A carer is someone who looks after a relative or friend who is frail, disabled or ill
Southwark Carers
Cambridge House
131 Camberwell Rd
London
SE5 0HF
T: 020 7708 4497
Latest News - January / February 2007
The following stories are taken from our bi-monthly newsletter, which is sent to all our members. Contact us for your copy and to join our mailing list.
Click here for previous editions
Take a break from caring - for your health and the person you care for!
Everyone needs a change and time off occasionally, whether it's for an hour, a day or a week. This can be especially true for carers - caring can be exhausting.
Having a break is more likely to help you cope with caring and give you necessary time for yourself to recharge your batteries. You may want a break so that you can follow up your interests and catch up with family and friends. You may want to plan a longer break to allow you to go on holiday.
The person you care for may benefit from a break too. It may be good for your relationship to spend time on hobbies and other interests separately from each other.
What types of breaks are available?
Services in the home provide a variety of help, including sitting and talking with the person you care for, preparing meals, help to get the person you care for up, washed and dressed. There are other services which can help the person you care for with social activities of their choice such as going to the cinema, pub or shopping. The services may be provided by voluntary organisations, Southwark Health and Social Care, or private agencies.
Residential care homes and nursing homes can provide short-term care for the person you look after so that you can get a break. If you can, it may be useful to visit beforehand to make sure that it can cater for the needs of the person you look after.
If Health and Social Care help pay toward short term breaks in residential care, both your benefits and those of the person that you look after may be affected. You may wish to seek advice on this either from Southwark Carers (020 7708 4497) or the Welfare Rights Unit (020 7525 3393).
There are also numerous day centres in Southwark for the care of adults with disabilities. Centres arrange social activities, craftwork clubs or outings. Most can also arrange transport to and from the centre. Day-care for children may also be available including nurseries or playgroups, family centres or play schemes for school-age children. Your social worker should be able to tell you about the day care providers in your area.
How do I arrange a break?
Southwark Health and Social Care has a responsibility for arranging services that help you to take a break from caring. This is usually done through a carer's assessment. You should be provided with information on the range of services which will help you to take a break, including voluntary organisations and specialist providers.
Southwark Health and Social Care can help to pay for break services (either by paying the home directly, or through direct payments or vouchers to you or the person that you look after).If the person you care for can pay for the complete cost of short term care you may decide to make your own arrangements. It is a good idea to ensure that the person has had a community care assessment even if they are paying for the care themselves. You will then be clearer about the kind of care they need and they may get help with all or some of the cost through a direct payment.
Are there any charges for breaks services?
Services arranged by Southwark Health and Social Care can be charged for. Services arranged through the NHS are free.
Would you like more advice on respite care?
Southwark Carers
Breaks from Caring forum
Monday 19th February 11am - 3pm
at Cambridge HouseClick here for more details.
NEWS - click for full story
Good news on Carers Allowance - Backdating of Carers Allowance with less paperwork
Southwark Carers AGM - Feedback on our AGM held in December
Carers Voices update - Details of our second meeting in November
Carers' health - Results of Southwark Carers survey
Parliamentary bills for the coming year - Details from the Queen's Speech and Carers UK's response
Disability Equality Scheme - New scheme from Southwark Council
ARTICLES - click for full story
Disabled children's short breaks bill - Private member's bill in parliament aims to help carers of disabled children
Fix yourself a Cab! - Southwark Carers is now offering carers up to £50 worth of taxi journeys
Healing through change - 4 workshops facilitated by Dianne Stewart
Shape tickets - Assistance to visit art and cultural events
Contact the Elderly - Small group outings for the elderly
Welcome to the January / February edition of Southwark Carers News.
This issue we are looking at breaks from caring. Inside you can find details of some of the issues that are being looked at by the government to help parent carers take a break, plus details of various events and groups that are available for all carers in Southwark.
In the next issue we will be looking at issues around employment, training, and education. You are very welcome to contact us at any time with articles, stories, poems or news on any topic relating to caring - this is your newsletter, so please do contribute.
Contact us by clicking here.
GOOD NEWS ON CARERS ALLOWANCE
Backdating of Carers Allowance with less paperworkCarers’ Allowance is for carers who are looking after a person who is paid Attendance Allowance or the care component of Disability Living Allowance at the middle or higher rate.
Where a person has made a claim for Attendance Allowance or Disability Living Allowance the carer should wait for a decision on that claim before claiming Carers Allowance. So long as the carer claims the Carers Allowance within three months of the decision on Attendance Allowance / Disability Living Allowance, the Carers Allowance will be backdated to the start of the Attendance Allowance / Disability Living Allowance award.
This is a welcome change to the rule whereby a carer had to claim twice or else lose out on arrears: once when the claim for Attendance Allowance / Disability Living Allowance was made, and again when it came through.
Along with Carers Allowance a claim for Income Support will entitle the carer to housing benefit and council tax benefit.
If you would like to know more about benefits YOU may be entitled to, please contact us and ask for an appointment with Viv or Dawn.
SOUTHWARK CARERS AGM
Feedback on our AGM held in DecemberOn 8th December Southwark Carers held our AGM to elect the management board. The elected members are:
David Lebon - Chair
Jean Beckley
Dan Brennan
Peter Cather
Doreen Gee
June Hollands
Hussein Malik
Kevin Morgan
Ben Mshila
Abdul Quddus
Carol VincentFollowing the AGM Southwark Carers held a Carers Rights Day event, with an invited panel of speakers who discussed carers’ rights and took questions from the audience. Attending this event were Deputy Mayor Eliza Mann, Simon Hughes MP, Rod Craig and Joanne Koen from Southwark Health and Social Care. Between them they answered a range of questions on services for carers.
Also on the day we launched our annual report for 2005-2006. If you would like a copy please visit the Southwark Carers resource centre, open for drop-in every Wednesday 3pm-5pm in the Rainbow Room, Cambridge House, 131 Camberwell Road.CARERS VOICES UPDATE
Details of our second meeting in NovemberCarers Voices is a new project that aims to support interested carers become more involved in decisions that shape services. It meets every 2 months and offers training with skills such as communication, and giving presentations. The project was launched in September and held its second meeting in November.
At the November meeting members of Southwark Council’s Scrutiny Committee attended to ask Carers Voices for their input. The Scrutiny Committee has spent several months looking at carers’ services provided by Southwark Council, and gathering feedback from carers about how they could be improved. They attended Carers Voices with a set of draft recommendations that they wanted to present to the Council. The deputy chair of the committee asked Carers Voices to give their opinion on this draft before the final recommendations are produced.
Also at this meeting Stephen Lee from Carers UK provided a talk about their Equal Partners project. This is a project that helps carers become involved in campaigning, by offering training and support to groups such as Carers Voices, as well as individual carers. Stephen also explained more about the national campaigning role of Carers UK and how individuals can follow and join in with their work.
The next Carers Voices meeting will be held on Thursday 18th January 1pm-3pm at Inspire, St Peters Church, Liverpool Grove (off Walworth Rd). Please click here for more details.
DISABLED CHILDREN'S SHORT BREAKS BILL
Private member ’s bill in parliament aims to help carers of disabled children700,000 families with disabled children can hope for new rights to a break from caring, as the Disabled Children's Short Breaks Bill will be debated in parliament this January.
Gary Streeter MP pledged his support for the Bill after attending an event by the Every Disabled Child Matters campaign. He comments: ‘All MPs receive visits from parents and carers of disabled children in our surgeries seeking help to get a short break from their 24/7 caring for their loved one. Yet all too often there is no respite care available. I believe we can and must do better than that and this Bill will try and fill the gap. I strongly support the Every Disabled Child Matters campaign.’
The Disabled Children’s Short Breaks Bill follows on from an earlier Bill introduced by Ed Balls MP, now Economic Secretary at HM Treasury and a key supporter of the Every Disabled Child Matters campaign. The new Bill will amend the Children’s Act 1989, the Carers Act 1995 and the Childcare Act 2006 to make certain that the rights of disabled children to short break care are set out in law.
The need for the Bill was highlighted by a recent Breaking Point survey by Mencap, which found that 8 out of 10 carers of disabled children have felt close to, or reached, breaking point because of a lack of support. The same survey found that a third of families had experienced a reduction in the level of short break care they receive during the past year.
Through an ongoing government review of services for disabled children, the Every Disabled Child Matters campaign is lobbying for a minimum spend of £150 million per year for the next three years, as a starting point to help transform short break services and provide value-for-money preventative support, rather than existing crisis management services.
If it is accepted the Disabled Children Short Breaks Bill will:
- introduce a specific duty on local authorities and Primary Care Trusts to provide appropriate short breaks for families with disabled children who provide a substantial level of ongoing care.
- amend the recent Childcare Act to require local authorities to secure a sufficient supply of short breaks in their area.
- require the breaks offered to families to be of positive benefit for the child and their carers, to safeguard against the low quality breaks that some families are currently offered.
For more details about the Every Disabled Child Matters campaign please click here to visit their website.
Southwark Council has already pledged their support to the Every Disabled Child Matters campaign. However the campaign encourages carers to contact their local councillors and MPs to keep them aware of the importance of this issue.
To see a copy of the pledges that Southwark Council has committed to, please visit the Southwark Carers resource centre, open for drop-in every Wednesday 3pm-5pm in the Rainbow Room, Cambridge House, 131 Camberwell Road.CARERS' HEALTH
Results of Southwark Carers surveyIn the September / October 2006 issue of Southwark Carers News we included a survey for you to complete about your health concerns.
A big thank you to the more than 120 carers who returned your form and provided us with valuable information about the issues that concern you. The anonymous results of these questionnaires have been put together in a report that has been sent to health and social care professionals across the borough. This information will also help Southwark Carers in their work, highlighting the issues that matter most to you.
In this current issue you will find another survey, this time on the topic of respite and breaks from caring. We hope that you can find a few minutes to fill this in and send it back to us (freepost - no stamp required). The results from these surveys will help us inform social care providers about what is important for carers in Southwark.
Key issues from the health and well-being survey (Autumn 06):
60% believe caring has affected their physical health and 74% believe caring has affected their emotional health.
82% have not received advice on their health as a carer
Health concerns:
90% have experienced stress
66% have experienced depression
87% have experienced anxiety
64% have experienced back ache
52% have experienced high blood pressure
Most common concerns related to stress, exhaustion and loneliness57% believe their GP knows they are a carer (23% are not sure)
77% feel it would be beneficial to have a primary care carers’ worker in their GP surgery
92% support the idea of an annual health check for carersPARLIAMENTARY BILLS FOR THE COMING YEAR
Details from the Queen ’s Speech and Carers UK’s responseThe State Opening of Parliament for 2006/07 took place on 15th November 2006. In her speech, the Queen sets out the Bills that the government is going to introduce during the next year. Some of the bills will have an impact on carers, as explained by Carers UK below.
Pensions Bill
The Bill will introduce changes to the state pension. The reforms will see the state pension age raised to 67 and the basic state pension linked with earnings. It will also reduce the number of years of contributions required for a full basic state pension to 30, which will help many women and carers who may have had periods when they have not been in paid work.
It will also introduce the ‘carer credit’ for people caring for more than 20 hours per week who are currently losing out on entitlement towards their state pension. This means that for people caring for 20 hours per week or more, their national insurance contribution record is the same as someone who is in paid work.
Carers UK welcomes the general direction of reform which should enable carers to build up entitlements to a decent state pension. This is important recognition that puts the activity of caring on a par with paid work. The proposed ‘carer credit’ should help 70,000 carers gain a credit towards their basic state pension and 160,000 accrue entitlements to the state second pension.
However, 50,000 carers will still lose out because under current proposals only those caring for someone claiming middle/higher rate DLA would be eligible. Carers UK have suggested that a doctor or social worker should be able to certify that the carer is looking after someone for 20 hours each week, or alternatively that if the cared for person receives lower rate DLA or incapacity benefit the carer should also qualify. Carers UK will be lobbying Government to ensure that the Bill helps as many carers as possible to build up a decent pension.
Welfare Reform Bill
This Bill, carried over from the last session of parliament, will replace Incapacity Benefit with a new Employment and Support Allowance. It will also introduce tailored support to assess people’s ability to work and help them find appropriate work. There will be two levels of benefit – one for people undertaking work-related activity (such as interviews with a personal adviser) and a higher rate for those with a more severe illness or disability.
Carers UK has told Government that it needs to be sensitive to the needs of carers who are claiming incapacity benefit, and must recognise that their caring responsibilities will make it more diffifcult for them to plan how they might return to work. In particular, carers need flexibility and support to enable them to attend interviews and follow an agreed action plan, including assistance with finding and paying for alternative care. Carers UK will be working with the Disability Rights Commission and other organisations to ensure that the needs of carers who are claiming incapacity benefit are recognised.
Local Government Bill
This Bill follows the Local Government White Paper which was published in October. The Bill is intended to give more control to local authorities and to give local politicians more power to respond to local concerns. It will also introduce a simpler performance framework and improve cooperation between local bodies.
Carers UK will be lobbying to ensure that social care services are recognised as crucial local government services and placed at the heart of the reforms. We will also be hoping to ensure that service users and carers have real opportunities to shape local services and priorities.
Concessionary Bus Travel Bill
This Bill will give pensioners and disabled people in England free off-peak bus travel anywhere in the country. Disabled bus passengers and those aged over 60 will get free travel from 9.30am to 11pm Monday to Saturday, and all day on Sundays and Bank Holidays. At the moment, pensioners and disabled people are only entitled to free bus travel within their local authority area. A similar scheme to the England-wide free travel pledge already exists in Wales.
This Bill will allow Carers UK to highlight the challenges many carers face in accessing public transport. Carers UK will be exploring whether this pledge can be extended to carers and suggesting that local authorities extend free travel to carers, as some already do.
DISABILITY EQUALITY SCHEME
New scheme from Southwark CouncilDisabled people represent approximately 17 per cent of Southwark’s residents (Southwark Council Residents’ Survey 2006), and 4.35 per cent of Council staff are disabled.
The Disability Discrimination Act 2005 requires public authorities to publish a disability equality scheme by 4 December 2006.
The disability equality scheme will promote equality of opportunity and positive attitudes towards disabled people, eliminate discrimination and harassment and encourage more disabled people to take part in public life.
The disability equality scheme forms part of the Council’s overarching equalities scheme, agreed in 2005, and sets out how we will review and adapt as necessary our policies, functions and services to meet the general duties of the Act.
Over 350 people took part in the consultation held to inform the disability equality scheme, including disabled adults and children, parents, carers and Council staff.
From the findings of the consultation we have identified three priority areas for action:
- Improving customer services
- Communicating effectively with disabled people.
- Increasing the number of disabled people working for the Council.
The Council is also committed to a wider programme of activities that will help improve equality and outcomes for disabled people in Southwark. These activities are included in the Council’s key strategies, which inform all the activities the council does.
The Council will collect and monitor information in relation to employment, educational opportunities and the delivery of services.
The annual review of the disability equality scheme will form part of the annual report to the Executive in November 2007, and every year from there on.
For a copy of the disability equality scheme from 4 December 2006 contact: Jenny Herron, Social Policy Officer, Phone: 020 7525 7273
FIX YOURSELF A CAB!
Southwark Carers is now offering carers up to £50 worth of taxi journeys.Simply contact us to register for this new pilot project. You will be able to claim up to £50 for taxi journeys taken between January and March 2007.
You pay for the trips and we will refund your money when you send us official taxi receipts signed by the driver. We can accept £25 worth of receipts per claim (up to £50).
For more details and to register please call Vivien at Southwark Carers on 020 7708 4497
For carers registered with the Ruskin Car Scheme, this continues unchanged. If you are unsure please call us.
4 Workshops facilitated by Dianne Stewart.
This form of healing goes beyond boosting energy and getting rid of aches and pains. It helps to give a clearer sense of Self while also cleansing, clearing and generally tidying up ones affairs in most other areas of Life. An important part of the process is the reconnection to Nature.
Jan 22nd - Session One
- New beginnings, inspiration, freedom and expansion.Feb 19th - Session Two
- Emotion, feelings, nurturing and growth.Mar 19th - Session Three
- Transformation, purification, energy, creativity and movement.April 23rd - Session Four
- Stability, wisdom, introspection and grounding.In order to get the most out of these workshops a commitment needs to be made to attend all 4 and to the simple and enjoyable tasks undertaken at home.
Please bring an A4 notebook and folder.
Each workshop is from 10am - 1.50pm. A sandwich lunch is provided from 12pm - 12.30pm
If you have any questions please telephone:
Dianne on 0207 738 9331SHAPE TICKETS
Assistance to visit art and cultural eventsLondon’s cultural scene is possibly one of the most exciting and diverse in the world. However, many deaf and disabled people are excluded from enjoying this rich culture. That’s where Shape Tickets come in.
Shape Tickets removes barriers to entertainment and the arts – be they physical, financial, attitudinal or transport related. So whatever your taste, be it fine art, cinema, concerts, drama, musicals or opera, Shape Tickets could be just for you.
Shape Tickets offer…
A wide range of arts and entertainment events across London, often at reduced prices and with no booking fees
A seasonal brochure and up to date online listings for all current productions and events throughout London, including assisted performances taking place for that season; available in a variety of accessible formats
A fully accessible online, telephone or postal booking service, and up to date information about each venue's accessibility
Regular Meet and Greets, Shape events where you can socialise with other members, volunteers and Shape staff
An advocacy network where other members offer advice and encouragement
Helpful and attentive staff on hand to assist you with your booking and answer any queries you might have
Who Can Join...
Membership of Shape Tickets costs just £25 per year, and you are eligible to join if you are deaf or disabled, or if any of the following applies to you:
- You find it difficult to access arts and entertainment across London
- You have difficulty getting out because public transport is not accessible to you
- You are anxious about travelling or attending an event
- You could benefit from some encouragement to participate in the arts and cultural scene
Still Wondering If This Is For You....
If you are unable to get to the venue on your own, we have a fully trained team of volunteer Access Assistants who can take you from your home to the event, attend it with you, and return you back home afterwards. You simply book an access assistant when you book your tickets, and it comes at no extra cost to you.
For more information please contact: 020 7619 6160 or click here to visit the website.
CONTACT THE ELDERLY
As average life expectancy rises and patterns of family life change, more elderly people are living alone and often far from family. Most want to stay in their own homes and retain their independence, but failing mobility reduces their opportunity for social contact.We offer a unique and FREE service:
Contact the Elderly is a national charity (founded in 1965) which helps relieve loneliness by arranging small group outings one Sunday afternoon a month. Volunteers with cars collect the same one or two members and the group of 6 to 8 elderly guests and volunteers meet for tea in a private house. They visit a different home each month and over the months relationships and friendships develop.
What we offer:
- a chance to make friends of all ages within the safety of a small group
- private, not institutional, hospitality once a month
- a short drive and opportunity to get away from the four walls
- companionship from a group of volunteers who have time, commitment and willingness to listen
- a regular outing to look forward to on what may be, for some, the loneliest day of the week when statutory services don’t operate
- the knowledge that somebody does care
- a discreet monitoring of health and welfare
Our members:
Members should be able to walk to a car with a helping hand. There may be a few steps at the host’s home, but there will be ground-floor toilet facilities.
Profile:
We focus on those over 75 who are isolated, either because they cannot get out alone or have no friends, relatives or visitors nearby. We also welcome members who would benefit from the warmth of companionship and conversation but may not feel at ease in a club, or lack confidence to use community transport.
We give priority to people living on their own and understand that on Sunday older people may feel especially lonely despite other contacts during the week. We also recognise that people in sheltered accommodation may technically not be living alone, but may still feel very isolated.
How to refer: Please call 01252 790960
There is increasing evidence to show that loneliness and social exclusion experienced by elderly people are a pivotal factor in their physical and mental health. Health providers are pleased to use our service especially for those elderly facing depression, knowing that regular social contact can help ameliorate the condition.
Ice skating at Somerset House
FREE TICKETS FOR CARERS!
We have a limited number of free tickets for carers to ice skate in the beautiful Somerset House courtyard on: Thursday 25th January, 5.30pm
Tickets are limited to 2 per carer, and will be available first-come-first-served. A waiting list will operate, in case any tickets become free.
Please contact: 020 7708 4497Carers Activity Group
Would you like…
to meet socially with other carers?
to get out and about on day trips?
...The Carers Activity Group is for you!
Each month the Carers Activity Group arranges a different trip for carers.
On February 12th the group will have a talk about tracing your family history. Meet in the Rainbow room, Cambridge House, 131 Camberwell Road from 10.30am-1pm.
Join us later in the year for…
- A lovely river boat trip on the Thames
- A visit to Down House in Kent (the home of Charles Darwin)
- A trip to Eltham Palace
- A day out at the seaside
If you would like more information, please contact Carol on 020 7708 4497
Southwark Carers is running a Bereavement Group on Fridays in March 2007.
It will meet for 90 minutes once a week and run for six weeks.
The venue will be here at Southwark Carers.
The time of the meeting will be decided when we have spoken to people about their availability.
For more details please call: Adrian Scott on 020 7708 1411Yoga for carers - try your first class for free!
Gentle Yoga takes place every Monday 10.30am - Midday in the yoga room at The Synergy Centre.
The class normally costs £5 waged / £4 unwaged for one off classes or if you sign up for an 8 week block
and pay in advance it works out at £4 waged / £3 unwaged.If you take along this newsletter you can try your first class for free!
The Synergy Centre is located at:
220 Farmers Road,
off Wyndham Road,
off Camberwell New Road,
London SE5.For more details please contact Frankie:
Telephone: 07976 016103
Email: frankiejennings@yahoo.co.uk
Quick
Links
Come to our next Carers Forum - book your place now!
Have you had a Carer's Assessment? If not, you could be missing out on extra support.
Need to speak to someone? Call us on 020 7708 4497, Monday-Friday 9.30am-5.30pm.
Southwark Carers is incorporated as a non-profit making company limited by guarantee number 4146495. Charity number 1085300.