Carers’ Connection July 2022
Creative Carers at Duthie Park Photo by Michal Wachucik
Welcome to our July edition of Carers’ Connection, where I start by celebrating success. I have just had a wonderful lunch break watching a video of all the fantastic art and creativity produced by carers during the Creative Paths project and I am sure you will enjoy reading about it in this newsletter. My thanks and congratulations go out to all those who took part, and we hope to apply for more funding soon to enable us to offer more of this type of project.
If you wish to speak to Lauren or Anna about what funding you might be able to access for a break, please give them a call on 01224 914035. You will find a feedback form enclosed with this newsletter, which I hope you will be able to find a few minutes to complete and return to us in the stamped addressed envelope provided. I wish you all a lovely summer.
Another celebration was Carers Week in June and I hope you enjoyed taking part in any groups you attended online or in person over the week. We launched our new Health & Wellbeing book group and welcomed some new members of staff to the ever-growing team.
Joanna McPherson, Service Coordinator Stay up to date with all the latest news on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ aberdeencarerssupportservice
Our Carers’ Respitality Bureau is now open, with new funding for this year. 1
Meet the team
Joanna McPherson Service Coordinator
Andrew Falconer Team Leader Tel: 07917 521268 Email: andrew.falconer@ quarriers.org.uk
Susan Middler Digital and Community Inclusion Worker Tel: 07917 521886 Email: susan.middler@ quarriers.org.uk
Kyle Fitzpatrick Senior Administrator Tel: TBC Email: kyle.fitzpatrick@ quarriers.org.uk
Nicola Black Administrator Tel: 01224 914036 Email: nicola.black@ quarriers.org.uk
Ann Ross Administrator Tel: 07917 521869 Email: ann.ross@quarriers. org.uk
Louisa Donaldson Carer Advisor Tel: 07917 521885 Email: louisa.donaldson@ quarriers.org.uk
2
Meet the team
Elaine Dukes Parent Carer Advisor Tel: 07917 521852 Email: elaine.dukes@ quarriers.org.uk
Klaudia Szafran Family Wellbeing Worker (Enhanced Carer Support) Tel: 07796 966107 Email: klaudia.szafran@ quarriers.org.uk
Natalia Beaton Family Wellbeing Worker (Health and Wellbeing) Tel: 07917 052551 Email: natalia.beaton@ quarriers.org.uk
Lauren Gardiner Family Wellbeing Worker (Respitality) Tel 07917 521874 Email: lauren.gardiner@ quarriers.org.uk
Teresa Massie Carer Advisor
(Enhanced Carer Support) Tel: 07917 521853 Email: teresa.massie@ quarriers.org.uk
Anna Schmitt Family Wellbeing Worker (Respitality) Tel 07917 051589 Email: anna.schmitt@ quarriers.org.uk
Your preferences
Helen Summers Family Wellbeing Worker Tel 07917 521862 Email: helen.summers@ quarriers.org.uk
Vicki Johnstone Family Wellbeing Worker Tel 07551 018643 Email: vicki.johnstone@ quarriers.org.uk 3
Would you prefer to receive this newsletter via email? Let us know by getting in touch via the contact details on page 12.
Staff updates - welcome to the team Kyle Fitzpatrick I am excited to have joined Quarriers as a Senior Administrator. Being a part of the team that does such great things for so many people gives me a huge sense of pride. The passion, understanding, and determination to help as many people as possible is apparent from every member of staff and is aweinspiring.
Anna Schmitt I am super-duper excited to become a permanent member of staff working as a Family Wellbeing Worker in the Carers Respitality Bureau at our Albert Street office. I joined Quarriers in March this year as full-time temporary admin support working on the ScotSpirit holiday voucher scheme. It has given me great pleasure to be part of a fantastic team that provides wonderful opportunities and initiatives for our carers. I was a family carer until recently and I didn’t know about the support provided by amazing teams such as Aberdeen Carers Support Service – hence why I do my work with such pride and joy. Coming fresh out of uni after studying Neuroscience at Masters, it feels great to have a breath of fresh air at Quarriers. When I am not working, I love playing games (video or board games) and going to church (a simple yet fulfilled life).
Before working with Quarriers I was working as an administrator in the private sector back at home in Manchester for several years. I am looking forward to bringing my skills and experience to Quarriers and adding to our already great admin team. In my spare time I love to watch and play a few sports including football (Manchester City!) and basketball, collect retro video games, attend live music whenever I get the opportunity, and relax at home with my wife and our two tuxedo cats!
Helen Summers I am really pleased to be joining the Aberdeen Carers Support Service as a Family Wellbeing Worker, involved in generic support. I have been working recently within the Cornerstone (Self Directed Support) service in Aberdeenshire, providing advice, guidance, and support for individuals and families to make informed decisions about direct payments, providing advice, information, and support in all aspects of the recruitment and selection of Personal Assistants. I am looking forward to getting to know the carers who use the service and to do the very best I can to ensure that the people we support, and their families receive the highest quality of service, and they have the support to live a valued life. In my spare time I love going for long walks with my border collie. I also enjoy reading, gardening, and drawing. One of my main passions is wildlife, and I like nothing better than being out and about bird watching.
Lauren Gardiner I am very pleased to be joining Aberdeen Carers Support Service on a permanent basis. Until now I’ve been here as a part-time temp working mostly with Time to Live and Doorstep Breaks funding. I have greatly enjoyed my time within that role and helping carers with their breaks. This has led to my role becoming permanent, and I now have a part-time post at Albert Street as a Family Wellbeing Worker in our new Carers Respitality Bureau. My main duties will include liaising with carers to arrange breaks for them. In my spare time I love to go swimming and enjoy going to the gym. I also very much enjoy making wax melts and travelling. I am looking forward to helping service users, working alongside my team, and learning new skills. 4
Staff updates welcome to the team
Carers Week June saw us celebrate Carers Week 2022, and we would like to thank everyone who got involved and attended our events online and in person! We hope you enjoyed coming together to make caring visible, valued and supported as much as we did.
Vicki Johnstone Hello! I am a full-time mum to my not-so-wee boy, Rohan, who is almost ten and has Fragile X Syndrome, Autism, and ADHD. This means I am his full-time carer too. As such, I am aware of and understand carers’ needs and the difficulties and challenges that can happen day-to-day or out of the blue, but also the joy and happiness that can be found in a caring role. We have two cats, one 18 months and the other 8 weeks old. We just adore them both and love playing with them and cuddling lots. I have taken up the post of Family Wellbeing Worker and look forward to meeting and getting to know the carers that I will be working with. I am interested to learn what I can in the new role and develop the services we have for carers. Previously, I have worked as an administrator for another public sector charity for carers and as a primary school teacher. I think caring is just in my nature! When I do get some time to myself, I love going to the gym, walking along the sand at the beach, climbing hills, watching movies, and visiting friends.
Virtual Carers Centre Just a wee reminder that you can access our Virtual Carers Centre website at https://carers.quarriers.org.uk/ services/aberdeen-carers-supportservice/ We are always keen to hear what kind of information would be of benefit to you, so if there is anything in particular you would like to see included, please let us know.
5
Creative Paths Grand Finale
The Creative Paths programme, funded by Creative Scotland and delivered to Quarriers by Findhorn Bay Arts, has sadly come to an end. But what an end it was, as Dawn Hartley, Quee Macarthur, and Nicola Kennell hosted a fabulous ‘grand finale’ celebration event for carers and Quarriers’ staff at Duthie Park. There was music, drawing, and dancing through the greenhouses (much to the bemusement of park staff and visitors!). Attendees enjoyed a lunch at the Park Café followed by a sing-along, with lyrics they had written as part of the programme put to music by Quee Macarthur. Quee treated them to the sounds of the double bass and bouzouki, with fellow band members Charlie Grey on fiddle and Joseph Peach on keys.
Photos by Michal Wachucik with art packs and then met fortnightly over Zoom, with Nicola demonstrating art techniques such as mono printing, watercolours, collage, and accordion book decorating. Carers across Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray produced some truly inspirational artwork. Block 2 saw Dance Artist Dawn Hartley of What Moves You? introducing gentle exercises and encouraging carers to explore key movement themes set to live music. The aim was to get everyone to explore their individual responses to music and movement tasks. Once again, carers gathered online and engaged in activities such as composition and landscape, introduction to song writing, moving, drawing, song and choreography.
Block 1 of the programme began in Autumn 2021, with participants enjoying mindful walks under the guidance of art psychotherapist Nicola Kennell of Green Tree Arts. Carers were provided
Continued on page 7. 6
Creative Paths Grand Finale (continued)
Anna Mackay, Family Wellbeing Worker with Quarriers Moray Carers’ service, wrote this poem to sum up the end of the project. The last hurrah is bittersweet We’ve all had lots of fun Painting, printing, writing songs Something there for everyone We’ll miss our arty sessions But look at what we’ve done And with our kits, our inspiration It’s a journey just begun… You can watch a lovely celebration of the Creative Paths project in this film put together by Dawn Hartley, Quee Macarthur, and Nicola Kennell: https://vimeo.com/718726895
“
The Creative Paths project has allowed me to return to my love of art, which in turn has given me confidence to try out the other activities in the programme, for instance dance and song writing which I would never have had the confidence to try before. We felt supported just to go for it.
”
“ 7
The whole course was a joy! Every element was an invitation to learn something new and I feel I have gained hugely from taking part.
”
Accessible Places
£
Cost of living crisis
Millions of households across the UK are struggling to make their incomes stretch to cover the rising cost of living. The UK Government is providing over £15 billion in further support, targeted particularly on those with the greatest need. This means that almost all of the eight million most vulnerable households will get £1,200 of one-off support in total this year to help with the cost of living, with all domestic electricity customers receiving at least £400.
Did you know that Google has a feature on their Google Maps app to allow you to easily find wheelchair-accessible places? By turning on this feature, accessible places information will be displayed more prominently on your phone when you are using the app. A wheelchair icon will indicate an accessible entrance and you’ll be able to see if a place has accessible seating, toilets, or parking. If it’s confirmed that a place does not have an accessible entrance, you should be able to see that information too.
You can find a cost of living support factsheet from HM Treasury here: https://www.gov.uk/government/ publications/cost-of-living-support/ cost-of-living-support-factsheet-26may-2022
Simply ensure you have the latest version of Google Maps, go to settings (which you can find by clicking on the circle on the right of the search box), select ‘Accessibility’, and turn on ‘Accessible Places’. The feature is available on both Android and iOS. https://blog.google/ products/maps/wheelchair-accessibleplaces-google-maps/
Mind to Mind
The Scottish Government has launched the Mind to Mind Campaign, which highlights the new dedicated NHS inform website to help people who may be facing challenges with their mental wellbeing.
GFIE scheme A new Going Forward into Employment (GFiE) scheme aims to bring the skills/experience of carers into the Civil Service. More information here: https://gfie.blog.gov.uk/2022/06/10/ visible-valued-and-supportedcarers-bringing-their-skills-andexperience-to-the-civil-service/
The Mind to Mind website features real people talking about their own experiences and offers advice to others to support them with their challenges. Topics include dealing with anxiety and panic, handling stress, sleeping better, lifting mood, and moving through grief. Visit https://www.nhsinform.scot/ mindtomind 8
Health and Wellbeing Book Group Our Health and Wellbeing Book Group is now up and running! We have a range of titles to support you in your caring role, on topics such as mindfulness, mental health, dementia, ADHD, cerebral palsy, autism, cancer, and general caregiving. Drop-in sessions will be held on the second Wednesday of the month between 2-4pm. Pop in to see us at our office on 37 Albert Street and browse our selection of books along with a fly cup and a biccy. Take a book home and either return it at the next session or just hand it back in to our office at a time to suit you. You will find details of the dates and times on pages 11 and 12. For a full list of titles available to borrow, or for further information, please contact Natalia on 07917 052551 or natalia.beaton@quarriers.org.uk.
Eat Well, Age Well
the voluntary sector, local and national government, health professionals, and communities, to develop initiatives that will make a difference to older people.
Eat Well, Age Well is a national project tackling malnutrition in older people living at home in Scotland. Malnutrition is a significant public health issue, with Eat Well, Age Well’s data showing that as many as 30% of older people living in the community are at risk of or are living with it.
You can talk to them if you are concerned about an older person who might be underweight, struggling to eat well, or having issues with appetite. Their free Malnutrition Advice Line is available for older people, their families, and carers.
Eat Well, Age Well works in collaboration with a wide range of groups including 9
Access Don Giovanni We would like to say a big thank you to Aberdeen Performing Arts for providing some of our carers with complimentary tickets to a special afternoon performance of Mozart’s Don Giovanni at His Majesty’s Theatre in June. This was a fully staged version of the show, specially created by Scottish Opera for those who enjoy a more relaxed opera experience. A narrator, the orchestra of Scottish Opera, and a full cast of singers led the audience through a shortened version of the opera, including some of its best-loved music. “Thanks so much for the tickets to Don Giovanni. A superb opera afternoon. Loved it so much. Thanks for getting me out more.”
ScotSpirit Holiday Voucher Scheme Carers who benefitted from ScotSpirit short break funding have been in touch to share photos of their trips and say how much they enjoyed their time away. Yvonne sent us these photos from her three-night stay at Inglewood House and Spa in Alloa
Diana had fun on a three-night break at Balmacara Mains at Kyle of Lochalsh
Anne enjoyed a three-night stay at Gorton Cottages in Lasswade. During her break she took the opportunity to visit Edinburgh, touring of the Palace of Holyroodhouse and the Royal Yacht Britannia. 10
Carers’ groups We are running groups for carers online via Microsoft Teams and Zoom. We are also having some in-person events – details below. If you are interested in joining any of the groups let us know and we will send you the relevant link(s). If you have any questions about joining or accessing any of the sessions, please let us know and we can support you. Date and time
Session
August Monday 1 August 11am - 12.30pm
Monday Men’s Group – A group for those in an unpaid caring role who might wish to meet others in a similar situation. In person and over Zoom. Contact Teresa Massie on 07917 521853 if you wish to attend.
Tuesday 9 August 10–11am
Parent Carer Café – For parents supporting a child with additional needs to share information, skills and knowledge and support each other online over Zoom. Contact Elaine Dukes on 07917 521852 if you wish to attend.
Wednesday 10 August 11am - 1pm
Connexions - A closed group for women in need of mental health support. If you wish to attend, please contact Teresa Massie on 07917 521853 to discuss the criteria.
Wednesday 10 August 2-4pm
Health & Wellbeing Book Group – Pop in between 2-4pm for a cuppa, browse our selection of books, and borrow any that will help you in your caring role. Contact Natalia Beaton on 07917 052551 if you wish to attend.
Thursday 11 August 2–4pm
Carers’ Catch Up – A group for unpaid carers supporting someone living with dementia to share information and knowledge and support each other. In person and online over Zoom. Contact Elaine Dukes on 07917 521852 if you wish to attend.
Friday 26 August 2–2.45pm
Adult Carers’ Mindfulness - Explore relaxation and de-stress tools to assist you in your daily life and beyond. Via Microsoft Teams. To be sent the link, please contact aberdeencarers@quarriers.org.uk
September Thursday 1 September 2–4pm
Carers’ Catch Up – A group for unpaid carers supporting someone living with dementia to share information and knowledge and support each other. In person and online over Zoom. Contact Elaine Dukes on 07917 521852 if you wish to attend.
Monday 5 September 11am - 12.30pm
Monday Men’s Group – A group for those in an unpaid caring role who might wish to meet others in a similar situation. In person and over Zoom. Contact Teresa Massie on 07917 521853 if you wish to attend.
Tuesday 6 September 10–11am
Parent Carer Café – For parents supporting a child with additional needs to share information, skills and knowledge and support each other online over Zoom. Contact Elaine Dukes on 07917 521852 if you wish to attend. 11
Date and time
Session
Wednesday 7 September 11am - 1pm
Connexions - A closed group for women in need of mental health support. If you wish to attend, please contact Teresa Massie on 07917 521853 to discuss the criteria.
Wednesday 14 September 2-4pm
Health & Wellbeing Book Group – Pop in between 2-4pm for a cuppa, browse our selection of books, and borrow any that will help you in your caring role. Contact Natalia Beaton on 07917 052551 if you wish to attend.
Friday 30 September 2–2.45pm
Adult Carers’ Mindfulness - Explore relaxation and de-stress tools to assist you in your daily life and beyond. Via Microsoft Teams. To be sent the link, please contact aberdeencarers@quarriers.org.uk
October Monday 3 October 11am - 12.30pm
Monday Men’s Group – A group for those in an unpaid caring role who might wish to meet others in a similar situation. In person and over Zoom. Contact Teresa Massie on 07917 521853 if you wish to attend.
Tuesday 4 October 10–11am
Parent Carer Café – For parents supporting a child with additional needs to share information, skills and knowledge and support each other online over Zoom. Contact Elaine Dukes on 07917 521852 if you wish to attend.
Wednesday 5 October 11am - 1pm
Connexions - A closed group for women in need of mental health support. If you wish to attend, please contact Teresa Massie on 07917 521853 to discuss the criteria.
Thursday 6 October 2–4pm
Carers’ Catch Up – A group for unpaid carers supporting someone living with dementia to share information and knowledge and support each other. In person and online over Zoom. Contact Elaine Dukes on 07917 521852 if you wish to attend.
Wednesday 12 October 2-4pm
Health & Wellbeing Book Group – Pop in between 2-4pm for a cuppa, browse our selection of books, and borrow any that will help you in your caring role. Contact Natalia Beaton on 07917 052551 if you wish to attend.
Friday 28 October 2–2.45pm
Adult Carers’ Mindfulness - Explore relaxation and de-stress tools to assist you in your daily life and beyond. Via Microsoft Teams. To be sent the link, please contact aberdeencarers@quarriers.org.uk
Aberdeen Carers Support Service 37 Albert Street, Aberdeen, AB25 1XU Tel: 01224 914036 Email: aberdeencarers@quarriers.org.uk
Quarriers is a registered Scottish Charity No SC001960