responsibilities within the family.

She’s part of their social circle and she loves it.

Yet with support Bridget’s children have all gone through school and enjoyed academic success. Her face lights up when she talks of their achievements. Her eldest daughter received a Princess Diana award for communities against bullying and racism. Two other daughters have completed vocational qualifications.

Jayne applauds colleagues in the local authority traveller education team, whose dedication helps families here to see the importance of academic knowledge and support them through their children’s school life.

Her trailer is immaculately decorated and squeaky clean. She’s forged relationships that would never have happened in the past. Friends she made at the school gate meet her for coffee. She’s part of their social circle and she loves it.

She’s openly fond of Jayne and appreciative of the help and support she’s had for almost two decades.

I really don’t know what I’d do without her.

“I really don’t know what I’d do without her. She’s always there to explain what letters mean, or to help us organise appointments. I don’t read or write so having Jayne to help us fill in forms is really good. She’s made a big difference round here. I’ll never move on now, I’ll be here for life.”

As we leave the site Jayne smiles and points to a trailer where she says the family often invite her in to share a bowl of soup.

As if to reinforce the importance of her role, a young man spots her and comes over looking concerned. He tells her quietly that his older sister appears very low and he doesn’t know what to do. It’s another breakthrough.

“Don’t worry,” she tells him. “I’ll be back tomorrow”...and she will.

Bridget is an attractive likeable woman.

Sources: Health care needs of Travellers and Health Status of Gypsies and Travellers in England, both published in the British Medical Journal

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DYLAN SCORES A WINNER There’s not much teenager Dylan doesn’t know about football. As an Everton season ticket holder he loves nothing more than going to watch his beloved Blues.

D

ylan’s always been taken to home matches by his dad. Now, at 16, he wants to be in the stands with his friends and older brother Joss.

But getting to the ground can be tricky. Dylan’s manual wheelchair can’t easily be manoeuvred along uneven ground, and on dark winter nights he struggles to be seen in the crowds. While there are adaptations on the market, including lights, power and a controller, they don’t come as standard.

Although Dylan has limited movement and no speech following problems at birth, his family say he has a huge personality and is smitten with all things football related.

Dad Mark says his son just wants to be independent. “He’s just a normal lad and spends all his free time learning about anything to do with football! He’s been in and out of hospital having operations, so being able to go to the match is a big thing for him. I’ve always gone with him, but now he’s older he wants to go with Joss and his friends.

However the family’s plan to adapt Dylan’s wheelchair proved too costly. “We knew that we could get adaptations but having them retrofitted to his old chair would cost well over £1000,” said Mark.

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Going to the match is a big thing for him.

Mersey Care’s Wheelchair service staff also knew what was needed, but they couldn’t make a clinical case for funding, so they came up with an idea. A new personal wheelchair budget scheme was used to by a powered chair and the team sought funding from local charity Mersey Cats to buy the extras.

Now when he goes to Goodison Park, Dylan travels in a new electrically powered indoor and outdoor wheelchair complete with lights and attendant controls.

Mark says it’s made a massive difference. “It’s fantastic. He races ahead now because he feels safe and in control. He’s part of the crowd.”

Wheelchair therapist Rosemary Tully said: We’re delighted to have supported the family and helped Dylan to pursue his passion. It’s great to see how much difference it’s made to him.”

REAL LIFE STORY

He races ahead now because he feels safe and in control.

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I FELT LIKE

I WASN’T REALLY THERE

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FEATURE REAL LIFE STORY Olivia loves travelling. Her latest trip was to Australia and New Zealand following her graduation in March from the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands with a degree in European Law.

Y

et six years ago she was strapped to a bed by the feet, bound across the chest

and unable to move her arms. She was not experiencing some form of medieval torture, but was undergoing tests for a condition which had beleaguered her for a third of her life.

It was when my dad saw it happen that people started to take it seriously.

At 15 she’d already had years of losing consciousness, especially when she changed position from lying down or being seated to standing. The unusual strapping to the bed was for what doctors describe as the ‘tilt test’.

Olivia, now 22 was diagnosed with Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (PoTS) an abnormal increase in heart rate that occurs after sitting up or standing.

It’s most common in girls and women aged 15 to 50. She won’t let PoTS interfere with her active lifestyle but knows the triggers and takes care with her diet, and exercises regularly.

Her symptoms began when she started high school. “If I was in one position for a long time, in a lesson or looking at the board, I would start to feel hot and then my vision would go – with dots and blurs in front of my eyes – and then I wasn’t really there.”

“It was when my dad saw it happen that people started to take it seriously.

I had got up from the settee to switch the television off and next minute I nearly brought the TV down on top of me.”

The teenager was referred to a paediatrician for a raft of tests.

“When the doctor asked me if my feet went purple in the shower, I knew he understood,” said Olivia.

Her cardiologist suspected PoTS and the tilt test confirmed his diagnosis.

Mild steroids were prescribed to help regulate salt levels and blood pressure.

Olivia describes her condition as an ‘invisible illness’ because people rarely see what happens to her when she has an episode.

“I find I’m particularly susceptible when I eat dairy products and I make a point of trying to keep fit and active by working out at the gym. Exercise definitely works for me and I try to eat healthily wherever possible.”

• Stop press: Olivia’s latest trip was cut short by Coronavirus. She eventually secured a flight home, just 24 hours before the country went into lockdown. She arrived back in the UK only four hours before Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced his own strict measures.

• Advice from the charity PoTs UK is that there is currently no clear evidence to suggest PoTS causes an increased risk of catching the virus although people with PoTs often report more severe symptoms from any cold or flu virus. Further information is available from potsuk.org or via their Facebook page.

WHAT IS PoTS? Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (PoTS) can be a life altering and debilitating health condition. Simply standing up can be a challenge for affected people as their body is unable to adjust to gravity.

Normally when you sit up or stand, gravity pulls some of your blood down to your belly area, hands and feet. In response, your blood vessels quickly narrow and your heart rate increases slightly to maintain blood flow to the heart and brain, and prevent blood pressure dropping. This is all done by the autonomic nervous system which takes charge of automatic body functions. In PoTS, the autonomic nervous system does not work properly. There’s a drop in blood supply to the heart and brain when you become upright and the heart races to compensate for this.

TYPICAL SYMPTOMS INCLUDE: • dizziness or light headedness • fainting • problems with thinking, memory and concentration – this combination of symptoms is often called ‘brain fog’ • heart palpitations • shaking and sweating • weakness and fatigue (tiredness)

Exercise definitely works for me and I try to eat healthily wherever possible.

• headaches • poor sleep • chest pain • feeling sick • shortness of breath.

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Tricia Byrne recalls the day a nurse in the ward where she’d tried to take her life changed it with a single phrase.

“

She said I was an intelligent woman and that I could have killed myself if I’d wanted.

Then she said I’ve got a feeling you’ve turned a corner.”

Four months earlier she’d divorced, gone into mental crisis and lost everything – including her strength to carry on. Living ‘like a squatter’ with just a futon as a bed because she was scared of getting in debt, Tricia, then 30 took a cocktail of drugs and left her house so no-one would find her.

She’d been size 24 dress size when she married – unable to go for a walk for fear of not keeping up.

It’s that mental struggle and understanding of how difficult being able to exercise can be that gives Tricia the right mind set to drive a physical health programme at Mersey Care’s five Life Rooms sites.

She waited three months to hear she’d got the role and ‘couldn’t believe it’ when she was told she’d be helping others enjoy the feeling being more physically active can bring.

It won’t be a boot camp approach – rather Tricia will gently explain how the first time you exercise your body will do everything to stop you.

“But then as you carry on it realises you’re not going away and it works with you rather than against you” she says.

I want to help people fulfil their own health dreams.

Listening to someone’s barriers, putting yourself in their shoes will be top of the list. Tricia recalls friends telling her exercise was the key “But I had to kick my own backside, make myself do it, to realise what a difference it made. I got my life back – I even bought a bed!

She’s suffered lower back pain all her life and understands how debilitating it can be. “Back pain strips away your freedom. We work at the person’s own pace, even if that’s slow. Yes I’ll be supporting people to go from couch to 5K. But if I can get someone who had never done any walking to go to the end of the road that’s progress. It’s my dream job and I want to help people fulfil their own health dreams.”

• Tricia’s exercise videos are part of a series of films and podcasts to help you stay well at home. Go to liferooms.org. Read more on page 40.

If I can get someone who had never done any walking to go to the end of the road that’s progress.

FOR MORE INFORMATION • Life Rooms physical health programme go to liferooms.org • Find support in Liverpool: thelivewelldirectory.com • Find support in Sefton: livingwellsefton.org.uk

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REAL LIFE STORY

LET’S

GET PHYSICAL 15

HOARDER? Staying home to stay well is also a chance to put our house in order – or at least that’s the theory.

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By Diane Cooke

or some people pruning wardrobes and clearing cupboards can be emotionally overwhelming. So we don’t do it.

Professional declutter expert Sian Pelleschi understands how clutter can easily become a burden. Her company Sorted! helps anyone from busy young families to older downsizers.

But she says true hoarders may be living with depression, anxiety, grief.

“Looking after a house has simply become too much. They know there’s an issue but don’t know how to resolve it and that adds to their anxiety.”

She recalls a client who was distressed after being forced to move to a smaller home after her parents died. “The furniture completely filled the rooms. It was essential to create space for her to live in but it had to be done with understanding and empathy. We began by tackling the lounge and went from there.”

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Hoarders know there’s an issue but don’t know how to resolve it.

Mersey Care psychiatrist Fabian Devlin (right) agrees that sensitivity is key. He’s a book collector and has around 100 that he’s yet to read.

But Fabian is keen to make the distinction between collectors and hoarders. “Collectors catalogue items and put them in order. Hoarders simply collect,” he says.

Some people are more inclined to collect, such as those who grew up in austere times, or refugees who left their countries with few possessions. Others may have a physical problem but are reluctant to ask for help so struggle on.

Fabian feels it’s a personal decision with reason. “Everyone deserves to have their choices respected, and for their home to be safe and healthy.”

Fabian Devlin

Professional declutterer Sian Pelleschi

ARE YOU A

STAY WELL FEEL GREAT

HE COULDN’T THROW AWAY A SANDWICH

WRAPPER

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abian Devlin recalls being asked to step in as part of the mental health crisis team in A and E to help when a patient with a rash on his body appeared defensive and distressed.

“We discovered he was living in a dangerously cluttered damp, home. His late mother was a hoarder and his grief was exacerbating his problems.

“The problem was he couldn’t discern what was worth keeping.

He couldn’t even throw away a sandwich wrapper – he believed it could be reused. Everything was important to him either emotionally or because in his mind it had some monetary value. The support had to be extremely delicately handled.”

“Gradually, the hoarding became less important as he had other things to focus on. He made the decision to move into supported accommodation. When I saw him again he looked like a different person. He was jovial, interested in the news and engaging with the outside world again. It was great to see him living a very different life, in his own space but with more support around him.”

Everything was important to him either emotionally or because in his mind it had some monetary value.

“As I spent time with him it became clear that his hoarding was a coping strategy. It gave him a distraction from the grief and a way to feel safe living on his own.”

While he was in hospital the gentleman was introduced to bereavement counselling and helped to socialise through a support club for men who struggle with their emotions.

FOR HELP OR INFO: • Help for Hoarders: helpforhoarders.co.uk • Sorted! Decluttering and Organising. all-sorted.co.uk • If you’re concerned about a relative or friend ask them about the issue. If they become defensive or can’t explain why they’re hoarding there maybe a deep rooted problem which they need help to resolve.

SIAN’S TIPS FOR

DECLUTTERING • Pick an area/space that will help reduce stress • Make sure you allow plenty of time to work on that area • Have a ‘keep’ pile, a ‘let go’ pile and a ‘not sure’ pile you can come back to • Don’t dwell. Make a decision quickly and move on – you can always look again at the end • Don’t panic. It’ll look worse before it looks better. Once you’ve got everything out and gone through it you’re on the home straight.

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A DAY IN THE LIFE...

Family life taught me respect for everyone and everything.

KUTSAL OZCAN FACILITIES ASSISTANT SITE MANAGER I help manage our teams of secure hospital caterers, cleaners, porters and drivers. They’re always in the front line, but more than ever in these difficult times. They’re a great bunch of people, we’re open, we share things. It makes it easier to talk face to face, one to one.

I

t wasn’t what I had planned when I came to the UK in 2004 with my wife who is English, to support a family member who was ill.

I’d studied French and economics and I wanted to be an English teacher in Turkey.

But we were needed here. Once we were staying I learnt that to make a life here I’d have to be adaptable. That’s served me well since.

When I started at Ashworth Hospital as a domestic it was a totally unfamiliar environment, but I was hard working and

Oz as he’s known to colleagues in his kitchen making Turkish rice.

determined to learn. I’d worked in hotel management in Antalya where my family lives so I had some experience.

You need to love your job and the people you work with. That said there are some days when I come in and think ‘where do I start’?

Today a member of staff asked if he could leave work to check on his mum, he was concerned about her. People need different kinds of support and that sometimes means making changes to accommodate that. It’s about trust and fairness. If you work in a team you have to help each other. They help me, we’re a team.

Someone said today my office is like a GP surgery! They can talk about anything and hopefully they leave feeling reassured. We don’t always say the right thing as managers, but my family life taught me respect for everyone and everything and that goes for colleagues and patients too.

I love my job but I love going home to my wife and daughters too. Home life is important – and they say I make the best Turkish rice!

To find out more about working at Mersey Care go to our YouTube channel.

For job opportunities visit jobs.merseycare.nhs.uk

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GOVERNOR PROFILE

IT’S LIKE A MUSEUM IN MY PAUL ALLEN

Service User Governor

I’m the vocational rehabilitation lead for the Whalley site. We help service users find a college place or a work placement.

I

love my role – when we have award ceremonies it’s quite emotional to see a person’s face when they go up in their smart suits to collect awards from a dignitary. The progress some have made is incredible.

My other passion is collecting military memorabilia – it started with my dad giving me medals from my grandad who I never knew. My dad talked fondly and it inspired me to start collections – it’s taking over my house, much to my wife’s frustration but I find it very relaxing!

COME AND

HOUSE

I thoroughly enjoy my governor role. We interrogate the board! We keep an eye on them, to make sure they’re doing their job properly. If I have a query I can take it to The chief executive Joe Rafferty.

They’re honest – if they say they’ll do something I believe them. If I didn’t I couldn’t pass it down. I don’t like waffle; we just want people to be straight.

I was diagnosed with cancer six years ago.

I couldn’t wait to get back to work. It helps me keep my head screwed on. Life moves on and it keeps me going.

JOIN US

We plan for our Annual General Meeting and Member event to take place later in the year. If you would like to find out more about what a governor role involves this information can be found on our website www.merseycare.nhs.uk/council-of-governors

I thoroughly enjoy my governor role. We interrogate the board!

To learn more about our Council of Governors, go to merseycare.nhs.uk

Find out more about our membership and governors at: Website: merseycare.nhs.uk. Phone: 0151 471 2303 or 0151 473 2778 Email: membership@merseycare.nhs.uk Write to: Alison Bacon, Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, V7 Building, Kings Business Park, Prescot, Liverpool L34 1PJ.

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Today, criticism doesn’t get to her in the same way.

LOOK WHAT YOU

MADE ME DO Celebrities are taking centre stage in campaigns against media portrayal of our bodies. We explore the issues and discover how professional support is changing.

It’s estimated that over a million people across the UK are living with an eating disorder.

In the new Netflix Taylor Swift documentary Miss Americana, Swift reveals her struggle with anxiety about body image manifested through eating difficulties and excessive exercise.

The film includes a montage of derogatory comments about the singer’s body. Then and now photos illustrate just how thin Swift had become during the ‘1989’ album era versus the healthier look she sported by the time she toured behind the “Reputation” album in 2018. Her undereating in that earlier time severely affected her stamina on tour.

She also told Variety magazine that there had been times when she’d seen “a picture of me where I feel like I looked like my tummy was too big, or... someone said that I looked pregnant... and that’ll trigger me to just starve a little bit – just stop eating.”

Today, criticism doesn’t get to her in the same way and she’s reconciled “the fact that I’m a size 6 instead of a size double zero.”

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DOES THE MEDIA’S PROMOTION OF THE ‘BODY BEAUTIFUL’ CAUSE EATING DIFFICULTIES? Mersey Care Assistant Clinical Psychologist Becky Moon says media attention to body image isn’t all to blame. And there’s a positive flipside.

“The media does play a role, but to say it causes eating disorders is unhelpful. Yes there’s a plethora of unhelpful stuff in the media, but there’s also a lot of helpful information too.

Jameela Jamil, for example, is a fantastic advocate for positive body image.”

Media influence is not a new phenomenon.

And while it’s unlikely to be the sole cause of eating difficulties, in some cases there is a link, says Clinical Psychologist Hannah Gordon.

“It’s a misconception that people develop eating difficulties simply because they are trying to emulate images of celebrities. But when the media makes comments on a celebrity’s body or appearance it sends out a message that what we look like is important.

That may make someone more critical of their own body and appearance, and being very self critical is one of the many factors that make a person more vulnerable to developing eating difficulties.

“If someone is very distressed about their weight and shape, and if they use harmful strategies to try and manage their distress, like excessive exercising, try to restricting what they eat, or self inducing vomiting, it might be useful to think about getting support”.

• If you or someone you know needs help for eating difficulties visit your GP who may refer you to the Eating Disorder service.

• Beat Eating Disorders UK (BEAT) – beateatingdisorders.org.uk • Jameela Jamil interview with Glamour magazine: www.glamour.com/story/ jameela-jamil-on-i-weigh-instagram

©BBC

T

aylor Swift is an A list celebrity, Hope Virgo is an author and mental health campaigner. Both are publicly highlighting their personal struggles to expose the often hidden trauma of eating disorders.

FEATURE

©Valheria Rocha

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We see people who are underweight, healthy weight or overweight, as long as they meet the diagnostic criteria for eating difficulties.

Author and campaigner Hope Virgo

WEIGHT IS A ‘SMALL PART OF THE PICTURE’ Author Hope Virgo (above) had kept her eating disorder hidden until she was admitted to a mental health hospital.

Her skin was yellowing, her heart failing.

She survived but relapsed in 2016. She self referred but was reportedly told by professionals that she ‘wasn’t thin enough’ for support.

Hope’s Dump the Scales initiative and 100,000 signature petition called on the government to provide adequate GP training around eating disorders, full implementation of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines through communications and a commitment to bring in a standard to measure and report on this.

I was terrified of ending up in hospital again. Getting to that point where I would lose control.

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“I referred myself to an eating disorder unit, only to be told that I wasn’t thin enough for support. All I had wanted was someone to talk to, someone to take my relapse seriously and to give me some help. I felt like a fake. A hypocrite.”

Mersey Care’s Eating Disorders team takes a different approach. They look at the psychological impact of the eating difficulty rather than the person’s weight as a criterion for referral, and welcome people of any weight or size.

Becky Moon explains. “We try to be as inclusive as possible. We see people who are underweight, healthy weight or overweight, as long as they meet the diagnostic criteria for eating difficulties.

For example someone who is overweight may be binge eating or have bulimia.

The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) has an extensive list of signs to watch for. It includes things like:

NEED SUPPORT? • Help yourself – our self help guide on eating disorders can be read online, downloaded or watched as a video.

In her book ‘Stand Tall Little Girl’ Hope recalls: “I was terrified of ending up in hospital again. Getting to that point where I would lose control. That relentless anorexic voice nagging at me, day in and day out.

After four months of battling with that voice in my head I decided it was time I reached out for help.

EATING DISORDERS Support for you

• being preoccupied with weight, food, calories, fat content, and dieting • developing food rituals, like eating foods in a certain order or excessively chewing each bite

“We know that weight is a small part of the picture. It’s the distress that the person is feeling that we’re hoping to change, whether that’s to boost their self esteem or change how they feel about their body,” she says.

Mersey Care psychologists often talk about ‘eating difficulties’ rather than specific disorders.

Hannah Gordon explains: “For some people labels give a short way to explain their difficulties. But for others they can oversimplify the person’s distress and the numerous factors that play a part in their eating difficulties. We build an individual psychological understanding of each client’s eating difficulties, something that makes sense to them.”

The team offers a range of group and individual therapeutic approaches, led by psychologists or psychotherapists. They include compassion focused therapy, which works with the shame that people feel around their eating difficulties and offers coping strategies such as meditation and mindfulness.

Hope Virgo’s book: Stand Tall Little Girl: Facing Up to Anorexia is available on Amazon.co.uk • withdrawing from friends and activities • expressing concern about eating in public • having difficulty concentrating, dizziness, or sleep problems.

Your guide to

STAY WELL STAY HOME

We’re all having to change the way we live.

It’s a challenge but a chance to be creative, active, do stuff you’ve never had time for. Our guide gives you plenty of ideas on how to stay well and feel connected while you’re at home.

The information in this guide may change, please check government and NHS guidance.

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STAY WELL STAY HOME

A NEW

WORLD WRITER JO HENWOOD ON THE UPS AND DOWNS OF A NEW WAY OF LIVING.

A tannoy announcement at my local Asda began politely: “May we remind you that items will be restricted to three per person – except toilet rolls which will be restricted to one.”

A

s a coeliac I have to have gluten free foods including bread, pasta and other cereals. A friend who works on Asda’s bakery counter told me she had been watching shoppers who’d spotted the gluten free pasta move quietly over to the Free From aisle.

Now there is none left. I hope they aren’t disappointed when they discover it doesn’t taste like normal pasta, is hopeless for pasta salad because it goes hard when cold and isn’t really pasta at all but rice, corn or buckwheat!

Seriously, please remember when you venture into the speciality food market that people have to eat this sort of food to keep them healthy.

Being coeliac isn’t all bad though.

I noticed on Twitter that a family in my area was trying to get hold of yeast to make bread with their children, to no avail.

I have packets of the stuff – it used to come inside my gluten free flour packs.

I’ll never use it and the family are self isolating so I washed my hands, popped a few pouches in a clean plastic bag and left them by my gate for them to pick up.

Small shops are doing well.

My husband, currently out of action after surgery, is walking to the local shops for exercise. Our butcher said he had never been so busy. As people work from home they’re realising what’s on their doorstep.

It’s looking like we will be social distancing for some time. Let’s hope that we all learn lessons from this and make better decisions. That we balance what we need from what we want and start to appreciate the simple things like a coffee with a friend, a trip to the theatre, watching the football or celebrating special occasions.

These things can no longer be taken for granted.

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FINDING THE

RIGHT WORDS Tone is vital when discussing coronavirus with a child, advises Dr Angharad Rudkin, clinical psychologist and consultant on the parenting book What’s My Child Thinking?

“Help your child put some distance between them and the threat by giving information about how coronavirus is spread and what we can do to help minimise the risk such as using loads of lovely bubbles when washing our hands.”

It’s essential to talk to a child about things he or she can control, such as disposing of tissues and personal hygiene, Dr Rudkin says, rather than those they cannot.

Talk to children about things he or she can control.

Once the explanation is over, the conversation should move on to something that isn’t threatening, such as what they’d like for lunch.

CHOOSE YOUR WORDS Jon Gilmartin, a speech and language therapist at the children’s communication charity I Can, says it’s best to use “simple language” for all age groups and allowing children to ask “lots of questions” to show they’re being listened to. (BBC Newsround offers advice: bbc.co.uk)

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If children ask about older friends and relatives Dr Rudkin advises honesty over the argument “we will all die eventually but chances are not until we are really, really old”.

The charity Young Minds blog says you’re the leading expert when it comes to your child.

You can tell when they aren’t in the mood to talk, or when they aren’t responding to your attempts. Find out how much they already know and follow their lead. Drawing, stories and other activities may help to open up a discussion.

Young Minds Parents’ Helpline experts say that above all, it’s important to remember that as a parent, you do not need to know all the answers but you can help to contain their fears and anxieties by being there for them. youngminds.org.uk/blog/talking-to-yourchild-about-coronavirus/ Unicef.org

STAY WELL STAY HOME

TIPS FOR REMOTE WORKING: • Take time to get the right set up at home

WHEN THE KITCHEN BECOMES THE OFFICE Working from home – it’s yet another new phenomenon that we’re having to get used to. A new phrase that rolls off our tongues as easily as ‘are you social distancing or self isolating’?

Y

ou may have relished the thought. No long commutes, a chance to get more done without distractions. Till a few days in and reality hits.

You can work more flexibly giving you time to fit in other things, like a morning workout, online shopping, spend time with kids while they’re at home.

But journalist Diane Cook says there are also drawbacks to be overcome. “You never switch off and you don’t have the interaction with colleagues, it can be quite lonely. And you’re fair game for people phoning for a chat.”

People often overlook the role of discipline when first starting out.

A study by University of Central London (UCL) says remote working requires high levels of time management and self discipline and is not always experienced as a lifestyle of autonomy and freedom. They often overlook the role of discipline when first starting out, and don’t foresee how managing work life balance can become problematic.

Researcher Dave Cook said: “People need to have a long hard think about what kind of person they are, what their working style is really like, and to develop the right working strategy accordingly. Think about whether you are someone that needs external structures like deadlines or if you need to outsource some of your discipline to other people.

Financial services worker Kim Cobham loves not having to commute but says family often can’t accept you’re working.

“It’s very hard when they ask you to take them somewhere or pick them up. They don’t get that you have deadlines and need to concentrate.”

And she misses having colleagues to share advice on big decisions. “It’s hard if you have a question, you can’t just turn to a colleague. So it’s a phone call to someone who may not be immediately available or waiting for a reply to an email which can be super frustrating.”

That rush hour trek to work is already starting to look quite rose tinted... ucl.ac.uk

• Set clear boundaries about what spaces and times are for work. Be clear about these boundaries with online coworkers, friends or family • Think about how you will structure each day the evening before • Create an imaginary commute. It could be as simple as walking for 15 minutes in the morning before you start work. Or walking over an imaginary divide • Add rituals like going for a walk (keeping a safe distance) to avoid experiencing cabin fever • Communicate clearly when you are and when you’re not working • Block out two to three hours in the morning for focused work which is a popular approach used by experienced remote workers. It’s called MIT (Most Important Task) and it’s a promise to achieve your most important task/goal to yourself (and your team) • Beware Facebook. You might need to go on there for work (there are work related groups), however it’s designed for distraction, and it’s a time eater • Think of your laptop as a work device and your smartphone as a communication device • Avoid answering work emails out of hours, otherwise it becomes the norm • At the end of the working day do something that feels good – whether it’s making calls to loved ones, an activity or hobby or going for a walk if you can.

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MAKE IT FUN

H

ow do you cope without at best having niggles or at worst having full blown disputes – and not being able to let off steam?

Educational psychologist Zubeida Dasgupta told the BBC that structure is important.

She knows from her own experience the need for flexibility.

LOOSEN UP Having certainties through a bit of structure could really help,” she says. But not too rigid. Her original schedule with 30 minute chunks is now less rigid and more focused on ticking off tasks each day. “We had to loosen up in terms of accepting they are going to watch telly,” she says.

Loosen up in terms of accepting they are going to watch telly.

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You’re working from home, the kids are off school, you can only go out for essentials and exercise. Self isolation could mean whole families are together, all day, every day for more time than they’ve ever been.

DON’T TURN YOUR HOME INTO A CLASSROOM Mind website offers strategies for teens facing what it describes as a new (temporary) normal, including staying in touch with friends and dealing with cyberbullying.

Eloise Rickman, who runs courses on home schooling says while children thrive on predictability, especially when life is changing around them, learning at home is not simply replicating school at home.

It’s not necessary to do six hours of learning like in school, she says, as lessons will be one on one and so more intense. Any schedule should be more like a “flow” – rather than something strict. She suggests creating weekly or daily activities and then read the plan out or “stick it on the wall”. She recommends making spaces for children to do arts or craft – for example covering a coffee table with newspaper and arranging pens in mugs – and even moving furniture.

“If you don’t want the kids looking at the TV for five hours a day, think do we need to

rejig the furniture? Do we want to think about pushing tables back so the kids have space to run about, especially if you have a flat.”

Prepare for our houses to be a bit messier.

“This is a time we need to prepare for our houses to be a bit messier. Having kids about all day, it’s going to get messy.”

TAKE A DEEP BREATH Her advice to parents at home with children is to think about themselves first. “Children respond so much to us and our leadership.

Before you go down rabbit holes looking for curriculum think about how to support yourself first because you are that bedrock.

“Even just opening a window and taking 10 deep breaths, doing a free three minute meditation or writing down 10 things you’re grateful for.”

Mind: mind.org.uk

STAY WELL STAY HOME

STAY ACTIVE

GET CRAFTY Make a card or gift. Use as many recycled materials as possible.

DESIGN and build an obstacle course in the garden Or get growing... plant some seeds and watch them grow!

KEEP A NATURE DIARY See what you can see out of your window and draw pictures of them.

RSPB WILD CHALLENGE Go to www.rspb.org.uk to see how to get involved.

MAKE AN INSTRUMENT BUILD A READING DEN Find some spare sheets or a blanket, crawl inside and read a book. You could write a review after!

TRY SOME JUNK MODELLING

out of ‘junk’ you can then record yourself playing it.

what’s the tallest tower you can make?

LEARN SOMETHING NEW like how to french plait your hair or why not try a new language?

• Clear off your children’s book shelves replace books into columns based on colour • Have a readathon. Pile up sleeping bags, sofa cushions, or a tent. Have snacks for the duration and set a time. Read or listen to an audio book together that has a movie adaptation you can watch later

FIND A RECIPE and cook a tasty treat.

Don’t forget to take a picture before you eat it all!

• Take a photo of someone or something in your household and draw a portrait – compare at the end!

• Go undercover – come up with a code so you can send messages. Use numbers, letters and pictures then see if someone can crack your secret message.

• Design and make a board game based on a book or other interests

FUN

TIPS 29

This is hard work, it takes some getting used to.

Priest Jenny Bridgman talks about her own challenges staying home with children – and how viewing it as a retreat may just work.

TIME TO THINK

I

love spending time with my kids. But so often I am only half present to them. The noise and the mess and the lack of routine threatens to send me over the edge.

So I hide myself in my phone, or a book, or chores. There are deeper challenges, too.

Spending undiluted time in the company of three “mini-mes” holds a mirror up to my own failings. The slower pace of the school holidays becomes a crash course in mindful, meditative parenting. I have to confront my own shadow side: my irritation, my impatience, my anger.

As a priest, I know that spiritual retreats are tough. The dross of life is stripped away. As you go deeper into silence and simplicity, you are forced to look inwards. You see yourself with your props, your safety blankets and your masks taken away.

What if prolonged periods at home, or school holidays, could become a sort of spiritual retreat? An opportunity to learn from young masters who have great wisdom to offer.

This is what a “Parenting Retreat” might look like:

JUST BE PRESENT Kids don’t want great entertainment or expensive fun. They just want you. Mine love paper and cardboard and leaves and stones and sand. Often, I just watch, or ask questions. They surprise me with the breadth of their imagination and resourcefulness.

We once had days of fun with a cardboard box and some poster paint.

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DON’T FIGHT THE INNER WORK

REST TOGETHER

Offering the kids my attentiveness and presence means fewer distractions and more mindfulness. It’s a challenge to break the habit of picking up my phone whenever they turn away from me. It means I have to confront some of my own inner bleakness. The bits I numb with a dopamine hit from social media likes. This is hard work, it takes some getting used to, and gets worse before it gets better. But it leaves me feeling like I’ve done some tough and rewarding inner work.

We pack a lot into our days. But we also spend a lot of time under a blanket, watching Netflix together. It gives me space to breath, and it stops the kids living at 100mph for the whole day. In fact, most days they choose a film to put on the ‘list’ of things to do that day. We rest together, and we built that time into the day.

MAKE A LIST The highlight of each day is the first task: making a list. I ask the kids what they want to do, we write it down, and we do it. This gives them space to think about what they really want to do. It means I can steel myself for the messy stuff. It teaches them about compromise, and about making space for each other. It also means I can be honest with them about any jobs I have to do that will take me away from them. Often those jobs become a game in themselves!

FORGET PERFECTION We still argue. There are always tantrums – sometimes mine. There is a lot of mess. Things go unfinished. But letting go of perfection gives us a chance to talk about mess and anger and sadness. It gives us a chance to say sorry. It gives us permission to express ourselves, however badly. It avoids the daily build up of bad feeling that would otherwise lead to an ‘end of my tether’ moment.

I tried this “Parenting Retreat” one summer.

Like any spiritual retreat, it took determination and it wasn’t without tears. But I look back on that summer as one of the best times of my life. A time in which I found, surrendered and forgot myself. I became one human in a gang of four who had no agenda but fun and laughter.

So for those who find parenting impossible, who sit and cry on the sofa while the kids watch DVDs, who collapse among the mess and are too exhausted to laugh anymore. To those who hide in the loo, and regret their shouting, and feel haunted by the guilt of parenting failures. To those who are bored, frustrated, and annoyed by their kids. That’s me too. But it can be different. It can be transformed.

Kids don’t want great entertainment or expensive fun. They just want you.

STAY WELL STAY HOME

ARMCHAIR TRAVELLER

THE

Staycation now takes on a whole new meaning as we batten down the hatches and avoid coming into contact with others.

I

f you were meant to be sunning yourself by the sea, climbing mountains, camping or visiting famous landmarks, you can still enjoy yourself from the comfort of your own home – with no mosquitos, no tummy upsets and your own bed and pillow at the end of the day.

If museums, history and art galleries are your thing, Google Arts and Culture (artsandculture.google.com) is a great place to start. There, you can browse collections from art galleries all over the world – from the Uffizi in Florence to MoMa in New York. Individual museums have some exhibits available in digital form direct from their own websites. The British Library has a wealth of collections online including maps, international music, British newspapers and even a sound archive of British dialects. BBC Sounds is a great resource – seek out A History of the World in 100 Objects.

Lonely Planet is a good online resource.

If the Great Outdoors is your thing, YouTube.com has a huge selection of walks and climbs, uploaded by travel companies or travellers wanting to share their adventures. Search national parks including Yosemite in California, Fjordland in New Zealand, Uluru in Australia, and Torres del Paine in Patagonia. Lonely Planet is a good online resource with videos on topics like The World’s Most Amazing Scenic Train Journeys and Looking for Polar Bears in Manitoba. Chester Zoo and Edinburgh Zoo has a live webcam on many of its animals and the photographs online at National Geographic are unrivalled.

There’s nothing less relaxing than having your yoga retreat cancelled but if you have a mat or a thick blanket, you can still stretch and even meditate at home.

If you still have to take your annual leave be sure to treat yourself. Treat yourself to a cocktail or a mocktail – a slice of pineapple on the edge of your glass can make all the difference.

Give yourself time to read books or borrow for free from the collection at www.openlibrary.org. If the rain sets in, get out the old board games or join www.boardgamearena.com for free and test your skills. Listen to your favourite albums, watch your top 10 films and keep in touch with your friends.

Whatever you do, don’t open an email…

If you still have to take your annual leave be sure to treat yourself.

Treat yourself to a cocktail or a mocktail.

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REVEL IN

NATURE

By Jo Henwood

As we find ourselves more isolated – either looking after our own health or staying at home to help others – we take an ‘elementary’ look at nature and remind ourselves of what it has to offer.

I

n the midst of this turmoil, now is the time to think about what remains constant in our lives. The sun still comes up in the morning and goes down at night, the tide goes in and out and the good old British weather continues to surprise us on a daily basis.

FIRE – THE SUN Remind yourself of the glorious natural spectacles that are sunrise and sunset.

If you are an early bird, check the forecast and if it looks like there is no cloud, set an alarm. If you can’t get out to a good viewpoint, you’ll be able to see it from your own home, depending on which way your windows face. Even if you live in a built up area, you can still watch the sun rise or set over the buildings around you.

Remember that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. If you are venturing out, don’t go too far off the beaten track to view the sunset as it will soon get dark afterwards. Look online for sunrise and sunset times.

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WATER Research has shown that living near the sea improves mental health and wellbeing, leading to the expression Vitamin Sea. Even if you aren’t lucky enough to have easy access to the UK coastline, a stroll by a river, canal or pond – observing social distancing rules – can make you feel better. If you can’t get out, you can find apps that offer relaxing water sounds like the ebb and flow of the tide, waterfalls in full flow, babbling brooks and even rainfall. Just search Water Sounds on your app store.

EARTH Spring is an ideal month to watch the world around us come back to life following the winter months. Daffodils, with their hardy vibrant yellow heads and luscious green stems, always herald the beginning of spring. If you can get outside, take time to look around you and see what is beginning to grow in hedgerows, verges or open spaces close to home when you go for your exercise session. If you are self isolating and someone is bringing you your groceries, why not treat yourself and add a bunch of daffodils or a

small houseplant to your list. This will brighten up your kitchen table or sideboard and bring a little sunshine into your home. If you are shopping for someone in isolation and can afford it, add something like a bunch of daffs to their order.

SPACE On a clear night, wherever you are, look up at the stars. City dwellers get as high up as you can safely – a loft window, the windows of upper-storey flats or an open space (especially those further away from the centre) can work well as vantage points.

To appreciate space from home, NASA has a helpful free app with information about the galaxy and the free SkyView Lite app helps you find and identify stars and planets as well as satellites passing by.

STAY WELL STAY HOME I NEED TO BE DOING SOMETHING!

DEALING WITH ANXIETY AIR And don’t forget that the birds give us a dawn chorus every day – you might just have to get up a bit earlier to hear it.

As always, nature can be unpredictable.

Remember to stay safe, keep warm and let someone know where you are going.

TIPS • Grab your camera.- you’ll have memories of the sunset or wildlife forever • Record birdsong and play it for relaxation • Make a video – maybe on slo-mo so you get the full effect • Draw what you see and pin it on your wall • Make a bug house from dead branches and leaves in your garden

This new way of living may be with us for a while so keep your mind and body active. Explore how you can start new hobbies, read new books. Do that job that you have been putting off in the house. If you have a garden seriously consider growing your own veg or upcycling that new project.

I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO BELIEVE

When things are changing fast conflicting messages, opinions and predictions can raise your anxiety levels. Ben Towell from Mersey Care’s wellbeing team gives some useful and practical information that you can start referring to and practicing from today.

Get the facts from NHS or Government websites (nhs.uk or gov.uk)

TALK ABOUT HOW YOU FEEL

Draw on skills that you have used in the past that have helped you to manage previous adversities in your life. Use these to help you manage your emotions.

It’s normal to feel sad, stressed, confused, scared or angry during times like this. Talking to someone you know and have confidence in can help. Speak to your friends and family on the telephone or Facetime, Skype, and WhatsApp video. If you’ve never done that before or felt it’s not for you, why not give it a try?

KNOW YOUR LIMITS Reduce worry and agitation by lessening the time that you and your family spend watching or listening to media coverage that you feel is upsetting.

PERSONAL RESILIENCE

Here’s a website we liked and recommend: thriveglobal.com/ stories/10-ways-to-be-resilient-inturbulent-times/

LOOK AFTER YOURSELF Whether you’re working from home or in isolation, make sure you have a good diet, sleep, exercise and as social contact with loved ones through those new channels.

Ben Towell from Mersey Care’s wellbeing team.

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COULD

ISOLATION BE SPLENDID? Over 70 and self isolating? It’s no fun – or is it? We’ve found some things you can do at home.

S

elf isolation has its plus points.

For starters, you can please yourself.

Hurrah! If you want to eat a whole packet of biscuits and watch 10 episodes of Coronation Street back to back, then go for it. You can sing at the top of your voice, dance like no-one’s watching and avoid the neighbour you can’t stand.

Things are looking up.

GET CHATTING! If you don’t use email, social media or apps you can still use your landline to let your friends and family know you’re ok. They’ll appreciate your call as much as you do theirs.

PRACTICE POSITIVITY! You have to be more accepting of your life but, more importantly, you have to acknowledge the current situation and respect all the great things you have.

Think not about what you do not have but rather what you do.

Look at things like how you have plenty of great family and friends in your life or that you have done a great job in your professional life. Think about how you have many events and activities worth looking forward to when this is all over. Make a gratitude list and read it every morning to set yourself up for the day.

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Age UK’s Silver Line “for a cheerful chat, day or night” might be a nice addition for anyone living alone – the number is 0800 470 80 90.

The charity suggests, in its coronavirus advice, “setting up a rota with family and friends to make sure someone is regularly giving them a ring”.

If you’ve never been introduced to Netflix and have a smart TV, then now’s the time to start the simple process of setting up an account. You can watch Downton Abbey into the early hours. Similarly, if you’ve never followed The Archers, now’s the time to get acquainted with BBC Radio 4. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qpgr/ broadcasts/upcoming

MAKE SOMEONE ‘APPY If you know your apps from your platforms, aren’t baffled by your browsers, maybe you could help someone older (or not) in your community to do more online.

If you’re more technically minded, consider an ‘advanced tutorial’ in something like Zoom so that you can keep in touch with community groups or classes they already belonged to pre-coronavirus.

There’s lots of music making apps or just turn up the music and sing along. Scholars have shown that indulging in music can provide a sense of belonging. Favourite songs can evoke memories and feelings of connection to a person or place.

Or tune into the radio, you may find a few surprises that you’ve not heard before. If you’re missing out on live music Montreux Jazz festival is streaming concerts: montreuxjazzfestival.com/en/50-concerts-to-stream Google your favourite artist to see if they are doing any concerts from their living room.

STAY WELL STAY HOME GET READING! GET BAKING!

Baking isn’t just about creating a culinary masterpiece, it’s about relaxing and unwinding. Studies have shown that baking can be an effective form of therapy that can reduce stress and help manage depression. It can also stimulate the desire to eat which can diminish when older people live in isolation. So dust off those recipe books and cook up a storm!

GET SEWING!

DO A MORNING WORK OUT! Here are five fabulous books that can be ordered from Amazon.co.uk.

Senior Smiles 11 Big Laughs: A laugh a minute for all ages, in big print, by John Moher.

Colouring Book for Seniors: Nature Designs Vol 1 by Art Therapy. Colouring demands time and concentration and these days it’s not just for kids.

Driving Miss Norma: This fun book tells the tale of a 90 year old hitting the road in her car for the trip of a lifetime. By Tim Bauerschmidt and Ramie Liddle.

A man called Ove: A grumpy yet loveable man finds his solitary world turned on its head when a boisterous young family moves in next door.

By Frederk Backman

If you’re a dab hand with a sewing machine, then get altering those trousers that have always been too long, or if you’ve got material in storage, get it out and make a cushion cover or even an item of clothing. If you can, then do!

DE-CLUTTER!

Organise your old photographs chronologically, put everyone’s birthdates in your diary, clear out that chest of drawers, do a spot of light decorating if you’re able, weed the garden, put out some bird food and document the species that pay a visit. It’s time to sort out that tool shed and greenhouse that you’ve been putting off for so long.

The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared: International bestseller about a man who escapes from a care home and has the time of his life.

By Jonas Jonasson.

And don’t forget a bumper book of crosswords for all those wishing to keep their brain cells active.

PLAY GAMES!

Cards, chess, dominoes, jigsaws, all those games that haven’t been touched since the kids grew up, get them out of storage and have some fun reminiscing.

The Green Goddess, Diana Moran, has returned to breakfast television to help the elderly keep fit during the crisis. Diana, 80, will lead exercise classes on BBC Breakfast from her home, where she is in self isolation.

They will be broadcast at 6.55am and 8.55am on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, then shared on social media.

During the 1980s, Diana was a familiar presence on TV in her trademark green leotoard, urging viewers to “wake up and shape up”. She returned in March for a guest slot on BBC Breakfast, which proved so popular that the broadcaster has hired her for the regular slots. If you’re less mobile then chair yoga has been designed for you.

Check out this video. dailycaring.com/ chair-yoga-for-seniors-reduce-painand-improve-health-video

BE MORE CREATIVE!

Whether it entails writing books, performing music, or painting/drawing, creativity is something that makes the mind happier.

Paper and pen and a whole lot of ideas are the basics for writing. Now’s the time to document that life story for future generations to enjoy. Who knows, it may even be a bestseller. If you don’t have paints try a spot of life drawing with a pencil or pen. Make cards to tell your loved ones how much they’re appreciated.

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DO STAY IN TOUCH

Anxious?

Talk to us

Having trouble coping with Anxiety?

Need help?

You can refer yourself online by visiting talkliverpool.nhs.uk or calling 0151 228 2300, alternatively you can be referred by your GP or another health professional.

“

We’re being asked to suppress our profoundly human and evolutionarily hard wired impulses for connection: seeing our friends, getting together in groups, or touching each other,” says Nicholas Christakis, a social scientist and physician at Yale University.

So how do we adapt so we can follow the advice but avoid a sense of loss at not being able to hug, kiss, shake hands – or even just be in the company of others.

Julianne Holt-Lunstad, a research psychologist at Brigham Young University, points out that research on altruism has found that giving support can be even more beneficial than receiving it.

“Any one of us can pick up a phone and call to see how people are doing and what they might need. Not only will helping others potentially help them, but it can help us to still feel connected as well.”

Texting, email, and apps like Skype and FaceTime can definitely help people stay in touch. “We are fortunate to live in an era where technology will allow us to see and hear our friends and family, even

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Any one of us can pick up a phone and call to see how people are doing.

from a distance,” says Nicholas Christakis.

They’re not as good as face to face interactions, but they’re infinitely better than no interaction.”

WHAT IS SOCIAL DISTANCING? Until a few weeks ago the words social distancing were the stuff of psychology textbooks. Now we all need to know so we can do it. So what does it mean?

According to the Government website social distancing measures are steps you can take to reduce the social interaction between people. It’s being used now to reduce the transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19).

STAY WELL STAY HOME

YOUR SONG Ever considered joining a choir but never plucked up enough courage? Now you can join in from the comfort of your armchair.

Sofa Singers (www.thesofasingers.net)

Being close is what makes life a pleasure.

Now we’re being asked to distance ourselves from others. How will we manage?

is a free and weekly online singing event to bring people together from around the world to spark joy and human connection. Set up by vocal leader James Sills, as a response to global self isolation, The Sofa Singers offers a 45 minute choir rehearsal and

WHAT SHOULD WE BE DOING?

MAKE A PLAN

• Stay at home

Make a plan to stay in touch

• Only go outside for food, health reasons or work (but only if you cannot work from home)

• talk to your neighbours and family and exchange phone numbers of household contacts

• If you go out, stay 2 metres (6ft) away from other people at all times

• consider and plan for those in your home who are considered vulnerable

• Wash your hands as soon as you get home

• create a contact list with phone numbers of neighbours, schools, employer, chemist, NHS 111

• Do not meet others, even friends or family.

You can spread the virus even if you don’t have symptoms.

• set up online shopping accounts if possible.

no one can hear you. If you join in you will be able to see other singers and take part in a virtual tea break if you want to.

• Studies show singing stimulates your feel good endorphins.

• Make a play list or tune into a radio station that plays your kind of music, then turn up the volume (try not to annoy the neighbours) and sing!

For more information go to gov.uk

Social psychologist Theresa DiDonato says while it’s unnatural for humans to stay away from each other ‘we can be with each other through virtual means for now, so that this strange new normal can be in our past’.

Her ideas include: • Video chat with friends you’ve never video chatted with before • Schedule a virtual happy hour. These are not perfect substitutes for in person connection, but they can be fun. Tell your attendees to bring their refreshments - and their good moods • Keep going with game night. Chess, Monopoly, even card games with some creativity can be played through video chat.

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‘Three things in human life are important.

The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. The third is to be kind’, wrote 20th century novelist Henry James.

By Diane Cooke

O

ne thing that we have seen all over the world is that kindness is prevailing in these uncertain times.

From supermarkets establishing “elderly hours”, to viral videos showing people having mass singing sessions and clapping our carers.

People are setting up groups to offer support to the elderly or vulnerable – like collecting groceries or calling them for a chat. Stories of synchronised sing-ins, choreographed dances over video and people having virtual movie nights have been shared all over the world.

Some restaurants and cafes are even delivering free food and drinks to the most needy.

A study of 2,000 adults by ChannelMum. com found 64 per cent believe COVID 19 is bringing their neighbourhood closer together in a lot of ways.

Many are now carrying out acts of kindness they wouldn’t have done before.

Many are now carrying out acts of kindness they wouldn’t have done before the outbreak with three in 10 checking in on elderly relatives and another 23 per cent getting in touch with a vulnerable neighbour to offer help.

Others have started to donate to a foodbank (13 per cent), volunteered for a charity or local group in need (10 per cent) or shopped from a small or local business instead of going to a large chain (28 per cent).

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The family of 88 year old Darrell Blackley, who died at North Manchester General Hospital in March after testing positive for coronavirus, asked people to carry out acts of kindness in his memory rather than send cards and flowers.

Ali Currie, from south London, said her two daughters, Scarlet, 10, and Grace, 12, posted handwritten notes to the houses on their road.

“They are pretty caring girls,” she told the BBC. “We live in a really lovely neighbourhood which is full of great community spirit.”

Beauty Banks, a charity that supplies essential toiletries to people in poverty, launched an emergency virus related appeal.

Sali Hughes, who cofounded the campaign. said it raised £60,000 in the first day to pay for soap, washing powder and other goods for people who don’t have the money to stockpile.

“It’s been great to see kindness spread so fast and so far,” said Becky Wass, whose postcard campaign, aimed at helping people look out for their neighbours, was shared widely on social media.

The postcard, which people can print at home, allows neighbours to offer to deliver shopping, drop off urgent supplies or talk on the phone, and gives the recipients their name and phone number to contact.

The added benefit of helping others is that it is good for our own mental health and wellbeing.

It can help reduce stress and improve your emotional wellbeing.

Clinical Psychologist Dr Sarah Butchard, who is based at Mossley Hill Hospital, says kindness is a universal currency.

“Whether this is a kind word from a friend, a colleague giving you support just when you need it or a small act of kindness from a stranger, we are all familiar with the warm

glow you feel when you are a recipient of kindness. This however is a reciprocal relationship. Not only does it feel good to receive kindness we can also get a positive boost from being kind to others.”

Not only does it feel good to receive kindness we can also get a positive boost from being kind to others.

Dr Butchard says it has been hypothesised that the ‘helper’s high’ can ignite the brain’s reward system and drive pro-social behaviour.

There are many documented benefits to kindness; increased life satisfaction, positive mood, acceptance by others, decreased anxiety through the release of serotonin and oxytocin and, in older people, even increased longevity.

“Fundamentally, connecting with others through kindness fulfils a basic human psychological need, that is; the need for relatedness and belonging. It is therefore only natural that in times when we are forced to physically distance ourselves from others we strive to maintain social closeness and do this through increasing our kind acts towards others.”

Useful contact: Covid Mutual Aid – covidmutualaid.org/contact Email: covidmutualaiduk@gmail.com Covid Mutual Aid UK is a group of volunteers supporting local community groups helping those in need.

STAY WELL STAY HOME

BE KIND

Here’s some things you can do...

Call a friend that you haven’t spoken to for a while Offer to skill share with a friend via video call – you could teach guitar, dance etc.

Give praise to your colleague for something they’ve done well Send an inspirational story of kindness people around the world are doing for others to someone you know Donate to foodbanks Offer support to vulnerable neighbours Offer to send someone a takeaway or a meal Make a cup of tea for someone you live with

Help with a household chore at home Arrange to watch a film at the same time as a friend and video call Send a motivational text to a friend who is struggling Send someone you know a joke to cheer them up Send someone you know a picture of a cute animal Send an inspirational quote to a friend

Tell a family member how much you love and appreciate them Tell someone you know that you are proud of them Tell someone you know why you are thankful for them Contact someone you haven’t seen in a while and arrange a phone catch up Arrange to have a video lunch with a colleague

Arrange to have a cup of tea and virtual catch up with someone you know Spend time playing with your pet Reach out to call a friend, family member or neighbour who is experiencing loneliness or self isolation Donate to a charity Lend your ear – call a colleague and ask how they’re finding the change in routine

Send an interesting article to a friend

Liverpool mum Diane tells her story of support during self isolation: “All the subway branches donated all fresh produce. Jake from Subway and his friends, including Vannah from the Liverpool Vegetarian and Vegan Society, made up produce packs and gave them out free of charge outside a department store in town.

A lovely lady called Jennifer collected from three Subway branches and dropped off, at her own expense, to people who messaged her via the olio app, which helps prevent food waste. Jennifer brought lots to me and my neighbours.

Toby carvery sold their surplus stock at cost price and a staff member brought me potatoes, cheese, eggs, butter. I’d been unable to get an online supermarket slot as I usually would, so it meant so much to me to have this fresh food.”

Source: mentalhealth.org.uk

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MEMORIES ARE MADE OF THIS There’s nothing that takes us back in time like an old song, sitcom or film.

Now they’re all in one place as Life Rooms teams up with programme maker Made in Manchester (MIM) to bring you Distinct Nostalgia, an audio site dedicated to great memories.

Former EastEnders star Rani Singh and June Brown who played Dot Cotton are reunited after 30 years.

©BBC

June Brown who played Dot Cotton in EastEnders is interviewed by former fellow cast member Rani Singh. Former Carry On and Coronation Street star Amanda Barrie recalls her role as a children’s TV presenter in the 1970s alongside Alan Rothwell who played Ken Barlow’s brother David.

Y

ou can log on to one dedicated website to hear free interviews with stars, history, quizzes, drama and comedy. In between there’ll be messages on how to look after yourself while in isolation.

Remember the little girl in the café in Brief Encounter? Margaret Barton, who played the part, is now 93 and being interviewed about her memories.

Other stars supporting Distinct Nostalgia include Juliet Bravo’s Stephanie Turner, former Blue Peter star Tim Vincent, Carry On and former Bond girl Valerie Leon and Christopher Strauli, famous for his role in the 80s sitcom Only When I Laugh.

Ashley Byrne, Creative Director at MIM said: “Everyone loves a bit of nostalgia but they get frustrated at having to search for podcasts and maybe never finding what they want. We’re bringing lovely memories together in one place.

Click on: distinctnostalgia.com and they’ll all be there.

Former Carry On and Corrie star Amanda Barrie remembers her time as a children’s TV presenter in the 1970s.

What a terrific idea producing programmes to keep our spirits up with nostalgic memories and positive thoughts in these dark times.

TIP: Use this website to stimulate discussion with older family members or friends. Both listen and share your memories of those times: distinctnostalgia.com 40

Christopher Strauli who played Norman in 80s sitcom Only When I Laugh is supporting Distinct Nostalgia.

STAY WELL STAY HOME

TAKING

LIFE ROOMS INTO LIVING ROOMS Good morning!

You don’t need Lycra to join in this fun workout with Tricia Byrne, just a baggy T - shirt and joggers is fine!

Tricia Byrne Life Rooms physical health learning facilitator

(Read Tricia’s real life story on page 14).

Life Rooms wellbeing centres may have closed their doors for now, but you can now enjoy free courses and activities – in your living room.

T

he teams there have created a programme of activities for you to watch and take part in on Life Rooms YouTube channel. Life Rooms chef Anthony Muldowney demonstrates his favourite dishes while Tricia Byrne will be helping us all to get physical.

There’s also advice from course tutors on looking after your mental wellbeing while you stay at home.

“These are really honest sessions, delivered by tutors who have lived experience of mental health issues” said head of recovery and integration Gary Thorpe. “One session by our tutor Tom reveals his own anxiety. As you watch it you think this is really powerful”.

Michael Crilly, Mersey Care head of social inclusion and participation said: “Our Life Rooms are beautiful buildings, but it’s the people who use them that make them what they are. We’ve worked hard to keep our communities and relationships going until we can welcome people back through our doors.”

Go to YouTube and search: Life Rooms

Get your pinny on! Tune in to watch Life Rooms chef Anthony Muldowney show you how to cook anything from spring rolls to a Bolognese sauce – Mamma Mia! The recipe is on page 43.

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CREATE CUPBOARD CUISINE

NURTURE YOURSELF WITH FOOD Cooking delicious food can be a way to soothe ourselves during difficult times. Chef Pati Jinich says cooking can be therapeutic. “When you follow a recipe you put your brain to work and you’re focusing on that instead of thinking about other worries.”

Nutritionist Andrea Kapner says baking or cooking is a form of meditation.

“You’re using all five senses... you’re really present in the moment.”

PUB GRUB ON WHEELS The humble takeaway is becoming the new gourmet since the government started granting licences (prior to that a takeaway licence needed planning permission). Pubs, restaurants and cafes that have closed their doors are offering anything from pizzas to full on banquets direct to your door.

Not only can you still enjoy food from your favourite, you’ll be saving money – they often reduce the prices – and keeping the local economy afloat.

Go to your local community website or social media page or the local paper online to find out who’s delivering near you.

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Create a new type of cordon bleu – cupboard cuisine. Cook from your cupboard, not literally, use what you have. Maybe not that curry powder from 1997 but stuff that’s languished at the back as you hide it with new stuff.

Not only will the new stuff be grateful it’s been saved from a similar fate, the old stuff will be jumping for joy to see the light of day.

BBC Good Food is perfect for this. A dedicated section uses all the staples, rice, nuts and seeds, pasta (or rice if you don’t have pasta most of us have at least one packet in our store cupboards) and tinned items like beans, tuna and the packets of frozen veg from the bottom drawer of the freezer. Frozen vegetables give you the same goodness as fresh.

The added bonus is your cupboard won’t groan under the weight of age old tins, half used packets and dubious jars. www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/storecupboard

GARLIC CURE IS MYTH The World Health Organisation says while garlic is ‘a healthy food that may have some antimicrobial properties’ there’s no evidence that eating garlic can protect people from the coronavirus. But it’s good for lowering cholesterol and helps regulate blood pressure and blood sugar levels, so throw a clove or two into your dishes.

STAY WELL STAY HOME

BEST OF THE BATCH Batch cooking is an ideal way to make sure you have plenty of good healthy food without having to go to the supermarket too often.

This flavoursome bolognese recipe gives four to six hearty portions depending on how you use it. But you can increase the number of portions by multiplying the amounts.

Life Rooms chef Anthony Muldowney (left and below) says the dish is healthy and versatile.

“We don’t use oil and we use reduced fat mince and no added sugar. You can make a variety of different meals with just a few simple adjustments. For example to make a chilli con carne add a tin of kidney beans, a tablespoon of cumin and half a tablespoon of chilli powder.”

Anthony’s other suggestions include: •

Stuffed jackets. Hollow out a cooked jacket, fill with bolognese and top with cheese

•

Lasagne. You just need pasta sheets and cheese sauce

•

Cottage pie. Add 100ml extra beef stock, thicken with gravy granules and top with mashed potatoes.

BOLOGNESE

The bolognese can be also served as it is with rice, pasta or chips.

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

150g pork mince 150g beef mince 2 tins of chopped tomatoes 1 large carrot 1 white onion 1 stick of celery 1tbsp tomato puree 2 beef stock cubes 150ml water 2 cloves of garlic 1tsp of dried rosemary 2 chopped sage leaves 1tbsp of Worcestershire sauce Salt and pepper to taste

Finely dice the carrot, onion and celery. Crush the garlic. Add to a heavy based pan with a tea spoon of oil. Cook until soft then add both portions of mince, or vegetarian alternative.

Break up the mince and cook until coloured. Boil the water and add the stock cubes. Add the stock to the pan and simmer for 20 minutes.

Then add the tomato puree, rosemary, sage and Worcestershire sauce.

Add the tomatoes, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Season and serve.

FOOD VLOG ALERT! If you fancy seeing how the experts do it we’ve got a video of Life Rooms chef Antony Muldowney showing you how.

Go to YouTube and search Life Rooms

PATHWAY TO

HELP

Mersey Care’s Life Rooms wellbeing centres have launched a dedicated phone line to support people while their doors are closed.

P

athways advisors at the centre usually offer face to face advice on issues from debt to housing and benefits. Now they’ve set up a Pathways Advisor Claire Scott telephone service so that social distancing doesn’t prevent people getting the help they need.

Advisor Claire Scott explains: “People rely on being able to come in to Life Rooms for personalised help with all kinds of things from staying mentally and physically well to claiming benefits and finding training courses. Many don’t have internet at home and would normally use our computers and see our advisors face to face. They’re facing confusion, particularly the older generation who don’t do anything online.

“We’ve had to close our doors for the time being but we wanted to keep supporting people, so we set up a dedicated helpline staffed by our team. We’re mainly signposting

them to free national advice because our local partner services are closed, but we’ve found out about some lovely local organisations who are doing things like giving out food parcels and hot meals.

“It’s a bit different to the way we normally do things, but we’re rising to the challenge and scouring the internet daily. We found 60 sources of support in one day! Telephones may feel like we’re stepping back in time, but right now it’s a vital service and it’s a privilege to be able to help give people a boost and help them through trying times.”

Life Rooms helplines: Walton 0151 478 6556

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CORONAVIRUS STAY AT HOME SAVE LIVES Anyone can spread Coronavirus.

The only reasons to leave home are: To shop for basic necessities or pick up medicine To travel to work when you absolutely cannot work from home To exercise once a day, alone or with members of your household Do not meet others, even friends or family

Contact details Got some news you’d like to share?

Contact us at the following address.

MerseyCareNHSFoundationTrust

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, V7 Building, Kings Business Park, Prescot, Merseyside L34 1PJ Telephone: 0151 473 0303 Email: communications@merseycare.nhs.uk

@MerseyCareNHSFT

MC MAGAZINE is published by Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust and produced by the communications team, Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, V7 Building, Kings Business Park, Prescot, Merseyside L34 1PJ T: 0151 473 0303 E: communications@merseycare.nhs.uk W: merseycare.nhs.uk. MC MAGAZINE is available in other formats on request. Please pass on for others to read and recycle.