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Carers Of Dundee News

Carers of Dundee is an online platform offering free practical advice & learning for unpaid carers, families and workforce.

We offer the following:
  • Carers information & advice
  • Young carers information & advice plus information and resources for youth support services and schools
  • Service directory
  • Events page packed with online information events and group sessions
  • Learning Portal packed with e-modules including Everyone Carers E-module
Remember to follow us on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news and updates for carers. If you are an organisation that would like to be featured on the Carers of Dundee website, please contact support@carersofdundee.org

Please visit www.carersofdundee.org to explore and learn more.


This email is also available in Easy Read and as an audio version. Click here to access these versions.

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f you are an organisation and you are sharing any posts relevant to carers on social media, tag us using #CarersOfDundee and we will share or retweet.
In this issue:
 
MS AWARENESS WEEK EVENTS

MS (Multiple sclerosis) Awareness Week runs from 19 - 25 April 2021. The My MS, My Way Project Tayside is open to anyone living or working in the Tayside area living with MS, their family and friends. If you've just been diagnosed you may be going through a range of emotions, we're here to support you – you're not alone. The project is run in partnership with the MS Therapy Centre Tayside and is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund and the NHS Tayside Community Innovation Fund. For details of upcoming events visit http://bit.ly/mywaytayside
 
MS Awareness week poster


DUNDEE CARERS PARTNERSHIP COVID-19 ENGAGEMENT FINDINGS REPORT
 
In late September 2020 to mid-November 2020, the Dundee Carers Partnership launched engagement work with unpaid carers and the wider workforce supporting carers to better understand the impact of COVID-19.

The Carers Partnership are pleased to announce the publication of the report outlining findings and recommendations from the Covid-19 engagement work.

In total, 116 carers completed our online survey and 41 carers participated in our focus groups facilitated by support organisations across the City.

Here is a summary of the results from our engagement.

Since the beginning of the pandemic:
  • 84% of carers reported an increase in the amount of care provide
  • 84% reported a negative impact on their physical, mental and social wellbeing and a high number (82%) reported that they were feeling more worried and anxious about the future
  • 67% reported financial impacts as a result of higher household expenses
  • 63% found it difficult to balance commitments including work/study/education and school commitments
  • 60% felt isolated in their caring role and had limited social contact (often due to the impact of Covid-19 restrictions and shielding)
  • 48% had not been able to access support and services to help them in their caring role and day-to-day life
  • 56% they felt proud of being a carer and that it gives them a sense of satisfaction
  • 72% reported that they had support networks in place and people they can rely on if they needed it
  • 66% were able to use technology to access online information/engagement activities
  • 33% were able make a positive contribution to others, via voluntary work, helping neighbours, gardening, shopping etc.
More positively, the engagement also identified areas that were working well for carers to build
upon for future, including:
  • Community groups and voluntary sector organisations continued to provide essential support to carers during the pandemic, which carers found invaluable in helping them cope during this period
  • Carers also benefited from local networks in the community and neighbour support during this period
  • Many services used technology effectively to communicate with people during this period. It was recognised that these initiatives should continue to be promoted, whilst also finding other solutions for people who cannot access online information/digital engagement opportunities to ensure information and support is available in a wide range of accessible formats
     
Next Steps
The Dundee Carers Partnership are currently leading work to implement improvements based on the findings and have established workstreams to develop proposals with carers and stakeholders to address the series of recommendations.

The Carers Partnership are committed to continuing to work collaboratively with carers and stakeholders to implement the recommendations from this work to enable service improvements locally for carers and their families.

The Carers Partnership value the contribution of all those who were involved and provided feedback in the engagement and the overall contribution made to inform the development of the final report document.

The full report can be accessed at https://carersofdundee.org/workforce/carers-partnership/
 
   Carers Partnership report
 

WELLBEING E-MODULES

Are you feeling the strain? Worried about your mental health or struggling to deal with big changes?

Our 3 wellbeing elearning modules are packed with tips and local support to help carers to prioritise their wellbeing.

Find out more at https://carersofdundee.org/learning/carer-wellbeing-journey/
  • Feeling the strain? Steps to Wellbeing is an e-learning module for Dundee carers that goes back to basics: eat, move, sleep, relax & connect.
  • Stuff hitting the fan? Bumps in the road is an e-learning module for carers in Dundee filled with tips and support ideas to take care of yourself when things don’t go to plan.
  • Dealing with big changes? Crossroads is an e-learning module for carers in Dundee to help you stay well through change, whether good or bad.
For more course, workshops and learning opportunities visit https://carersofdundee.org/learning/ 
 
VCarers of Dundee Wellbeing E modules
  

EXPERIENCES OF CARING AND COVID-19 SURVEY

Carers UK have launched a new survey for unpaid carers to help understand carers' experience of health services, support services and breaks during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Carers' experiences offer vital evidence as we continue to campaign for better support for carers. We’ll use this survey’s results to influence Government decision making, raise awareness of the issues carers face, and inform our expert advice and support. Take the survey at https://bit.ly/3taR9xV

 
Carers UK Logo

Scottish Recovery Network
 
NEW SCOTTISH RECOVERY NETWORK WEBSITE

Launched in response to the need for more accessible and immediate help for people with mental health challenges, Scottish Recovery Network has launched a new website to help groups, communities, organisations and services develop and deliver recovery focused support.
 The website is full of free resource and ideas to encourage people to work together to transform Scotland’s mental health system into one that involves peer support and is powered by lived experience.
Take a look around and see how you can make recovery real where you are http://bit.ly/2gyRB3Q

JOIN OUR VIRTUAL HUB WORKING GROUP!

We are looking for people to join our working group, bringing with them inspiration and ideas for future Virtual Hubs in 2021. Our working group includes staff from the Carers of Dundee Network. If you are a professional or someone in a caring role and would like to be involved, please get in touch with the team by emailing communications@dundeecarerscentre.org.uk
Virtual Hub logo
 
 

ONLINE CARERS SELF ADVOCACY TRAINING

Do you work with carers?
Help them get their voices heard with our Carers Self-Advocacy training.
This course will provide participants with an understanding of how advocacy can support unpaid carers and the key building blocks of effective advocacy support.

Support carers to:
•    Communicate more effectively
•    Negotiate more effectively
•    Deal with the emotions that can inhibit self-expression
•    Increase their independence and confidence

Course date and time: Tuesday 4th May, 10am to 1pm via ZOOM.

Cost: Voluntary sector £50, Public sector £55, Private sector £60.

In house training available on request. To book or find out more email patricia.clark@carerscotland.org
 
Carers Scotland
 

ALZHEIMER SCOTLAND ACTION ON RIGHTS TEAM

Alzheimer Scotland's new Action on Rights team, funded by Scottish Government, has been set up to help carers, families and friends of anyone living in Scotland's care homes.

The team can support you:
  • To have meaningful contact between those living in care homes and their families and friends, and to speak directly to care home staff responsible for visiting arrangements (when this is allowed and with any relevant restrictions)
  • To have better understanding about care home visiting guidance, local public health restrictions and support available to them
  • To make better decisions and have better communication with care homes around visiting
  • To look at different ways for contact when restrictions mean you cannot visit
  • To have access to the range of support that Alzheimer Scotland provide
  • To be supported to access the support of other agencies or organisations
  • To get information on the upset that the pandemic and restrictions can cause
The Action on Rights team will be available Monday-Friday from 8am-6pm and you can contact them by calling (0808 808 3000) or emailing actiononrights@alzscot.org in the first instance. Should your call come out with these times, our Helpline volunteers will provide you with information and emotional support before passing your details on to the team.
 
Alzheimer Scotland Logo 


UNDERSTANDING MORE ABOUT AUTISM

Autism is part of everyday life, but even though 1 in 100 people in Scotland are autistic, it’s often misunderstood.
Autism is a neurological difference; put simply, autistic brains work differently to non-autistic brains. They see and experience the world differently to non-autistic people. It’s important that we all understand more about autism – both what it is, and what it is not. The Different Minds website has been created by The Scottish Government, in partnership with autistic people. To learn more visit https://differentminds.scot/
 
Different Minds

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Carers Of Dundee is managed by Dundee Carers Centre on behalf of the Dundee Health and Social Care Partnership.
Charity no. SC024115. Company no. SC160754.

www.carersofdundee.org

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Dundee Carers Centre · Seagate House · 132-134 Seagate · Dundee, Tayside DD1 2HB · United Kingdom

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