News for Carers May 2011

Welcome to the May edition of News for Carers.

CARERS’ WEEK 13-19 JUNE 2011

Week but it’s not too late for you to say what it means to you (see www.carersweek.org/carers/have-your-say). You can, and do, make a difference.

A number of informative and celebratory events are being held across the Royal Borough to mark Carers’ Week. For example, come and listen to Imelda Redmond, the Chief Executive of Carers UK and Jean Daintith, Executive Director for Housing, Health and Adult Social Care, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea at Carers Kensington & Chelsea’s official launch on Thursday, 16 June, 11am to 3pm, at the Small Hall in Kensington Town Hall. Not only will representatives from a wide variety of borough-based, statutory and carer-related organisations be on hand to provide information and advice, but your own hands, neck and shoulders could benefit too! There will be free pampering sessions on offer and we also hope to be able to provide health checks on the day to carers. A tasty buffet lunch will also be on offer.

And if one day of pampering is not enough, how about a treat at St Peter’s Church, Kensington Park Road (opposite Stanley Gardens), W11 3DB from 2pm to 4pm on Tuesday, 14 June 2011? Have your eyebrows threaded, an express haircut or manicure or

Feeling down now all those bank holidays are behind us? Fancy some pampering until the summery weather makes a reappearance? How about just celebrating yourself and all you do as a carer?

Yes, Carers’ Week (13-19 June 2011) is almost here. The biggest carers awareness-raising week of the year, this year’s theme is The True Face of Carers – simply put, the reality of caring in the UK in 2011. The results of the national annual Carers’ Week carers’ survey will be revealed during Carers’

News for carers | May 2011

attend any of these events or book a pampering session as places are limited. Call freephone 0800 032 1089 or email kandc@carersuk.org.

NEWS FROM THE ROYAL BOROUGH

New Information Resources

Details of the carers’ services provided in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea are now available in the new Carers’ Information Pack 2011-12. This is produced by Carers Kensington & Chelsea in conjunction with Open Age. Please contact us if you would like a copy. An electronic version can also be found at the “Looking After Someone” section of the Royal Borough’s People First website.

New Services for Carers

April 2011 saw the continuation of funding for a number of carers’ services in the Royal Borough. These include Carers Kensington & Chelsea, the Citizens Advice Bureau Income Maximisation Service, Kensington and Chelsea Mental Health Carers’

a quick massage or shiatsu with a cup of tea and biscuits. Or, join Carers Kensington & Chelsea and Time for Me South for a relaxing shiatsu, on Wednesday, 15 June between 2pm to 4pm at New Horizons, Guinness Trust Estate, Cadogan Street, SW3 2PF.

What about taking a break with a coffee and piece of cake? Peter Jones, Sloane Square, SW1W 8EL, with Carers Kensington & Chelsea, is offering 25 carers café vouchers for use at Peter Jones during Carers’ Week. Vouchers will be allocated on a first come, first served basis with only one voucher per carer, so contact Carers Kensington & Chelsea quickly to be in with a chance!

And following the food theme, are you or do you know a young carer? Why not come along with your family and have some fun at Family Action’s BBQ for young carers and their families on Wednesday, 15 June from 5pm to 7pm at St Quintin’s Family Centre, 90 Highlever Road, W10 6PN.

For the creative amongst us, the St Charles Hospital is offering, free of charge, a 90 minute Art Therapy session and a 90 minute Music Therapy session for carers on Wednesday 15 June at 2pm at The Grove Resource Centre, 1-9 St Mark’s Road, W11 1RG.

And finally, in line with this year’s theme for Carers’ Week, why not end the week by sharing your own experiences of caring in the UK, over tea and biscuits, in the company of Hugh Marriott, the author of The Selfish Pig’s Guide to Caring? Hugh will be talking about his experiences as a carer and his book on Friday, 17 June 2011 at 1.30pm at Kensington Central Library. A guided tour of the library facilities and services will be available afterwards to carers attending the talk, if they wish.

Information and advice for carers will also be available at all these events.

Please let us know if you would like to

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Association’s advocacy and carer-led support service, Open Age’s Contact for Carers, Open Age’s Time for Me North Kensington and Time for Me South/Central leisure and activities projects, Full of Life and Family Action’s Young Carers Project. The Carers’ Counselling Service will now be provided by Primary Care Psychological Health. Details of these projects can be found in the new Carers’ Information Pack 2011-12.

In addition, April also saw the Council commission three new services. Age Concern Kensington and Chelsea has been commissioned to provide a support group for carers of older people, providing practical advice and information and promoting peer support and self-help. Meetings will take place on a monthly basis for two hours. For more information, please contact Angela on 020 8960 8137.

Another new service is to be provided by Equal People. This will provide centre-based activities as well as trips and outings for carers of people with moderate learning disabilities. For further information, please contact Equal

People on 020 8964 0544.

And the third new service will be provided by Carers Network Westminster, who will be providing a support group and free or low-cost activities and social events for carers. These will predominantly be for those under 50 and focus on young adult carers in particular (although this service will be open to all). Activities will include health and fitness, complementary therapies, trips and creative or performing arts. For more information, email info@carers-network.co.uk or call 020 8960 3033.

Personal Budgets Survey

As a carer known to Social Services, you will have by now received a survey from the Council, in conjunction with Carers UK, asking about your experiences of personal budgets. If you would like more information about personal budgets, please contact us on freephone 0800 032 1089 or by email at kandc@carersuk.org.

News for carers | May 2011

NEWS FROM NHS KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA

Congratulations…

….go to Peter Beard who was recently appointed to the position of Senior Commissioning Officer, Learning Disabilities and Carers, for the Inner North West London Primary Care Trusts (Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster). Peter’s former role was as the Carers’ Strategy Implementation and Development Officer for NHS Kensington and Chelsea. He has many years experience both of working with carers and holding managerial positions within Social Services and the NHS. Happy First Birthday Carers’ Forum!

The Kensington and Chelsea Carers’ Forum has reached its first milestone – its first birthday!

Funded by NHS Kensington and Chelsea, the forum originally grew from a desire expressed by carers within the Royal Borough for an independent forum to shape the future of support and services provided to carers and the people they look after in Kensington and Chelsea. An important part of the Royal Borough’s Joint Carers’ Strategy, the next step was the commissioning of the charity Carers UK to facilitate the forum. This empowered the carers to feel confident speaking up in large groups and dealing with professionals, as well as establishing the framework needed to run their own forum.

The forum has been very successful and has grown to more than 30 members in a short period of time; there has also been a great deal of positive feedback from carers about it. The forum intends to focus on specific issues close to carers’ hearts, such as a leisure pass for carers, and has already begun to play a key role in ensuring that the carer’s perspective is heard within the Royal Borough. But whilst the forum is now up on its feet and taking its first steps, it needs your input, to

gather momentum and impact. If you are a carer in the Royal Borough, do come along. The next two forum meetings will be held on 7 July and 29 September 2011 (venue to be confirmed). Please contact Carers Kensington & Chelsea on freephone 0800 032 1089 or by email on kandc@carersuk.org for further details.

Interested in First Aid Training for Carers?

Carers Kensington & Chelsea is keen to know how your caring role could be made

easier or less daunting. One carer recently expressed an interest in carer-focussed first aid training. If you too would be interested in attending such training, please contact Peter Beard at Peter.Beard@kc-pct.nhs.uk or by telephone on 020 8962 4861.

SPOTLIGHT ON ... DEMENTIA SUPPORT IN KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA:

One Day at a Time and Age Concern Kensington and Chelsea

NHS Kensington and Chelsea is currently in the process of implementing the Kensington and Chelsea Joint Dementia Strategy, with a view to improving dementia services in the

News for carers | May 2011

borough. This includes a new memory service (provided by a consortium led by Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust working in partnership with Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and Age Concern Kensington and Chelsea), which went live on 3 May. There is also public awareness-raising to encourage people to seek a diagnosis.

So where can you go for advice, information and support if someone you care for is diagnosed with dementia? Two of the many services available for people with dementia in the Royal Borough and their carers are highlighted here.

“One Day at a Time” is a series of talks and informal discussion for relatives and friends of people with dementia. Previous sessions have included information about diagnosing and managing dementia, communication skills, carers’ assessments and respite care. The next meeting is on 27 June 2011.

Please go to http://www.rbkc.gov.uk/pdf/13587njc_a5%20dementia%20flyer.pdf for more information. Alternatively, contact Josie Elroy on 020 7349 6890 or email Josie.Elroy@rbkc.gov.uk.

Age Concern Kensington and Chelsea can also offer help and support. The My Memories Café aims to provide group-based support for people with memory difficulties and their carers, friends or family. The café provides a warm, relaxed and friendly environment for socialising. It’s also a place for anyone who is having memory difficulties, or is concerned about someone they look after, to find out about support services available to them.

Café meetings take place on the first Tuesday of each month at St Peter’s Church, Kensington Park Road, W11 2PN and also on the last Friday of each month at New Horizons Centre, SW3 2PF.

Age Concern Kensington and Chelsea also provides a free one-on-one support service for people with memory difficulties or dementia.

People concerned about their memory problems, their carers or family as well as health professionals can make referrals. A home visit is then arranged to assess need, risks and agree a care plan. Well-trained staff will then engage people in stimulating activities once a week at a pre-arranged time. These sessions can either be held in the person’s own home or in the community.

For more information, please ring Angela on 020 8960 8137.

And if you would like to know more: Dementia UK Training is pleased to invite you to a free lunchtime event to discuss the importance of involving family carers in training. Members of Uniting Carers will share their experiences of contributing to training and education programmes on Monday 13 June 2011, 11am to 1pm at Dementia UK, 6 Camden High Street, London, NW1 0JH. If you are interested in attending, please e-mail to: Magdalena.Swiecicka@dementiauk.org.

OTHER NEWS

Free Respite Care for Carers

Age Concern Kensington and Chelsea is pleased to be able to offer free respite care to carers in the borough. As of 1 April 2011, people who care for an adult aged 55 and over may be eligible to receive free respite care. These breaks are flexible and can be tailored to meet the needs of the carer. For more information please contact Raquel on 020 8960 8137 or email home@ackc.org.uk.

Don’t forget! Other organisations in the Royal Borough, such as Crossroads, also offer respite care. For more information, contact Carers Kensington & Chelsea.

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Are you a Young Carer?

The Family Action Young Carers’ Project recently enjoyed a fun packed Easter holiday with trips to both Thorpe Park and Legoland! The summer period is now in sight with trips planned to the Isle of Wight and to the annual young carers’ festival in June, hosted by the YMCA in conjunction with the Children’s Society. The project is also looking forward to Carers’ Week this year and will be celebrating by hosting a BBQ for the young carers and their families on Wednesday, 15 Junefrom 5pm to 7pm at St Quintin’s Family Centre. For more information on the project please email kandc.youngcarers@family-action.org.uk or telephone 020 8968 0535.

Support for carers of young voice-hearers

Carers Connect: Voice Collective (Mind in Camden) will be running a supportive workshop for parents of young people (18 or under) from all boroughs who hear voices. The workshop will be held at the same time as a creative one for the young people themselves.

is organised each term. The programme for this term includes sessions on: Stress management for carers (20 May and 15 July), Latin moves / salsa (27 May), Tai Chi (3 June), Card making and fabric painting (17 June and 29 July), Introduction to Skype (24 June), Sound therapy session (on 1 July) and a Walk for Health (weather permitting) or Chair exercise/ Pilates (22 July). There are also trips to the London Wetland Centre (10 June) and Leighton House (8 July). For more information, please contact Liz Butters on 020 8964 1900 or email ebutters@openage.org.uk.

Time for Me South Kensington and Chelsea

Don’t feel left out, there is also a wide range of activities for unpaid carers over 50 available in the south of the borough. The current programme includes a trip to the Chelsea Flower Show (27 May), lunch at Watermans Arts Centre and a visit to the Musical Museum (2 June), a visit to the Hanny Peschar Sculpture Garden (9 June), the pampering session on Wednesday, 15 June (see page 1), a picnic in Kew Gardens (16 June) and a trip to Eastbourne (29 June). Places and tickets are limited and likely to be snapped up very quickly, so make sure you book by contacting Judy Graham on 020 7590 8970 or email jgraham@new-horizons-chelsea.org.uk.

Exercises, exercises, you must do your exercises …

Response Projects, at 300 Old Brompton Road, SW5 9JF, currently offer well-being courses which are available to carers on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. How about a Yoga class on a Monday, 9.30am to 11am (£4), Tai Chi on a Tuesday 2pm to 4pm (£2), or on a Wednesday, Yoga Fit 9.30am to 11am (£2) or Chair Yoga,11am to 12noon (£1)? For more information, including venues, please go to the website www.responseprojects.org.uk.

Or if you prefer “pumping iron”…

Portobello Gym offers a carers’ membership

For more information, please contact carers@voicecollective.co.uk, call 020 7625 9042 or visit the website at www.voicecollective.co.uk

Carers Connect: Voice Collective also offers advice, support and signposting for carers of young voice-hearers on an ongoing basis and has been involved in a new book aimed at young people (including people in their 20s) entitled, Children Hearing Voices (http://www.pccs-books.co.uk/product.php?xProd=549). The book includes a chapter especially for parents.

Time for Me North Kensington

This is a free support and activities group for unpaid carers who are over 50 living in the north of the borough, The group, run by Open Age, meets on Friday mornings from 11am to 1pm at the Open Age Positive Age Centre, Dalgarno Way, W10 5JW. A diverse programme, based on participants’ requests,

News for carers | May 2011

which includes one-to-one health assessments and fitness training, use of classes, sauna/steam rooms and squash courts. There is the possibility of a funded gym membership although this is currently subject to a waiting list. Carers can also attend a yoga class at the gym on Thursdays between 11am and 12 noon for free. For further information, please call 020 8960 2221 or email community@pgfc.org.uk.

Go Natural…

The Natural History Museum is offering carer groups (minimum of five) an opportunity to gain free entry to one of three exhibitions currently on display: Sensational butterflies; Age of Dinosaurs; or Sexual nature.

On the day of their visit, the group will be met by a member of staff who will give them a brief introduction to the museum and run a free

of residents claiming Incapacity Benefit are met, given the impending changes to this benefit. This research looks to give people on IB their say in how local services are provided.

The centre is looking to recruit clients on IB, who are not receiving formal employment support, to take part in interviews and focus groups in May and June. Participants will receive a £20 ‘thank you’ if interviewed and £15 for taking part in a focus group. Please contact Tim Riley at tim.riley@cesi.org.uk or 0800 321 3376 for more information.

MONEY, MONEY, MONEY: BENEFITS NEWS

As outlined in our previous newsletter, a number of benefit changes came into play from April 2011. Full details of these changes can be found at http://www.disabilityalliance.org/forthcoming.htm#. From April 2011.In brief, these changes include:

Crisis Loans will no longer be paid for items such as cookers and beds and awards for general living expenses will now be limited to three per year.

Local Housing Allowance rates will now be capped according to property size as well as the rates being set at the 30th percentile of local rents.

Non-dependent deductions in Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit have increased.

But there is good news for …

Housing Benefit claimants and non-resident carers: Housing Benefit claimants (or their partners) renting in the private sector who require overnight care will be entitled to funding for an extra bedroom for a non-resident carer. To be eligible, the claimant or partner must be getting Attendance Allowance or the middle or highest rate of the Disability Living Allowance care

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30 minutes specimens handling workshop for the group, if they wish. The group will be encouraged to think and share their personal experiences with the natural world as well as have the opportunity to sort specimens themselves.

To book a visit, please contact Joanna Yeung on 020 7942 5337 or email j.yeung@nhm.ac.uk.

Research with Incapacity Benefit claimants

The Centre for Economic and Social Inclusion is working with the London boroughs of Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster, Islington and Camden to ensure that the support needs

News for carers | May 2011

component or have provided the local authority with sufficient certificates, documents, information or evidence to satisfy the authority that they require overnight care. In addition, the claimant (or partner) must satisfy the local authority that one or more people who do not live in the property provide and stay overnight regularly for this purpose and that a bedroom is provided to the carer(s) because all the other bedrooms are being used by other occupiers.

Students and Carers’ Allowance: Since June 2010 you may have heard of carers who are studying losing their Carer’s Allowance or being unable to claim it because they are on a course that is classed as full-time, even if they study for less than 21 hours a week. New guidance published in March 2011 means that some students on courses classed as ‘full-time’ by the college or course provider may qualify for Carer’s Allowance. A student may still qualify for Carer’s Allowance if the number of hours they are required to study is less than 21 hours a week. However, if they are on a full-time university course, they are only likely to qualify if they have formal exemption from part of the course.

And finally, over to you…

Calling all long-distance carers

In Carers Kensington & Chelsea’s first edition of News for Carers, we asked for suggestions as to the type of information you would like to see in this quarterly newsletter.

One carer kindly took the time to suggest the possibility of finding a way to put “long-distance” carers in touch with each other. National On-line support for carers can currently be found within the e-forums at www.carersuk.org. Following on from our carer’s suggestion, Carers Kensington & Chelsea will look into the possibility of providing on-line support for carers within the Royal Borough. If you would be interested in becoming a

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Carers Kensington & Chelsea is a project run by Carers UK. Carers UK is a charity registered in England and Wales (246329) and a company limited by guar-antee registered in England and Wales (864097). Registered office is 20 Great Dover Street, London SE1 4LX. http://www.carersuk.org. © Carers UK (May 2011). The information in this newslet-ter is for guidance only and is not an authoritative statement of the law. The information is correct as of May 2011.

member of an on-line Kensington and Chelsea carers support network, please do get in touch.

How is it for you?

Carers Kensington & Chelsea would like to know about the reality of caring in the Royal Borough and what snippets of information and advice you would pass on to others in the same situation as you. If you have a minute, we’d love to know a little bit about you, the person you care for and your thoughts on the following:

What’s the best thing about caring?

What’s the hardest or worst thing about caring?

If there was one thing you wish you’d known at the start of caring, what would it be?

What one piece of advice would you pass on to a new carer?

And if you had a magic wand, what one thing would you wish for, for carers?

We hope to print anonymised responses in future editions of this newsletter.

To contact Carers Kensington & Chelsea, please call freephone 0800 032 1089, email kandc@carersuk.org or drop us a line at 20 Great Dover Street, London, SE1 4LX.

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