All about you... Summer 2015
town&country housing
Sharing your news and stories
Summer 2015
All about you...
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W
elcome back! You’ll notice that All About You has been redesigned after a short break of publishing and we hope you like it. Thank you to all those of you who make All
About You possible. We welcome all suggestions on subjects you would like to read about and we are keen to include all of your events and achievements so keep them coming. Your input and feedback is valued and will in turn help to shape the direction of the newsletter and be a publication you look forward to reading. Don’t forget the ‘Dear Doug’ column. You can ask any question you want in relation to sheltered housing and the
services provided and I will answer all of your questions, even if they are not published. If you have any suggestions or feedback on the newsletter please do get in touch. So, find yourself a nice comfortable seat, pour yourself a nice cuppa and enjoy the fourth edition of ‘All About You’.
How to contact us Speak to your Support Officer Make sure we get the news from your scheme!
Send us an email: aboutyou@tchg.org.uk
Write to us: FREEPOST RTJS-HTYR-LJKB, Doug Snowden All About You Town & Country Housing Group, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1LQ
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My Home On Line is an online service available to all Town & Country tenants where you can view your rent and repairs information. If you don’t own your own computer why not take the opportunity to make use of the scheme computers and take a look at this fantastic service. My Home Online is a secure area of the website for tenants, leaseholders and shared owners, which allows you to: •
see the balance on your current tenancy
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v iew your regular charges and a statement of recent transactions (for the last 6 months)
•
s ee outstanding and completed repairs to your home, block and estate.
Summer 2015
All about the schemes... St Stephens Court
St Stephens Court is located just off Camden Road and within a short distance from Tunbridge Wells town centre. Spread over 2 blocks, St Stephen’s Court is made up of 49 one bedroom flats and 1 bedsit. There are three floors in each block which are accessible via a lift. There is also a bridge between the blocks on the top floor and stairs. Scheme Support Officer Del Walker, who is based in the office at the entrance to block 1, holds regular bi-monthly resident meetings to inform residents of current events and ensure a high level of customer service for all.
St Stephens Court has a fantastic communal lounge complete with large kitchen, luxurious furniture, snooker table and dart board, computer room with Wi-Fi and a flat screen TV. It plays host to various regular social events including bingo, fish ‘n’ chip lunches, craft club, memory club, annual charity events and often converts into a mobile clothes shop. Other communal facilities include a laundry room, two shower rooms and a pond with a variety of large Koi Carp in the court yard garden.
What more could you wish for? Summer 2015
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SCHEME NEWS
What’s going on here?... A fond farewell to Sue After 28 years as the cleaner for Pennington Manor, Sue finally hung up the ‘Henry’ and has retired. Over the years Sue has provided an excellent service at Pennington Manor and will be missed by all. Sue has always been reliable and helpful and the residents of Pennington Manor couldn’t let her go without a little farewell gathering!
Congratulations to Bill Bill Manser of Pinewood Court recently collected his £20 voucher from Capel Cottage Nursery in Paddock Wood. The voucher was awarded to Bill by the nursery manager to spend on plants of his choice. Bill is well known as a keen gardener and I have been informed, by his Support Officer Sue Wilkinson, that the beautiful hanging baskets he created last year (in both the spring and summer) were outstanding and enjoyed by all residents at Pinewood Court!
‘MacMillan’ fantastic fundraising achievement! St. Stephens Court hit the headlines again with some fantastic news. They had a very successful coffee morning in aid of MacMillan raising £300!
to allyou... those involved who made 4 Well Alldone about Summer 2015this possible.
Under the Spotlight Some time ago Mr Keith Ivey made the decision to take up a new hobby by landscaping a patch of ground at Pennington Manor. As well as providing Mr Ivey with a new interest and therapeutic qualities it has also benefitted the other residents. After countless hours of dedication, planting, digging and hard work, Mr Ivey created a beautiful garden for all to enjoy, including local wildlife. There is even a little pond currently full of tadpoles! Everyone that visits Pennington Manor comments on the garden and some go to ‘check it out’ quite frequently. We are very impressed with the results of Keith’s hard work and would like to congratulate him on his achievement.
Well done Keith!
We would love to share your stories and scheme news. Please contact us on 01892 501667 if you have any good news stories or pictures that you would like to share. Summer 2015
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CROSSROADS care kent
Services available for you to take advantage of in Kent In 1973, the soap opera “Crossroads” featured a storyline where the son of the motel owner had a car accident and was paralysed. His mother had to care for him at home. After the story aired, the programme makers responded to feedback from carers who had seen
the show. ATV donated £10,000 to set up a pilot project in Rugby with the aim of helping carers in a practical way to relieve the stress the majority of them experience. This was a major innovation at a time when the word “carer” was not even recognised.
Until my husband became ill some two years ago I had never heard of Crossroads. Now we could not do without them
In its first year of operation, more than 42 years ago, Crossroads
Would you like to know more? If you would like to access any of the mentioned services please call:
08450 956 700 6
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Summer 2015
Care supported 26 families. Today Crossroads Care supports over 50,000 carers and their families through a network of independent, local Crossroads Care Schemes across England, Wales and the Isle of Man. We employ over 6,500 staff, mostly trained carer support workers, who offer personal care and support to men, women and children of all ages and with any disability, illness or condition. From the very beginning, Crossroads Care introduced and took the approach of caring for the whole family. Today, whole family working is seen as the key to supporting families where one or more family members are sick or disabled – taking care of the carers as well as the person with care needs. Over the past 40 years Crossroads Care has grown and developed, continuously increasing the number of carers reached and supported, giving them the vital break they need. In Kent, Crossroads Care delivers a range of free services for carers, such as:
Short Breaks Service – home based respite for adult carers, allowing them to take a break from caring. Respite visits are usually weekly, but this can be flexible. Continuity of care means that the same carer support worker visits each time in order to establish trust and understanding and they are able to carry out all the caring tasks that the carer would normally do, including personal care tasks, during their visits. Health Appointments Initiative – Carers can now pre-book replacement care in order to attend their own health appointments with GP’s, dentist, hospital etc. The service is designed to encourage carers to look after their own health needs, thereby preventing the likelihood of carer breakdown in the future. Volunteering Project – volunteers can support carers and individuals with cancer, who need practical help with tasks such as shopping, light housework, gardening, or befriending.
Crossroads support was invaluable and was exactly what we needed
Urgent Response Service – Crossroads are also commissioned by GP’s and Social Services to provide a rapid response service, to prevent the breakdown of a caring situation that would normally have led to a hospital or care home admission. By providing replacement care at a time of emergency or crisis, we aim to reduce the level of disruption and distress for people with care needs, by supporting them in their own home. Currently referrals can only come through Health or Social Care professionals, but for carers who have no informal emergency contacts Crossroads can provide a backup service for a small monthly charge.
A big thank you to Lorraine Williamson for providing the very useful information in this article.
Summer 2015
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Simple herbs with fanta Kate Arnold Nutrition Consultant BA (Hons),
Robust Rosem
Dip ION, PG Cert, MBANT, Kate’s website katearnoldnutrition.co.uk
Kate Arnold, Nutrition Consultant, shares her passion for using simple herbs for improving your health & wellbeing.
When cutting junk out of your diet, food can often taste bland so herbs and spices can play a role in you eating more healthily.
In my early twenties I suffered with a stomach ulcer and so was always a little wary of herbs and spices, as officially I wasn’t allowed to eat them. I now understand more how they work and how beneficial they can be to the body and immune system.
I have several window boxes with all sorts of herbs growing a selection of rosemary, basil, parsley, sage, thyme and oregano. Apart from the fact that herbs can be pricey to buy, picking them as and when is a joy, and I add them to literally everything!
Known as ‘Dew of the Sea’ and ‘Old Man’, rosemary is related to the mint family and resembles lavender. It has thousands of uses, and is easy to grow! Add an entire sprig to vegetable soups for a bright unique flavour. My favourite recipe is squash soup, with only two ingredients, squash and rosemary (water, salt and pepper as stock), it’s the most basic recipe I use and it’s delicious! For me fresh is far superior to dried and can be refrigerated in a bag for several weeks. Health benefits of rosemary • The most common medicinal use for rosemary is memory improvement and brain ageing prevention • It contains manganese, iron, potassium, fibre, copper calcium and an myriad of B vitamins.
Two of my favourite herbs are in my window boxes at the moment, rosemary and thyme, - the smell is awesome!
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• In Europe rosemary is often used to help treat indigestion - Germany has approved it for the treatment of dyspepsia.
astic health benefits
mary
• Rosemary is a rich source of antibacterial and antioxidants which have anti fungal and antiseptic properties Also anti inflammatory compounds which are thought to help boost the immune system and improve blood circulation.
Terrific Thyme Thyme herb is packed with numerous health benefiting phyto-nutrients, minerals and vitamins that are essential for wellness. Originally native to southern Europe and Mediterranean regions the most popular variety is ‘Thymus vulgaris’ or French thyme. Try Roasting carrots with honey, lemon juice and seasoning for 25 minutes and add thyme when warm. Delicious! Health benefits of thyme • T hyme contains many antioxidants and fresh thyme has one of the highest antioxidant levels among herbs. Basically there is lots of good “stuff” in them. • T hyme contains thymol, one of the important essential oils, which has been found to have antiseptic, anti-fungal characteristics. • T hyme is a rich source of important vitamins such as B-complex vitamins, beta carotene, vitamins A, K, E, C and folic acid.
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• The leaves are one of the richest sources of potassium, iron, calcium, manganese, magnesium, and selenium. Potassium aids the cells and body fluids that help control heart rate and blood pressure and Iron is required for red blood cell formation. • Thyme provides 0.35 mg of vitamin B-6, about 27% of the RDA. Vitamin B6 helps increase GABA (a neurotransmitter in the brain) levels in the brain, which helps you cope with stress. • Vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against infections. • Vitamin A is fat-soluble and an antioxidant which is required to maintain healthy mucus membranes and skin - it is also essential for vision. If you eat natural foods rich in flavonoids like vitamin A and betacarotene this can help protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.
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Take your medication safely some helpful tips Taking medicines on a regular basis and often be confusing especially if they are taken on different days of the week or times of the day. Here are a few handy tips that you might find helpful:
Use this list to record any allergies, your blood type and any contraindications to certain drugs, such as penicillin.
Keep a list
It is really important to follow the dosage prescribed by the doctor. Sometimes, it’s easy to forget if you’ve taken a tablet. Pill dispensers (such as pictured below) can be very handy for this purpose and will remind you when and how many tablets to take.
Keep a list of all your medicines and what they are for. We all have medicines in our cupboards, which we cannot remember the uses for and this can potentially be dangerous. It also helps to keep a list in case you are taken into hospital or have to see an emergency doctor. Include any supplements taken in this list as well, as they can affect your medication.
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Take medicine as prescribed
It can also help to write larger labels and to colour code medicines as helpful reminders of how and when to take them.
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If a dose is missed If you miss a dose, you should take it as soon as you remember.
Clear out expired medicine from cabinets or drawers It is very important to throw out expired medicine, so do a quarterly check.
Store medicine correctly Make sure medicines are stored at the specified temperature and refrigerated if necessary.
Try to use the same pharmacy If you use the same pharmacy, the pharmacist will know your requirements and prescriptions. It takes away a great deal of hassle and is can be comforting to go somewhere where you will be recognised and someone understands your health issues.
Renewing prescriptions Many of you will require repeat prescriptions of your medication. Keep an eye on how many you have left so you do not need to get more as an emergency, as this could mean you being without key medication, if you cannot see your doctor that day.
If you use the same pharmacy, the pharmacist will know your requirements and prescriptions. It takes away a great deal of hassle and can be comforting to go somewhere where you will be recognised and someone understands your health issues.
Summer 2015
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D
ear oug
The following letter was received from one of our residents, Mr. D. Martin, of Elizabeth Garlic Court in Tunbridge Wells.
Dear Doug, I have just read your third edition of All about you. Summary of letter: Queries on previous Dear Doug response: Regarding your report and letters from Pat Weare and Dave Ballard. I resigned from being a committee member because I was fed up with asking a question and never getting a straight answer and nothing ever seemed to get done. Also the Elderly Scheme Manager at the time who started off the forums openly admitted in front of a meeting
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that she did not like “old people”. Going back to the newsletter Pat is quite correct in everything she says and I’m afraid to say you are wrong in many aspects. House meetings & Repairs/Maintenance: Usually a waste of time because many of the things that we report either don’t get done at all or take a very long time to get done. We know this because the Scheme Manager emails the various departments and either does not get a reply or “we are looking into this”. Some examples are the fact it took Country Wise 12 months to fit new
All about you...
locks to the security gate and bin shed because they did not understand our type of locks we have fitted here. Along with weeds, blocked drain gutters, dirty windows and broken garden lights that light up the garden paths so that the residents can walk safely to and from the common room at night. We and other sheltered schemes feel that we are the forgotten citizens of the sheltered housing world. Yours, D. Martin Elizabeth Garlic Court.
Summer 2015
Dear Mr Martin, Thank you for your letter, after some investigation on the points raised in your letter I hope my response is of benefit to you. You mentioned that Mr Pat Weare’s comments are correct regarding House meetings although you have highlighted the aspects you believe I am wrong about and I would be grateful if you could be more specific. The current structure of House meetings is currently under review and in turn we hope that you will soon see a noticeable improvement in the service. Regarding the reference made about a past Town & Country employee I apologise if this did occur and I give you assurance that this is not acceptable behaviour for any member of Town & Country and we appreciate all feedback on situations like this. It is disappointing to hear that you have not received satisfactory service with regards to your repairs and maintenance. We are constantly reviewing our repairs process and working closely with our contractors to streamline the service and make it easy and seamless for our customers. I am sorry that you have not felt that you have received a satisfactory service and your comments will be fed back to the contractors and team. The problems you addressed have now been recognised and actioned accordingly and I hope that you are happy with the results. We hope that you notice improvements on the estate services now that the review has been complete and new contractors are in place. Town & Country want to work closely with residents to ensure that we listen to your issues and queries. I can assure you that older people in our sheltered schemes are at the forefront of our improvements and are certainly not forgotten. Yours
Summer 2015
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Would you like a Holiday in Whitstable? Enabling Care For You Ltd are currently taking bookings for a fully supported holiday in Whitstable. They will support you with all aspects of your personal care and you will receive as much or as little support as you require. There are various activities to get involved in which include:Port Lympe safari park, Harbour visit, castle visit, museum, trip to the beach, Wildlife Park, nature reserves. You can do as little or as much as you choose during your stay in Whitstable, all in the cost of your holiday. The park itself has various events running throughout the season with nightly bingo and a disco and you will be transported to and from the venue. The Caravan is adapted so that it is accessible to everyone, both indiviudal and group bookings are catered for. To discuss your holiday requirements please contact Philippa or Lesley on 01732 811038
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All Allabout aboutyou... you...
Summer 2015
Did you know... Town & Country have a Resident Scrutiny Panel?
Pictured Scrutiny Panel members Patrick Roche, Lucy Cook, Fran O’Neill and Cicilia Bannister with Scrutiny Manager Helen Charles (bottom left) and Independent Chair Katherine Parker (bottom right). Our other panel members (not pictured) are Jennifer Blackburn, Len Lewis, Barbara Twiss, Laura Dullar, Michelle Kerwin and Emma Lovell
The panel, facilitated by Resident Scrutiny Manager Helen Charles, was introduced in 2013 to directly influence Town and Country’s services and decision making. The panel’s role is to review the service delivery processes. They monitor, test and measure our services
to make sure we are as effective, efficient and economic as possible. The ‘day-to-day repairs service’ is currently under review, so watch this space! It is important that all residents have an opportunity to influence which services the panel will review so if you have any concerns regarding
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any part of the services provided, you can ask the panel to investigate on your behalf.
Want to be involved? Are you interested in becoming a member of the Resident Scrutiny Panel, please email scrutiny@tchg.org .uk or contact Helen Charles on 01892 501480.
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If... by Rudyard Kipling If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you, If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too; If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies, Or being hated, don’t give way to hating, And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise: If you can dream - and not make dreams your master; If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same; If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, And stoop and build ‘em up with worn-out tools: If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings And never breathe a word about your loss; If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’ If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, ‘Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch, if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, If all men count with you, but none too much; If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run, Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, And - which is more - you’ll be a Man, my son!
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Poem suggested by Eva Loncke of Camden Court