Tag: mental health

Knitting has incredible benefits on brain health

Whether players want to improve their brain health and memory after sustaining a head injury or purely want to test their cognitive skills, memory activities are a great way to stimulate mental fitness and improve brain health.

Experts at SolitaireBliss have revealed a top 5 list of brain training and memory improvement activities that offer players a wide range of cognitive benefits.

  1. Jigsaw puzzles

The benefit of puzzles is that they are available for all ages; whether you’re five or fifty-five, there are plenty of puzzles and jigsaw games on the market that will test your brain cells and improve mental speed.

Both physical and online puzzles are mentally stimulating and can also help increase concentration and attention levels whilst working to enhance positive moods.

Puzzles are also an incredible way to eliminate stress and reduce anxiety, so they are a perfect option for those suffering from these problems.

  1. Card games

Card games might seem like an obvious option but are often forgotten about. Card games are the perfect way to work on improving problem-solving and strategy building.

Alongside delaying and preventing memory decline like puzzles, card games are also great for people who may struggle with social anxiety. They keep you socially active as many games require more than one player and help improve basic maths skills.

  1. Knitting

Contrary to popular belief, knitting is not only for the elderly! Knitting is a great way to keep all brain parts active and engaged. The calming act of knitting helps reduce anxiety, has fantastic benefits like eliminating emotional stress, and is a great way to distract from pain.

Not only does knitting allow a great sense of achievement when the project is finished, but it’s also a great way to increase dopamine and serotonin, which promote the body’s happy hormones.

  1. Chess  

Chess is the perfect way to challenge the mind and keep critical thinking at the forefront of the brain. The ancient game helps to develop pattern recognition, analytical thinking, exercise logic and improve memory.

For centuries chess has been an impressive game to master, which is why the beloved game has seen many world champions over the years. Albert Einstein was known to be an expert at the game, just like his best friend Emanuel Lasker, who held the world title for 27 years, the longest reign of any world champion.

  1. Online apps/websites

In this day and age where we are glued to technology and our phones, it is common for our minds to stay inactive and unengaged with all our hours of mindless scrolling, which is why brain training apps are perfect for everyday use by their ease of accessibility.

Many apps and websites are available for Android and Apple users, so finding one that suits you will be easy. Some of the most popular ones for brain training are SolitaireBliss, Lumosity, Elevate, CogniFit and NeuroNation.

A spokesperson for SolitaireBliss commented: “Not only are all these braining training activities beneficial by engaging cognitive skills, but they can help to prevent the early onset and reduce progression rates of Alzheimer’s, dementia and other memory-affecting diseases.

The benefits of taking part in any of these activities will keep your brain happy, healthy and engaged and give you the opportunity to learn a new skill and increase your social skills simultaneously!”

Staying Inn: pub set up in care home

With COVID restrictions easing, a care home in Giffnock has opened its very own pub, bringing joy to the residents and the staff.

The team at Eastwood Court Care Home, on the outskirts of Glasgow, worked with an occupational therapist to look at ways of improving residents’ quality of life and provide a sense of purpose for those living in the facility.

The ‘Staying Inn’ pub opened in April and the bar has proven to be a huge success, with residents enjoying the odd sweet sherry, a quick half or even just some sparking water, improving both the mental and physical health of the bar’s patrons along the way.

Fiona Gibson, Care Home Liaison Occupational Therapist at East Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership, said that since working with the home ​to increase resident engagement, they have been able to reduce patients’ medication, stress and distress in residents with dementia and increase their food and fluid intake.

She said: “The opening day was brilliant and one of the staff said it was the best day they had experienced since COVID and lockdown. Residents can put their nice clothes on, have a drink, enjoy a pub quiz and during things like the Euros or the Platinum Jubilee, we had the bunting up.

“More than that, when loved ones come to visit, they can visit ​a place that has some meaning for residents and not just be in a room with a bed. 

“They can choose if they want a beer, or a wee sherry or some chips and pub grub. Living life to the fullest doesn’t end because you’re in a care home and what we know is that when we can provide an occupation focused service for people, the ​overall mental health and wellbeing outcomes for residents improve. Everything that occupies your time is so important to your continued wellbeing and prevention of mental and physical health decline.”

Fiona worked with the Elizabeth Casson Trust to secure a grant to establish the bar, with donations from local businesses helping to kit it out, creating a purposeful space that residents value and enjoy.

Eastwood Court’s Activity Co-ordinator, Catherine McAllister, said: “We have regular pub quizzes, domino and musical afternoons, as well as the odd darts tournament. We’ve made mocktails and held a “forget-me-not” fundraiser in aid of the Alzheimer’s Society.

Catherine and activity co-ordinator colleagues, Lesley Brown and Jennifer Duffy, worked hard to bring the bar to life.

She added: “We have a TV in our bar which allows residents to an alternative programme to our lounge, offering choice.  The Staying Inn provides a relaxing and calm environment for our residents.

It’s a perfect environment for everyone, with a wide choice of drinks to choose from our dementia friendly menu, which are served with snacks. Our residents are really enjoying our new pub and we hope they will continue to do so.”

Fiona also paid tribute to the care home staff. She added: “The team have brought the Staying Inn to life, working really hard to turn it into a reality and with our guidance and support, it really is a place that brings joy to everyone who uses it.”

The bar brings additional health benefits, combatting loneliness and isolation and, in some cases, bringing a renewed sense of purpose.

Emma Walker, Lead Occupational Therapist for Mental Health and Recovery Services in East Renfrewhire added: “It’s about improving quality of life and making sure people are functioning and engaging at their best.

“When you are in a care home, people’s functions can deteriorate quite quickly because other people are doing things for them, which can mean people lose all sense of purpose. That can lead to an increase in stress and distress and it can become a vicious cycle where physical and mental health decline.

“We’re trying to reverse some of that through tailored, holistic interventions to help people to reach their potential, even if that’s just basic things like getting their own shoes on to go to our wee pub.

“One resident was telling me about what she liked when going to the pub and her favourite tipple was a wee Babycham mixed with all sorts. There’s a lot of life to be had in a care home, no-one is calling last orders yet!”

Pictured: Residents and staff enjoy some time together at the Staying Inn pub.

Tackling dementia, depression and loneliness through the power of sport

Sporting Memories Foundation Scotland in partnership with Edinburgh Leisure will be running a weekly club, supporting older adults to stay active, connected within their local community, and build amazing friendships through their common love of sport. 

Starting on Tuesday, 16th August 2022, the weekly, free drop-in sessions will take place every Tuesday, from 10.30am to 12.00 at the Royal Commonwealth Pool.   The sessions are the perfect forum to reminisce about local sporting heroes, share stories about past playing days and show off your knowledge over a quiz or fun game. Everyone is welcome and a cuppa will be available too.

Donna Mackey, Partnership Manager, SMFS, “We are really excited to launch our newest Sporting Memories partnership at the Royal Commonwealth Pool, a venue at the real heart of Edinburgh’s sporting heritage. 

“We believe there are lots of older adults in the area who have a passion for talking about sport and who will benefit from attending a weekly group with like-minded people.  The clubs are a great opportunity to build new friendships and become more active by taking part in some of our indoor games. We can’t wait to get started.”

Sam Scott, Health Development Officer (Dementia) at Edinburgh Leisure said: “These sessions were originally due to start in April 2020 but for obvious reasons, they had to be put on hold.  

“However, Edinburgh Leisure’s partnership with Sporting Memories Foundation Scotland makes perfect sense, as does hosting these clubs at the Royal Commonwealth Pool, a building steeped in its own sporting history.  These clubs will support the work we are already doing working with people living with dementia through our Movement for Memories programme.

“Using the rich history and heritage of sport, the Sporting Memories clubs are open to older adults who enjoy reminiscing about their experiences of watching or playing it. We just want anyone, with a love of sport, to come along and refreshments are provided.”

The clubs are run by trained by Sporting Memories volunteers who use a wide range of Sporting Memories reminiscence resources developed specifically to help prompt conversation and discussion. There is always great fun and laughter, friendships are forged, and some remarkable sporting stories often emerge.

Sporting Memories has developed an innovative and engaging approach to tackling the challenges of our ageing society.  Their work focuses on:  reducing loneliness and isolation; getting older people physically active; and helping people to live well with dementia.

Edinburgh Leisure’s Active Communities team launched Movement for Memories in September 2018. This programme supports people living with dementia and their carers to become or remain physically active in Edinburgh.

This work is supported with funding from the Life Changes Trust.  The Trust is funded by the Big Lottery.

For further information, contact Donna Mackey donna@thesmf.co.uk

Landmark study finds Covid-19 measures leading to severe mental health crisis in prisons

A new report ‘Coping with Covid in Prisons’ launched today (21 July) has found Covid-response measures led to periods of prolonged solitary confinement across the prison population, resulting in dramatically increased levels of anxiety and depression.

The study, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, was a partnership between the ex-offender led charity User Voice and social scientists at Queen’s University Belfast.

One of the most comprehensive studies of life in prison during the pandemic, and completed internationally, the project drew on an innovative peer-led methodology, developed by User Voice.

Nearly 100 serving prisoners were trained in research methods to survey their peers. Over the 18-month project, these volunteers completed over 1,400 surveys with fellow prisoners across 11 prisons.

The peer-led study found that prolonged isolation and the simultaneous reduction in support services resulted in widespread deterioration of mental health and the erosion of the rehabilitative function of imprisonment.

Key findings:

· 85% of prisoners surveyed were confined to cells for 23 hours for the majority of the lockdown period.

· 59% of prisoners surveyed had not had a single visit with family during the Covid lockdown.

· Standard screening tools suggest depression and anxiety scores are almost five times higher than the standard for the general population.

· More than one out of three prisoners were scoring at the level of “severe anxiety disorder” indicating high levels of post-traumatic stress.

· Two thirds of survey respondents said that access to mental health support had worsened, instead of improving, during the lockdown.

· One out of five respondents thought that violence had reduced in the prisons because of the lockdown.

User Voice’s Founder and CEO Mark Johnson MBE said: “When almost no one was able to get into prisons, we were able to conduct one of the largest studies of prisoner experiences.

“This research has been led by prisoners, using our innovative approach developed over the past 15 years and now validated by academics.

“The report reveals one of the darkest and most hidden results of the pandemic, the true effects of extreme lockdown and confinement on prisoners and ultimately, on the public. It shows that we need to talk about criminal justice. Are prisons just for punishment or are they failing prisoners and the public if they don’t offer the support which leads to rehabilitation?”

Professor Shadd Maruna, Professor of Criminology at Queen’s University Belfast, explains: “Prisons were in crisis before the pandemic, and remarkably some voices have claimed that life in prison has actually improved because of the Covid lockdown.

“Our research definitively demonstrates that the social climate in prison has become dramatically worse after the lockdown, and a great deal of work is going to be needed to restore a sense of trust and legitimacy among the incarcerated.

“Peer-led models, like the kind that drove this research project, have the potential to do just that if implemented correctly.”

User-Voice-QUB-Coping-with-CovidDownload

Expert reveals benefits of mind and brain training games

The benefits of keeping physically fit and healthy are a given when it comes to receiving advice on how to always stay on top of our physical performance. Still, experts have revealed that playing certain games and completing challenges that test our cognitive skills can stimulate our mental fitness, giving us ample ways of improving brain health.

Experts at SolitaireBliss have revealed how playing fun mind games and performing stimulating brain challenges can have huge benefits when trying to remain mentally fit.

Improving memory

One of the most beneficial effects of brain training games is their ability to improve memory, and with neurodegeneration commonly being disregarded as something only to worry about at an old age, many are unaware that deterioration can start as early as their 30s.

There are many ways to improve brain health and keep a sharp memory, and factors such as maintaining a varied diet along with good nutrition, having a healthy sleeping pattern, regular exercise and interacting with people you can keep your cognitive skills tested. These factors are all vital to sustaining a healthy brain but adding brain training games into your day can be a fun way to increase and add to your brain’s daily exercises.

Speeding up reaction time

Another perk of downloading a brain training app is its ability to help increase reaction times which depends on the central nervous system’s speed. High cognitive functioning reaction times can be highly beneficial, especially to those who excel in sports requiring fast hand-eye coordination and medical roles requiring swift and precise reactions.

Overall, higher cognitive functions stem from a healthy nervous system which proves how vital visual awareness and reaction times are, all of which can be exercised and improved with brain training apps.

Improving attention span

Having a short attention span can be a real annoyance when performing day-to-day tasks as it can lead to poor focus at work as well as cause problems in communication similarly, it can also lead to anxiety and stress due to the inability to finish complex tasks.

A major advantage of brain training games which get harder as you level up is that they can improve your attention span by being able to keep the gamer engaged and solely focused on the game at hand; this can be very beneficial to those who suffer easily from distraction and find it difficult to focus on one thing at a time.

Helps to assist those after suffering severe head injuries

There can be many causes for concern when a patient has suffered from brain trauma. Such injuries can lead to an alteration in mental state, whether difficulty concentrating or disorientation, and also fears of focal neurological problems. This could be anything from distorted or loss of vision, weakness in building back muscle and struggles with speech.

Many patients who have suffered severe head injuries will use brain training and memory games to rehabilitate and recover from such traumatic events. By stretching your brain muscles and exercising your cognitive skills, you are actively accelerating all elements of the brain, which can speed up improvement in strength, coordination, and balance.

Mental Health staffing boost

More than 950 additional frontline workers recruited

A commitment to recruit an additional 800 mental health staff to frontline roles across Scotland has been exceeded. 

Figures published yesterday show that 958 whole time equivalent mental health workers have been recruited for deployment to hospitals, GP practices, police station custody suites and prisons. This exceeds the target of 800 set in the Scottish Government’s Mental Health Strategy 2017-27.

The staff will ensure people have access to appropriate mental health care in a variety of settings, recognising the life-changing benefits of fast, effective treatment.

Mental Wellbeing Minister Kevin Stewart said: “Improving mental health is a priority for the Scottish Government and these figures show how seriously we are taking this. I am pleased that we have exceeded our commitment and recruited almost 1,000 additional mental health professionals across these key settings.

“Mental illness is one of the major public health challenges in Scotland. Around one-in-three people are estimated to be affected by mental illness in any one year. We want a Scotland where we act on the knowledge that failing to recognise, prioritise and treat mental health problems costs not only our economy, but also harms individuals and communities.

“We have allocated nearly £84 million to enable recruitment to these posts and this has been achieved in spite of the unprecedented impacts of the pandemic on our health and social care services.”

Scottish charity for families affected by alcohol and drug use wins top national health award

National charity Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs has won a major UK award for its work supporting anyone concerned about someone else’s alcohol or drug use in Scotland.

Their innovative ‘click-and-deliver’ service, providing the drug naloxone, which can reverse an opioid-related overdose, was just one of its services praised by the award judges.

Following a rigorous selection and assessment process, Scottish Families was chosen from more than 350 charities across the UK as one of the 10 winners of the 2022 GSK IMPACT Awards.

Now in their 25th year, the awards are designed to recognise the outstanding work of small and medium-sized charities working to improve people’s health and wellbeing in the UK. 

This year winners will receive £40,000 in unrestricted funding as well as expert support and leadership development provided by leading health and care charity The King’s Fund. 

Substance use remains a major issue in Scotland, with 2,529 people losing their lives to alcohol and drugs in 2020. The number of drug-related deaths was 5 per cent more than in 2019 and 2020 saw the highest increase of alcohol-specific deaths registered since 2008.

Scottish Families offers support to people whose loved ones are living with an alcohol or drug issue. The charity works across Scotland to increase awareness of the impact drug and alcohol use has on family members, who can experience psychological distress, mental and physical ill health, domestic violence, and financial issues.

Their work is not limited to close family, Scottish Families also offers support to anyone directly affected by the harm caused by an individual’s alcohol or drug use.

Despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, the charity has continued to provide a range of services, including an advice helpline, one-to-one bereavement support, and local family services. 

From April 2020 to March 2021 Scottish Families supported almost 2,000 family members across its services, from all 32 council areas in Scotland. This included more than 2,350 helpline contacts, a 66 per cent increase on the previous year.

The award judges praised Scottish Families for its range of flexible support service for families, as well as its ability to influence and shape alcohol and drug policy. This includes the innovative ‘click-and-deliver’ service, which provides potentially life-saving naloxone free of charge to any adult in Scotland who may come across an opioid-related overdose.

Naloxone reverses opioid overdose, providing vital time to call an ambulance. Training, information and helpline support is provided with the kits.

The judging panel were also impressed by Scottish Families’ work to reach those most in need. Its ‘Holding On’ service offers support where there are concerns about the risk of drug-related death and the charity is a member of the LGBTQI Substance Use Partnership. 

Scottish Families also launched a ‘Family Support Is For Men Too’ initiative and runs the Routes programme for young people aged 12–26 years old affected by someone else’s alcohol and drug use.

Katie Pinnock, Director of UK Charitable Partnerships at GSK, said: “The devastating impact of alcohol or drug use on someone’s family and loved ones is often overlooked.

“Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs works to improve the visibility of families and give a voice to their experiences. It is a small charity which works effectively to build strong partnerships at local and national levels to influence strategic system change. 

“We were particularly impressed by Scottish Families’ engagement at government level, while its ‘click-and-deliver’ service to make the life-saving drug naloxone more easily available during the pandemic stood out as a major innovation.”

The 2022 GSK IMPACT Award recognises Scottish Families’ significant impact on improving the wellbeing and mental health of families across Scotland affected by alcohol and drug use.

Developing leaders in the charity sector is a key aim of the GSK IMPACT Awards programme and all winners are invited to build on their success and take part in a tailored leadership development programme run by The King’s Fund.

Scottish Families will also be invited to join the GSK IMPACT Awards Network, a UK-wide network of more than 110 previous award winners who work together to develop leaders, find new ways of working and provide mutual support.  

Commenting on the award, Justina Murray, Chief Executive of Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs, said: “We are overwhelmed and so delighted to have won this UK award for outstanding work in the field of health and wellbeing.

“Innovation, flexibility and assertive outreach are everyday ways of working in the third sector, so being recognised for this means a huge amount to us and to the families we support.

“We know that most families harmed by substance use remain hidden from sight and are unsupported. We have so much more to do to reach every family, and to make sure they are supported, recognised and included.

“The funding and development programme which are part of this award will help us to do this. Families affected by alcohol and drugs are always at the margins, they are overlooked and ignored, so achieving this recognition at UK level shows that families really do matter, and that change will come.”

For more information on Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs, visit: www.sfad.org.uk

Surviving Suicidal Thoughts – sharing personal stories for support 

“‘I’m struggling’. Those two words were all it took.“

NHS 24 and the National Suicide Prevention Leadership Group (NSPLG) are offering new support to people living with thoughts of suicide or plans to end their own life.

Short video clips are hosted on NHS inform, where people from across Scotland tell their individual stories. The people featured generously share the ways they have found to live past their suicidal thoughts or intentions. The aim is to offer people in this situation support to better manage these thoughts and to find hope..

The videos are presented alongside information on how to listen and talk about suicidal feelings. There is advice on ways to cope when it feels as though you can’t, and what warning signs to look for as well as how to reach urgent help via 999, the Samaritans or 111.

NHS 24 Director of Service Delivery, Janice Houston said: “Our first priority is offering a compassionate service to everyone that contacts us about their mental health, and we know that some people would prefer to listen than to talk – at least at first.

“We are very pleased to be able to offer this option to people experiencing thoughts of suicide and our thanks go to those who have shared their journeys so generously.

“For anyone who is concerned for themselves or anyone else, we encourage you to listen to these stories and to find someone who can listen to you – whether that is a friend, colleague or family member, or one of the specialist helplines available 24/7.”

NSPLG chair Rose Fitzpatrick CBE QPM said: “We are committed to exploring innovations in digital technology to help save lives from the tragedy of suicide. The creation of the new Surviving Suicidal Thoughts resource on the NHS Inform website represents a significant step towards better supporting those who are having suicidal thoughts and their loved ones.

 “This new resource, developed with our partners at NHS 24, is intended to help those thinking about suicide and those who are supporting someone who may be suicidal.  It features people who have themselves known these tough times describing what they experienced and what has helped each of them get through.

 “We hope these compelling personal stories will encourage people experiencing suicidal thoughts to know that they can get through such dark moments and will also provide information for others on how to support someone who may be suicidal.  We believe that suicide prevention can be everyone’s business.”

NSPLG Lived Experience Panel member Neil Renton features in one of the videos and is urging people to seek help by talking about their mental health.

Recalling his own story, he said: “Currently I feel really good mentally, but it’s not always been like that.

“I think the thing that caught me out was I wasn’t expecting to feel as bad as I did. It was hard to pinpoint exactly what made me feel depressed and low and took me to feel suicidal.

He added: “I think I was in denial because there wasn’t anything that set it off or triggered it, I came from a loving family, I’m well-supported, life and soul of the party. I felt I didn’t have an excuse so I found it really difficult to appreciate that I could have been suffering mentally.

“It was a struggle to be open and honest with others, be it my wife, family, medical people, friends and colleagues as well. You were always worried you were going to be judged, people would look at you differently.

“I remember what it was like when I was suicidal and just felt like there was nothing else I could do.

“I’d hate for anybody to be in the position I was in. I could see it like an edge I was running towards and no obstacle could stop me.

“My family would be like a wall I would smash through, my friends barbed wire I could jump over and there was nothing stopping me getting to that edge.

“And I just remember thinking: ‘I really need to say something at this point or that’s me gone’.

“I was dreaming up this big speech to my wife that I wanted to be poignant and memorable, but I simply said: ‘I’m struggling’. Those two words were all it took.

“We talked for hours, I gained confidence, felt supported and from there I got the help I needed and continue to work on my mental health to this day.

“Please talk about it.”

The content is for anyone experiencing thoughts of suicide. It is for those around them, family, friends, work mates and others too. The full stories are also on the NHS 24 YouTube channel.

Men’s Sheds to pop up in Scotmid stores during Men’s Health Week!

The Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA) has teamed up with Scotmid, for Men’s Health Week (13th – 19th June 2022).

The leading community retailer invited Shedders into their stores to help raise awareness of Men’s Sheds at a community level and to broaden awareness of the wealth of benefits Sheds bring to men’s overall health and wellbeing.

In the UK, men aged 40-49 have the highest rates of suicide*. The Men’s Shed aims to encourage men to have open and honest conversations around mental health, to help tackle loneliness and wider challenges they face and feel unable to talk about.

Carluke Men’s Shed popped up in Scotmid’s Law store and recruited three new members before lunch! Shedders were on hand to chat to customers and answer any questions they had about the charity and the products they produce.

Shirley MacGillivray, Head of Communities and Membership at Scotmid, said: “We are delighted to team up with the SMSA to raise awareness of Men’s Sheds during this important week.

“We recognise the part we can play to improve the health and wellbeing of our employees and the communities that we serve, and this is the perfect way to mark and support Men’s Health Week in our Scottish stores.”

Scotmid has previously been a SMSA award sponsor, supports many sheds across Scotland and welcomes Community Grant applications from individual Sheds.


Jason Schroeder, SMSA Chief Executive Officer, said: “The SMSA is working in partnership with Scotmid to offer this excellent opportunity for Sheds to showcase the services and facilities that they have to offer men aged 18 and over.

“It’s important that we encourage men to get together within their local community and connect with each other.  After all, conversation is hugely important for our health and wellbeing.”

The SMSA now has over 129 sheds open across Scotland, with 72 further sheds proposed or in development.

One of the charity’s core objectives is to put an emphasis on how important it is for men to connect with their local community.