Local and national news

ICE Campaign

West Country Ambulance Service are promoting the national In Case of Emergency campaign.

80% of people do not carry information about their medical condition or details of those who should be contacted in the event of an emergency.

The idea is that under the name ICE you can log into your mobile phone, details of any medical conditions such as allergies, and medication, along with the name and number of the person who should be contacted in the event of an emergency.

Once your emergency contact has agreed to be your ‘ICE partner’ make sure they have a list of people who may need to be contacted (ie work, school, family, etc) and that they have details of any medical conditions and treatment that could effect emergency treatment.

If you are under 18, your ICE partner should be your mother, father or an immediate family member - friends or other relatives would not be able to make decisions on your behalf if you were taken to hospital.

For an even better service like this for carers, make sure you always carry a Carers Emergency Response Card! For more information, contact your local Carers Register or Carers Link (or SDCC if you don’t know the number).

Carer’s Soapbox

Mrs H of Torbay writes:

I do sympathise with Mr Y of Torbay (Issue 38). Whilst locally the staff of Social Services are wonderfully helpful and deserve our greatest possible praise and thanks for all they do to help us, they know, and we carers know, that we are saving the government a vast amount of money - billions in fact.

Attendance allowance goes nowhere to meet the charges for respite care and ‘means testing’ is an insult when Mr Y had to pay Ł1900 for his wife’s stay in a care home whilst he was in hospital. An even bigger disgrace is the fact that pensioner ‘carers’ cannot benefit from a carers allowance. So what can we do to change things? I suggest that the local carers get together to form a ‘campaign committee’ to link up with other organisations (such as the pensioner’s parliament) and encourage nationwide pressure for financial assistance. Or do we sit here, have a moan, and just accept the situation?

Mrs F of Torbay writes:

I agree with the letter from Mr Y regarding the value of carers (Issue 38). My husband passed away in February. I cared for him for 25 years, whilst doing my ’job’ there was plenty of help but now nobody seems to want to know. I did not realise that I would only receive Widow’s Benefit for 1 year, and then would have to look for work for 40 hours per week. I feel bitter that after saving the Government thousands of pounds, I am now worth nothing.

* See the enclosed Supplement for submitting questions like these to your MP. Then come along to your local Carers Rights Day event to have your say

Falls are no laughing matter

The Devon Falls Campaign aims to raise awareness of the impact falls can make peoples lives.

Falls can be very serious and lead to injury, reduced quality of life, reduced mobility and loss of independence.

The NHS have produced a booklet containing advice on how to prevent falls by reducing risks in the home, and advice on what to do in the event of a fall.

There are many things you can do to make your home safer, such as fitting hand rails, replacing worn or taping down loose floor coverings, and removing clutter from stairs. The falls booklet is full of practical tips to make your home more safe.

If you would like a copy of the leaflet Falls are No Laughing Matter or would like some more information contact:

Social Services

(01392) 382946

www.devon.gov.uk/falls

Jane Reddaway

01803 208612

For the Torbay area

Confused about Carer’s Premiums?

If so, then read on. We asked Rosemary Newman, Benefits Outreach Worker for Teignbridge Carers, to spell it out for us. The Carer Premium can be awarded in addition to any other premiums. It is Ł23.80 per week for each person who qualifies. You qualify for the Carer Premium if you or your partner:

Ţ are actually paid an amount of Carers Allowance,

Ţ or have underlying entitlement to Carers Allowance,

Ţ or you are entitled to Carers Allowance but cannot be paid because of the Overlapping Benefit Rules.

The Overlapping Benefit Rules mean that you cannot be paid the full amount of Carers Allowance at the same time as receiving the full amount of your entitlement to Incapacity Benefit, State Pension, Severe Disablement Allowance, Maternity Allowance, Widow`s or Bereavement Allowance or Contribution-based Job Seekers Allowance.

Unless you receive less than Ł45.70 a week from a listed benefit, your Carer’s Allowance will be cancelled out. Although you can get the Carer Premium whether or not your Carers Allowance is overlapped, the cared for will lose their Severe Disablement Premium (for people who live alone) if you are paid Carer’s Allowance.

For advice on Benefits you can contact:

Ţ your local Citizen’s Advice Bureau

Ţ Care Direct (if you live in Devon) 0n Freephone (0800) 444 000

Ţ The Finance and Benefits Team (if you live in Torbay) on (01803) 208456

Ţ Rosemary Newman (if you live in Teignbridge) on (01626) 889288

* There will be a Benefits Rights Worker available for questions at your local Carers Rights Day event. See the Supplement for more details.

The Devonian Trust

The Devonian Trust can provide financial assistance for people living in Devon with physical disabilities.

Individuals, organisations, charities, and voluntary bodies can all apply for grants, provided they apply with a specific purpose, and that the benefit would be otherwise unavailable. Carers can apply on behalf of someone who is unable to apply due to their disability.

For an application form please write to:

The Clerk to the Trustees

The Devonian Trust

59 Wonford Road

Exeter

EX24UF

Who cares? Information and support for the carers of people with dementia’

The above NHS booklet has now been discontinued, but if you are caring for someone with dementia it is a useful source of information and still can be found online in PDF format as follows:

www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/08/23/74/04082374

.pdf

Changes in Patient Transport

As of May 2005, GP’s are no longer booking patient transport for hospital appointments.

South Devon Primary Care Trust have introduced a new call system, enabling patients to phone and book transport for themselves.

The call centre is open:

Monday – Friday, 9.30am - 4pm

Operators are able to assist in booking transport for patients attending South Devon Healthcare premises, and can also advise patients who need transport to places not covered by their service.

To book or for more information call:

(01803) 654303

Carers’ Away Day

It’s official - caring is hard work and carers need a break, so what can we do about it? Well perhaps a day away from it all with the opportunity to meet other carers, take part in activities such as Tai Chi, Creative Writing, Holistic Therapies, and much more will help recharge your batteries.

If you are a carer living in the South Hams and West Devon Area you are invited to attend the

Carers Away Day

9^th February 2006

Elfordleigh Hotel

Plympton

Entry is by ticket only. There should be a flyer enclosed with this newsletter with a return-form on the back. If not, please ask for one by calling our office on:

(01803) 294275

Eat, Drink, and be Merry

You may still be brushing the sand off your favourite flip-flops, but here at the Carers Consortium we are already thinking about Christmas!

Back by popular demand is the annual Christmas Lunch and Shopping Trip. A chance to unwind, make new friends, get that Christmas shopping out the way, and get into the Christmas spirit!

This year we will whisk South Hams & West Devon carers away to the Swan’s Nest, Exminster, for a 2-course Christmas lunch, followed by shopping in Exeter. The Swan’s Nest is a popular venue for local carers, and every year the place is turned into a huge Santa’s grotto!Again, there should be a flyer for this enclosed with your newsletter. Please contact us if not.

Carers Rights Day — Come and Have Your Say!

To mark Carers Rights Day, we have invited Anthony Steen MP to come and discuss carers’ rights and issues. There will also be an advisor present to talk about Benefits. The event will take place on Friday 2nd December at

Totnes Pavillion Leisure Centre

at 2.00pm

If you would like to come along and put forward a question or have your say, please fill out the tear off slip below including any questions you may have about carers’ rights, issues or Benefits. Please return the slip to our Freepost address indicated by 14th October.

If you are able to go, but you are not sure how to get there (we can send you a

map), or need help with transport or arranging care to enable you to go, please call Sue Hurley, Carers Link Worker, on

(01803) 862622 (extension 204)

* If the MP for your area is Gary Streeter, call Sue White on

(01822) 614641

To find out where and when your local event is.

Are you interested in the quality of services your loved-one receives? Do you have any concerns?

We are sure the answer to the first question is ‘Yes’! From time to time, many carers also express concerns about the quality of different services delivered to their cared-for person. Concerns can be about a care home, a day care centre, a school, or any other service provided by the local authority or an independent provider.

The Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) is responsible for inspecting and assessing all care services. They also deal with complaints from the public. If you would like to find out more about their work, you are invited to go along to the next meeting of the Teignbridge Carers Forum. Here, representatives from the Commission will talk about their work and answer questions.

This will take place on 7 December at the Dartmoor Lodge in Ashburton. A free lunch is included, so if you want to go, please call our office on (01803) 294275 to find out more and let us know of your intention to go.

Carers’ Leisure Day

It’s official caring is hard work and carers need a break! So what can we do about it? Well perhaps a day away from it all, with the opportunity to meet other carers, take part in activities such as Tai Chi, Creative Writing, Holistic Therapies, and much more, will help recharge your batteries.

If you are a carer living in Teignbridge, you are invited to attend the

Carers Leisure Day

19^th January 2006

Cliffden Hotel

Teignmouth

Entry is by ticket only. There should be a flyer enclosed with this newsletter with, a return-form on the back. If not, please ask for one by calling our office on:

(01803) 294275

Eat, Drink, and be Merry

You may still be brushing the sand of your favourite flip-flops, but here at the Carers’ Consortium we are already thinking about Christmas!

Back by popular demand it’s the Christmas Lunch and Shopping Trip. A chance to unwind, make new friends, get that Christmas shopping out the way, and get into the Christmas spirit!

This year we will whisk Teignbridge carers away to the Hare and Hounds, Kingskerswell, for a 2-course Christmas lunch, followed by shopping in Torquay. The Hare and Hounds is a very well-liked local venue, and there should be enough shops in Torquay to keep you occupied for the rest of the afternoon! Again, there should be a flyer for this enclosed with your newsletter. Please contact us if not.

Carers Rights Day — Come and Have Your Say!

To mark Carers Rights Day, Richard Younger-Ross MP has been invited to come and discuss carers rights and issues. There will also be an advisor present to talk about Benefits. The event will take place on

Friday 2nd December

Benefits advice from 12.30

Questions for your MP from 2pm

Westbank League of Friends

Freepost (SWB 30899)

Exminster

Exeter, EX6 8ZZ

If you would like to come along and have your say, please fill out the tear-off slip below, including any questions you may have about carers rights, issues or benefits. Please return the slip by 14th October to the above address.

For further information call:

Sonia Barton

on (01392) 824752

Living with MS?

Are you caring for somebody with MS? If so, you may be interested in a new service in Torbay.

The service is flexible and can help both carer and cared-for by letting carers have a break and helping your cared-for do the things that they would like to do.

Leonard Cheshire, who are having training in MS, will be able to provide carers to help with:

· Day support in the home.

· Enabling support, to help your cared-for identify areas of personal interest and to offer support in accessing them.

· Night support, where a carer can remain overnight to help as required.

· Home support to give respite to the usual carer for a period of up to 3 days.

If you would like further information on this service call:

Jo Thorp at Leonard Cheshire (01803) 859760 / (07793) 802981

or contact

Gill Dunbobbin MS Project Coordinator

(01803) 654727

Torbay Council, The MS Society and the Disability Information Service are also arranging another service. The MS Society will be recruiting volunteers with experience of MS to offer support and information.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please contact:

Suzanne Raphael on (01626) 363509

or Gill Dunbobbin on (01803) 65472

Health Matters in Torbay’

If you care about health matters in Torbay, then you may be interested in the above event taking place on

Friday 21 October 2005

at Oldway Mansion, Paignton

Open to the public from 1.30 – 4.00pm

There will be stands and presentations. If you would like to attend you will need to complete an application form, or for more information please call:

(01404) 549210

Information Exchange...

...is a publication for parents and carers of children with special needs. This newsletter is a good source of information about services offered by both local and national organisations.

If you would like to receive Information Exchange, you can e-mail:

pattie.dixon@torbay.gov.uk

or write to:

Pattie Dixon

Parkfield House

38 Esplanade Road

Paignton

TQ3 2NH

Carers Rights Day — Come and Have Your Say!

To mark Carers Rights Day, South Devon Carers Consortium has invited your local MP to come and discuss carers’ rights and issues. There will also be an advisor present to talk about Benefits. The events will take place on Friday 2nd December.

· For Adrian Sanders MP: 11.00am

- Venue TBC to respondents

· For Anthony Steen MP: 2.00pm

- Totnes Pavilion Leisure Centre, Totnes

Information stands for carers and refreshments will be available. If you would like to come along and have your say, please fill out the tear-off slip below, including any questions you may have about carers rights, issues or benefits. Return the slip to our Freepost address indicated by 14th October. If you are able to go, but you are not sure how to get there (we can send you a map), or need help with transport or arranging care to enable you to go, please call us on (01803) 294275.

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