Tag: caring

Real life story inspires Caring

New play premieres in Edinburgh in November

A mother’s experience of caring for her severely disabled son is the basis for a new play which will be performed next month at the Scottish Storytelling Centre.

Caring, by Rhona McAdam from Edinburgh, describes the daily struggle of living with a disabled teenager, and is based on her own life story.

The play, performed by Citadel Arts Group on November 3 and 4, with support from the Lottery, will be free, with a special invitation extended to carers’ groups in the city.

Rhona McAdam, who lives in Colinton, says: “It’s a realistic view of a mother caring for her teenage son.

“She is finding it tougher to care for him because he has a lot of physical care needs.  Now he’s getting older she is maybe mothering him too much.  In the play it’s his fifteenth birthday and she’s telling him he can’t have another beer.”

According to charity Care for Carers there are now more than 800,000 adult carers in Scotland, and 82 per cent have no time for respite or breaks.

Rhona based the character of Joey on her own son Ruairidh, who had Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and died this year, aged 29, shortly after she finished writing the play.

Boys and young men with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy lack a protein which causes progressive muscle weakness, leading to respiratory problems and difficulty swallowing.

The writer hopes others will be able to relate to the story.

“These are characters and these are their struggles – but it could be any teenager or any mother.

“All Joey wants to do is play on his X Box   For Joey it’s a world where he can do things, run, and fight.”

In the play the character of the mother struggles to look after herself as well as her son, but comes to realise she needs to find a way to do this.

“I tried to make it realistic.  Mum is no saint – in fact neither Mum or Joey is angelic.  They are both a bit grumpy with each other. Mum is tired and a bit frustrated and Joey resents his mum for being annoyed.

“I wanted to show the reality of caring – but also that normal life goes on – whatever difficulties you face.”

Rhona McAdam was one of the writers of Leithers One Family, the play based on a family of Leithers, which Citadel Arts Group created and staged online during lockdown.  

A version of the play Leithers Live, was performed at Custom House, Leith in June.

As well as losing her son this year Rhona also lost her husband Iain, who died during lockdown in December 2021.   Writing the play and working with Citadel has given her a welcome focus.

She says: “I have written short stories before but I have really enjoyed being part of the collaborative process and working with actors and directors.”

Caring, which will be directed by Mark Kydd, will be staged at the Storytelling Centre on November 3 and 4.

The part of Mum will be played by Laverne Edmonds, Joey will be played by Fraser Allan Hogg, while Dale McQueen will take the supporting roles.

Liz Hare, director of the Citadel Arts Group says: “It will be a very welcome return to the Storytelling Centre for us. Although we are usually associated with Leith, the group originally performed at the Storytelling Centre.  It’s a beautiful theatre space and we’re delighted to be going back.

“We’ve done a lot of work with Care for Carers and the Carers’ Group from the Eric Liddell Centre running creative writing workshops and Rhona’s play fits in really well with that.   We did an early run through of the play with Edinburgh carers and they gave feedback and suggestions to help with the development of the script.”

Erica Whitaker Wallis, of Care for Carers said: “Across Scotland, there were an estimated 700,000 to 800,000 unpaid carers before the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Survey work from Scottish Government in September 2020 suggests the number of adult carers had grown to around 839,000. As a result of the pandemic 90 per cent of carers are spending more time caring, with 82 per cent having had no access to respite or breaks from caring.

“It is therefore more important than ever that we continue to shine a light on the vital contribution that unpaid carers make to our society.

As an organisation we work alongside community partners to provide carers with access to short break opportunities which this year has involved providing drama workshops with Citadel Arts.

“For a carer, just a few hours break away from their caring role can make a big difference to their wellbeing which is why we view these partnerships as so important.”

The project received funding from the National Lottery Community Fund.

Director Mark Kydd said: “I think people will enjoy the play.  In spite of the seriousness of the subject matter it’s surprising, it’s funny and it’s playful.

“Because the character Joey loves gaming he wants to be a superhero of his own story and that adds a fantasy element to the narrative.”

Caring, by Rhona McAdam, will be performed at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, High Street, Edinburgh on November 3 and 4, with a matinee on November 4

Thursday 3 November, 7pm

Friday 4 November, 4pm and 7pm

There will be a Q and A after the matinee on November 4 with Erica Whittaker Wallis from Care for Carers.

Generations must work together to tackle loneliness, says Esther Rantzen

  • Almost a third of Scots feel lonely at least once a week, with just under half never telling anyone about it, according to research commissioned by People’s Postcode Lottery
  • Nine out of ten Scots are unaware of services operating in their area that can provide support for those affected by loneliness
  • Charities Childline and The Silver Line share their tips, and encourage Scots to get in touch if they are suffering in silence

Campaigner and broadcaster Dame Esther Rantzen has urged Scots of every generation to work together to fight loneliness, as the nation slowly begins to emerge from lockdown.

She suffered from loneliness herself after the death of her husband, and says “It was very difficult for me to admit, because there is a real stigma which prevents people from talking about it. Since the pandemic loneliness has affected more and more people, so now we all need to reach out to each other to make sure everyone knows they are cared about and valued.”

As founder of Childline and The Silver Line, Dame Esther’s call comes as newly published research shows how loneliness affects different generations. It also reveals that many of those who regularly suffer from loneliness are reluctant to talk about it.

The data from People’s Postcode Lottery, which was compiled pre lockdown, found that loneliness is a cross-generational issue.

Almost a third of Scots (32%) feel lonely at least once a week and almost half (47%) at least once a month. Just under half (43%) of the those that experienced loneliness in the past year hadn’t told anyone about it because they didn’t want to burden others, while almost a quarter (24%) didn’t think it was a serious problem.

More than a quarter (28%) of Scots admit they have not met a new person in the last six to twelve months, with over two fifths (41%) saying this was down to lack of confidence or being too shy.

Worryingly, more than nine out of 10 Scots (91%) say they are not aware of support services in their area aimed at helping those who experience loneliness. This is slightly above the UK’s average of 87%.

The data also reveals a similar picture of loneliness across the UK. More than a third (39%) of 16-24-year-olds in the UK who had experienced loneliness have not told anyone about it because they didn’t want to burden others. A similar number (38%) said they were too embarrassed to speak about it.

When it comes to older generations in the UK, the research found that a fifth (20%) of 65-74-year-olds, and one in eight (15%) of over 75-year-olds, experience feelings of loneliness at least once a week.

Since lockdown began in mid-March more people are expected to be experiencing feelings of isolation, a result of the safety measures in place that limit contact with friends, family and work colleagues.

The charity The Silver Line, which operates a 24/7 helpline and telephone friendship services for lonely older people, has seen demand for its helpline increase by up to 31% since the pandemic began.

Similarly, The NSPCC’s Childline service has also counselled nearly 7,000 young people and children struggling during the pandemic, as many report how lonely they feel despite everyone being at home and households feeling chaotic.

Dame Esther Rantzen, founder of The Silver Line and Childline, said: “Loneliness doesn’t discriminate and can happen to anyone, at any age. We want to end social isolation and provide the emotional support and social opportunities that can help lift the spirits during what is a hugely challenging time for many.

“For older people loneliness can be a downside of living for a long time, as you might outlive many of the people who have mattered most to you, and it is almost impossible to replace such special relationships.

“Illness and disability might also make it harder to get out and about to see family and friends, meaning older people might feel they are on their own more than they used to be.

“Thanks to the support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery, both The Silver Line and Childline can continue to support those that need advice or support when they’re feeling lonely, whether it’s during this crisis or in their daily lives.

“From one-on-one phone calls, to tips on how to stay active during lockdown, we want to help people of all ages feel better. We’re also encouraging young people looking after their elders, and vice versa. The Silver Line and Childline will provide the tools needed to identify the signs of loneliness as we work within our communities to provide cross-generational support and beat loneliness together.”

The players of People’s Postcode Lottery have raised £5.5million over the past year for 32 charities working to tackle loneliness – including the national galleries of Scotland, national museums Scotland, V&A Dundee (above), Sistema Scotland, Children 1st and Edinburgh International Book Festival – and is working with The Silver Line and Childline to support everyone experiencing isolating feelings during this challenging time.

Clara Govier, managing director and chair of People’s Postcode Lottery, said: “Feelings of loneliness can impact anyone, no matter your age. The surge in demand reported by charities over the past three months highlights how vital it is that we address this cross-generational problem.  

“Thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery, we are able to provide the essential funding required to support charities as we all continue working together to eradicate loneliness.”

If you are experiencing loneliness, or are concerned for someone else, please contact The Silver Line’s helpline on 0800 470 80 90 to access support. Young people can contact Childline on 0800 11 11 or visit childline.org.uk.

For more information on People’s Postcode Lottery, please visit www.postcodelottery.co.uk or Facebook and Twitter.

Tips to help people with loneliness

Childline: Ways to help a child or a young person who’s struggling include:

  1. Letting them know you’re there for them and are on their side by talking to them over text or on the phone if they don’t feel able to talk in person
  2. Being patient and staying calm and approachable, even if their behaviour upsets you. Do this by recognising that their feelings are valid and letting them know it’s okay for them to be honest about what it’s like for them to feel this way
  3. Thinking of healthy ways to cope you could do together, like yoga, breathing exercises or mindfulness
  4. Encouraging them to talk to their GP, someone at their school or Childline, especially if they’re finding it hard to talk at home
  5. Take care of yourself and get support if you need to. Try not to blame yourself for what’s happening and stay hopeful about your child’s recovery

The Silver Line – Ways to help an older people who’s struggling include:

  1. Keep in touch: phone your older relatives and friends to ask how they are – set up a rota with family and friends to make sure someone is regularly checking on them. Talking to others is a great way to relive old memories and remind everyone of the positive things in life.
  1. Show you care: by writing letters, sending postcards, or checking if someone needs any shopping or errands run. Simply being there for someone can be a great comfort and reassurance.
  1. Help family and friends get online: if older friends and family aren’t connected to the internet you may want to speak to them about getting an internet-enabled device so you can chat more easily and they might enjoy online classes or groups. It’s important to think about what your friend or relative might want to use their device for and how confident they feel with technology. Be aware of the signs of loneliness: the lockdown has brought changes to everyone’s normal activities and routines but there are some clues that could indicate a person is feeling lonely, such as someone neglecting their appearance or personal hygiene, not eating properly or putting themselves down.
  1. Share The Silver Line Helpline number: For a cheerful chat, day or night, older people can call The Silver Line: 0800 470 80 90. The Charity also offers telephone friendship with weekly chats with a friendly and supportive volunteer.

New Year, new name for North West Carers

The name will change but the project’s focus remains the same: supporting local carers young and old, North West Carers Centre annual general meeting decided last month. Members voted unanimously for a name change to open up more funding opportunities for the Prentice Centre-based project, which will become Capital Carers Ltd. in April. Continue reading New Year, new name for North West Carers

Still caring after all those years

Caring award for Stockbridge charity

lifecare

Care at LifeCare (Edinburgh) in Stockbridge extends far beyond attending to health necessities. Be it music and singing in the St. Bernard’s club, or a nutritious meal at the on-site community cafe, LifeCare Edinburgh has enriched the lives of older people for over 74 years.

Earlier this month LifeCare Edinburgh was awarded a Carer Positive certificate to acknowledge their commitment to caring.

The recently-introduced Carer Positive kitemark is awarded to employers in Scotland who have a working environment where their staff, who are also carers for family members, are valued and supported. This might be through flexible working policies or with simple practical measures which can make a big difference to carers.

Care Services Manager Margaret Stewart said: “This award is proof that we do what we say we do. LifeCare is set apart from other organisations by how we look after our staff as employees and in their caring role. We are very proud to be one of 16 organisations across Scotland to be recognised for this award.”

Fundrasing manager Vicki Bradley added: “LifeCare Edinburgh is known for caring for others whether in their day centre or at home, so it seemed natural that it should support its staff who are carers personally,”

And such is the commitment of the Stockbridge team that they are already working towards the next level of the Carer Positive kitemark!

 

Tough times but North West Carers are back on track

‘change is part of the provision of social care’

NWCarersNorth West Carers Centre has had it’s share of difficulties over the last year: without a manager and facing a funding crisis, there were times when the voluntary board and staff must have thought about throwing in the towel. Thankfully they remained loyal to the project, however, and their recent annual general meeting heard that the Carers Centre is still very much alive and kicking!

Chairperson Ian Huggan told the meeting, held in Muirhouse Millennium Centre: “it has been a particularly difficult year for the Board and staff of North West Carers. We spent most of the year without a Manager while coping with a difficult financial position. We are especially grateful to our main funder, the City of Edinburgh Council, for their support not only financially but also from the commissioners during this time.”

During the course of the year the project has been strengthened by the addition of committed new directors, who have worked with the existing Board and staff team to keep the project afloat. The project also received a much-need boost with the arrival of experienced manager Angela Dias (pictured above with Ian)  in July.

The North West Carers Centre is now moving forward again at last, but challenges remain: as always in the voluntary sector, funding is one concern and adapting to changing demands on your service – often with reduced budgets – is another.

“When the Scottish Government seeks cuts in expenditure from local authorities voluntary organisations feel the result of any cuts in the funding of our services,” Ian Huggan said. “I remember the chairperson of a voluntary organisation asking me ten years ago: ‘when will all this change stop?’ My answer then is the same as now: change is part of the provision of social care. Don’t expect things to be the same year in, year out.”

He went on: “North West Carers is acutely aware of some changes that will come from outside but we must also look at the way we work and deliver services. Looking for threats and opportunities is the name of the game”.

The Board continues to look for new funding streams and has developed a series of plans to address change, detailing clear outcomes and targets, but in a time of change one thing remains constant: the determination to provide a service that Carers want and need.

Mr Huggan, who stepped down as chairman at the meeting, concluded: “Carers are at the heart of our service and the Board and staff will be working hard in the coming year to improve communication with, and participation of, Carers in all that we do. We need to ask you what you want from us and endeavour to meet your needs.”

Do they know they're carers?

Angela Dias joined North West Carers Centre in the summer.  She talks about how the project supports local carers – and how NWCC could help YOU:

YC Fest 2014 071North West Carers Centre (NWCC) has been part of the furniture in the local area for nearly 20 years, and you might know us. You might be a Carer who has used our services, or you might be one of the many people who don’t know that they are Carers!

So what is a Carer? A Carer is anyone who cares, without pay, for a family member, neighbour or friend who cannot cope without this support. The person you support may have a disability or be ill, have age related conditions such as dementia, or mental health needs, or be addicted to alcohol or drugs.

There are many reasons people need this support, and Caring is not restricted to helping someone with tasks like bathing and going to the toilet – Carers could be giving emotional support, supporting someone to deal with letters and bills, helping with medication, shopping – the list is extensive.

Carers come from all walks of life, backgrounds and can be any age. NWCC supports Carers from the age of 5, and our oldest Carers are in their 90s!

We offer different kinds of support, from support groups for different ages (including Children who care for others), respite care, and can help you find services you need – if you need help in your caring role which we can’t provide, we usually know someone who can!

Carers also want to have fun, so we organise outings and activities, which some people like to come to with the person they support, others alone.

If you’re a Carer who would like to know more, or have some support, or maybe you’d be interested in volunteering for us, get in touch. We’d love to hear from you!

Angela Dias, Manager, North West Carers Centre

Picture: Young Carers at this summer’s Scottish Young Carers Festival

For further information visit:

www.northwestcarers.org.uk or telephone 315 3150

Carers logo

Letter: Protecting our Parents – who cares?

care

Dear Editor

Part two of the BBC programme Protecting our Parents, shown on 24 April, revealed the inadequacy of all-round care provision for the elderly.

All staff shown were indeed caring but handicapped by having to work within existing rules and funding constraints.

A disturbing feature was the ‘test’ by a psychologist to determine the patients’ capacity to make decisions (in other words removing decision-making from them) with questions such as: ‘what day is it?’; I would imagine most people after being in hospital for weeks would hesitate before answering. There were  of course other similar questions, and on their answers a decision is made on the patients capacity of doing so, with all that it implies.

The ‘test’ came across as inadequate and faulty, needing radical appraisal.

The second part of of the programme reinforced the first – that provision of care in all forms, from rapidly building NHS Hospitals for the elderly run by fully qualified staff, that care at home visiting time should be greatly expanded – if necessary to 24 hour caring operated by fully qualified staff.

This can be at least a start in showing we do care about protecting our parents.

A. Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens