Headway -
South East London and North West Kent Ltd Inclusion through empowerment
Newsletter June 22 2020, 4
th
In this issue: • • • • • • • • • • • •
Thanks to our carers Carer’s profile Lockdown activities Radio update Lockdown problems Member profile: Olu Word game Coffee or tea More things to do Quick puzzle Recipe Covid-19 update
Page 2 Page 2 Page 5 Page 6 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 11 Page 13
Edition
Important contact info. Headway SELNWK contacts Community Organiser: 07817 951055 Main Office 020 30581013 Headway UK helpline@headway.org.uk 0808 800 2244 Health service emergency Dial 111 or email 111.nhs.uk Samaritans 116 123
Introduction… We hope you are enjoying the newsletter. It has been UK carer’s week this month (June 8th-14th). Sadly we missed the actual date but if you go to the website https://www.carersweek.org you can see lots of information and some helpful links. We’ve had a couple of suggestions from members on additional items. • Problem page • Tell us your favourite ….. and why. See more later on. Please send any items to newsletter@headwayselnwk.co.uk If you do not want to receive this newsletter, please email triciareilly@headwayselnwk.co.uk or tell your key worker Headway South East London & North West Kent Ltd Registered Charity No. 1084323 Affiliated to: Headway The Brain Injury Association 190 Bagnall Road, Old Basford, Nottingham NG6 8SF
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Thank you to all our carers As Carers Week has just passed, this feels like an appropriate time to acknowledge and thank all carers for the amazing work they do every day. The challenges are immense and probably in many cases even more challenging during lockdown. Lorraine and Olive represent the Headway SELNWK Carers Group and face the additional challenge of providing carers with remote support whilst Shrewsbury House is closed. We all look forward to a time when some kind of ‘normal’ service can resume. In the meantime, we would like to say a big THANK YOU to ALL our CARERS. Stay safe and well! Rosalynn Carter, former US first lady said “There are only four kinds of people in the world: Those who have been caregivers. Those who are currently caregivers. Those who will be caregivers, and those who will need a caregiver.”
Picture copied from www.carersuk.org
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Carer’s profile – Heather Heather
Heather is a carer and looks after her husband Jeff. As part of National Career’s Week we asked her what it’s like for her to look after a family member on a long term basis. How has caring affected your life (pre lockdown)? I think the main affect on my life is that I feel responsible for my husband 24/7. Although he has some good days and Headway South East London & North West Kent Ltd Registered Charity No. 1084323 Affiliated to: Headway The Brain Injury Association 190 Bagnall Road, Old Basford, Nottingham NG6 8SF
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sometimes is very helpful, considerate and appears to be very capable I never know when he is going to get suddenly confused, have a seizure or get very agitated. Attempts by friends to take Jeff out and get him doing normal things again dried up, partly because Jeff would get obsessed with things at home and refuse to go out and also because friends found Jeff’s behaviour challenging. I am lucky to have a job (teaching online) which means I can work from home and my work is flexible. I would not be able to go out to work as I never know when Jeff might have a seizure and if left at home alone he gets very confused and I worry about him getting onto his computer or receiving phone calls and getting scammed. I have tried to shield our three daughters from Jeff’s behaviour problems but unfortunately they have witnessed his extreme agitation and seizures so I also worry about how Jeff’s illness affects them. Meeting with people from Headway has been a huge support for me. I think the only time I can truly relax these days is when I am with people who understand the problems of brain injury. I can let down my guard when I know that whatever Jeff might do or say Jeff and I won’t be judged by the people around me and they understand that this is the illness and not Jeff causing his behaviour. Are there extra challenges you face in lockdown? My first feeling after lockdown was announced was of despair. We have just moved to SE18, a decision we made to be close to Shrewsbury House so Jeff could attend some of the Headway sessions. We also thought it would give Jeff more independence. Another reason for moving here is that our daughter lives locally and had planned to start taking Jeff to the gym and for walks. Lockdown immediately removed all the support we have carefully planned and I really did not know how I was going to cope. Jeff started suffering with extreme agitation at the start of lockdown and unfortunately the GP resorted to providing sedatives for Jeff as I had no way to Headway South East London & North West Kent Ltd Registered Charity No. 1084323 Affiliated to: Headway The Brain Injury Association 190 Bagnall Road, Old Basford, Nottingham NG6 8SF
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access any support and was struggling to cope. This was the last thing I wanted but could not see any other way to get through this period. Jeff’s behaviour has improved but he still has periods of agitation which I have no relief from and no support for. Do you have other people who can help and support you? My daughter lives one mile away but was not supposed to visit during lockdown. It caused her a lot of stress knowing I had to deal with Jeff on my own. The main support I’ve had during lockdown is from Headway. Jeff’s key worker Temi called during the second week of lockdown and it was the most welcome call; it was a huge relief to speak to her. She told me about the radio station and offered to call and speak to Jeff and myself once a week. Jeff had a chat with Temi and got on very well with her. They have a lot in common and had lots to talk about. Jeff looks forward to Temi’s call each week and is hoping to improve his French with her as well as talking to her about subjects of interest and concerns he has about his illness. The radio station has been amazing. Jeff loves to do the quiz each morning and chose a desert island disc. We always write out a plan for the day so Jeff can see what is happening and being able to include listening to the radio station and taking part in the quizzes has given us structure to the day and helps me to keep Jeff focussed. I’ve also enjoyed chatting to Temi and listening to the radio. Liam, the radio’s DJ, has responded to our requests and Jeff loves to listen and hear what Liam says when he announces some of the unusual songs we have requested. Do you feel people understand your situation? The only people who truly understand our situation are people who have been affected by brain injury. This is why I find being Headway South East London & North West Kent Ltd Registered Charity No. 1084323 Affiliated to: Headway The Brain Injury Association 190 Bagnall Road, Old Basford, Nottingham NG6 8SF
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with and talking to people from Headway so comforting. What do you do when you’ve got 5 minutes of ‘me’ time? I usually play one of the online games from the Headway radio station website. There are some links to great activities that I can just dip into for five minutes while I switch off from the world around me. If Jeff has a daytime dose I usually work but like to give myself five or ten minutes to unwind with one of these online games. What did you do before your husband’s brain injury? Are you working now? Fortunately I had a job working from home when Jeff fell ill. I teach online. Around 10 hours a week I teach 14 to 16 year olds who cannot attend school for a number of reasons. They access online lessons but as they don’t work normal school hours it is very flexible. What are you most looking forward to when lockdown is lifted? Going back to our activities at Shrewsbury House and having a coffee at the cafe. I also want to have our grandchildren to stay for a sleepover and go out shopping with my daughter (my son-in-law looks after Jeff to let me go out with my daughter occasionally). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Things to do during lockdown How about telling us about your favourite…. football team, holiday place film, pet, item of clothing, job, band or anything else - and then sending a paragraph to newsletter@headwayselnwk.co.uk to say what it is and why you like it so much.
Headway South East London & North West Kent Ltd Registered Charity No. 1084323 Affiliated to: Headway The Brain Injury Association 190 Bagnall Road, Old Basford, Nottingham NG6 8SF
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Headway SELNWK radio update We apologise to our regular listeners but we have had to close down the radio for a short time, as we redevelop it. We hope to be back on-air next Monday - on the 29th of June. In the meantime, if you have any ideas or would like to become more involved, email us at radio@headwayselnwk.co.uk or call / text: 07817 951123. We are very keen for our members to be really active in the radio and if anyone would like to they could take over the airwaves for a day (with full support in the background). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Is lockdown causing you any extra problems? If you are having an issue and you think someone else may have a similar problem write to newsletter@headwayselnwk.co.uk. We will publish it in the hope that someone has worked out a solution. An example is shopping. Greg normally goes to the supermarket with his key worker in a car. However, this is not possible at the moment. He is getting to the shop but has to carry his shopping home – which is hard work. As he is a relatively fit man he is not complaining but some people may be having real difficulty. One solution is to ask someone else to do your shopping for you – there are several local volunteer groups that have been set up to do just that. Your keyworker may be able to find the right group for you.
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Headway South East London & North West Kent Ltd Registered Charity No. 1084323 Affiliated to: Headway The Brain Injury Association 190 Bagnall Road, Old Basford, Nottingham NG6 8SF
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Member Profile – Olu’s lockdown diary My name is Olufemi (Olu) and I have been a member at Headway SELNWK since 2018 after having a brain haemorrhage in December 2017. The community has been extremely helpful for me. Lockdown has brought a new focus – and some unexpected family bonuses – to the Olu flying the flag for challenges that I have to face daily. Arsenal now the Premiership’s back on I have been using my diary to motivate me and ensure that I'm able to do the things I need to do. Being married with three young children (11 year old son and 8 year old boy/girl twins) makes the trials more profound, but I try to focus on the positives. Time spent during lockdown with my son who is about to finish Year 6 and ensuring the twins in Year 3 are attending their online lessons makes up for it. Obvious challenges such as the ability to have some personal time exists but all in all, I am hanging in there. Thankfully, as my wife works from home as a college teacher we are able to find ways to cope. This is my diary from the last few weeks. I hope you enjoy it. By way of explanation I am a banker by trade so reviewing family finance regularly takes up some of my time. I’m doing a project management course at the moment (FutureLearn) to review and update my analytical and work skills. You’ll see that I do a lot of meditation. I’ve always done it. I’m a Christian and live by its principles and values. Meditating has been a massive part of my ability to deal with my challenges and has helped me on my journey after my stroke. And being with my family helps too. Our favourite lockdown board games are Ludo, Monopoly and Connect4.
Would you like to do a lockdown diary and have it published in the Headway SELNWK newsletter? Then just keep a note of what you do. Your diary can be one day, a couple of days or even over one week or so, like Olu’s below. Email us at newsletter@headwayselnwk.co.uk with your diary
Headway South East London & North West Kent Ltd Registered Charity No. 1084323 Affiliated to: Headway The Brain Injury Association 190 Bagnall Road, Old Basford, Nottingham NG6 8SF
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Olu’s lockdown diary for 20th May – 2nd June 9-10 Weds
10-11
Reading & meditation
11-12
12-1
Family finances
1-2 Family finances
Family finances Reading & meditation
Watch TV
Basketball
Reading
Fri
Reading & meditation
Reading
Course*
Mon
Reading & meditation
Family activities
Finance & documentation reading
Tues
Reading & meditation
Watch TV
Weds
Reading & meditation
Watch Tv
Watch TV
Reading
Reading
Thurs
Reading & meditation
Cycling
Resting
Fri
Reading & meditation
Cycling
Resting
Basketball with children House chores
Financial conversation Appoint ment
Cycling Reading & meditation
Cycling
Family activities
Basket ball
Work
Financial conversation Financial conversation
Tues
Reading & meditation
3-4
Watch TV
Basketball with children Reading
Basketball with children
Family finances Basketball
Watch TV
Family activities
Children meditation
House chores Resting
Watch TV
Board game
Cycling
Reading
Resting
Cycling
Basketball with children Watch TV
Children meditation
Children meditation Board games Board games
Children meditation
Board games
Course*
Children meditation
Board games
Resting Children meditation Cycling
Resting House chores Resting
Family time
Basketball
Reading
4-5
Family finances
Basketball
Thurs
Mon
2-3
Children meditation
• Course = FutureLearn Course - business fundamentals Project Management ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Word Game Try and find as many words of 3 letters or more using the letters of the following word – each letter of the word can only be used once in each word. (e.g. words from PEOPLE could include peep, pope, lope). The word this week is DELECTATION Email your list to newsletter@headwayselnwk.co.uk by 3rd July and we will publish who found the most words and who found the longest word. As usual Chandip is the winner from last week with 18 words, two of which (creation and relation) are 8 letters long! Headway South East London & North West Kent Ltd Registered Charity No. 1084323 Affiliated to: Headway The Brain Injury Association 190 Bagnall Road, Old Basford, Nottingham NG6 8SF
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Coffee or Tea? Henry (with his arm around his brother) We'll be asking someone every week to answer the same questions, but the answers might surprise you! This week it’s Henry’s turn and he can’t wait for the Premiership to get going. Back of the net! Tea or Coffee? Tea nothing can beat a cuppa Cats or Dogs? Got no pet of my own but I’d probably say cats Fish & Chips or Roast Dinner? Roast dinner all the way – lamb, gravy all that good stuff Xbox or X-Men? Tough one. Fortnite and Fifa are really good on Xbox but I’m also a big fan of Wolverine in X-Men. Shopping or Sport? Sport. Cannot wait for the Prem to return iPhone or Android? iPhone. Can’t betray the iPhone Early Bird or Night Owl? Night owl Springsteen or Beyoncé? Don’t listen to either
Headway South East London & North West Kent Ltd Registered Charity No. 1084323 Affiliated to: Headway The Brain Injury Association 190 Bagnall Road, Old Basford, Nottingham NG6 8SF
P a g e | 10 More Things to do during lockdown Are you a budding artist? Want to see your work published in the newsletter or on TV? The get your sketchpad out. If you’re up to a challenge How about watching and then participating in Graysons Art club at https://www.channel4.com/programmes/graysons-art-club/ondemand/71402-002 but you need to do it soon as it shuts down on June 31st Some suggestions from Grayson – draw what you see out of the window or maybe a pet. Some less challenging projects could be draw something from the kitchen – like this
Or maybe draw a leaf or two then use their outline to make a pattern – like this
You could even colour it in. Then send the results to newsletter@headwayselnwk.co.uk Later this year Georgia will be setting up a Headway SELNWK art club.
Headway South East London & North West Kent Ltd Registered Charity No. 1084323 Affiliated to: Headway The Brain Injury Association 190 Bagnall Road, Old Basford, Nottingham NG6 8SF
P a g e | 11 An Exercise in Misdirection
Can you find the the mistake?
Clue – look at the whole item – there are no clever patterns, the mistake is visible immediately This is the answer to last week’s puzzle:
1
2
SPR 3
4
THR 7
OUT 5
EAD 8
ICE
6
WIT 9
BOX 11
HIN 10
FIN
DER
12
ING
EST
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Recipe – This week Greg has shared his brother’s invention Andrew’s Stew – on the next page:
Headway South East London & North West Kent Ltd Registered Charity No. 1084323 Affiliated to: Headway The Brain Injury Association 190 Bagnall Road, Old Basford, Nottingham NG6 8SF
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Ingredients 2 large onions 2-3 sticks Celery 3 Carrots 500g Smoked bacon pieces 5 cloves Garlic 500g Beef mince two glasses Red wine 3 tins Tinned tomatoes half a tube tomato puree level dessert sp Oregano 3 Bay Leaves quite a bit Black pepper to taste Salt 1 teaspoon Sugar 1-2 Beef stock cube (Optional) – to boost punch
Method Peel and chop onions and garlic Cut Celery into small pieces Cut carrot & bacon into small cubes Open wine and tins Heat large pan with olive oil until hot and add onion and fry for 5 minutes Add celery and carrots and stir When vegetables have started to go brown (10 minutes after putting in) add bacon Add garlic and stir Add mince and stir and break mince up so no lumps When mince has lost all red colour add wine and allow to bubble for 3 mins ish Add tomatoes, puree and stir Add herbs Bring it all to simmer, put lid on and stir every 20 mins ish and make sure it’s not bubbling too much Season to taste with salt, sugar, black pepper and beef stock Serve and enjoy Headway South East London & North West Kent Ltd Registered Charity No. 1084323 Affiliated to: Headway The Brain Injury Association 190 Bagnall Road, Old Basford, Nottingham NG6 8SF
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Call for more recipes: We hope to include a recipe each week so please send your favourite recipe to newsletter@headwayselnwk.co.uk Covid-19 Update: Headway SELNWK Covid-19 Update We have new Government guidance from Friday 29th May 2020 and there were changes to the Job Retention Scheme, which resulted in more Headway SELNWK staff being Furloughed. There have been further easing of the lockdown rules: • A single Adult may now visit AND stay at one other household • Meet in groups of up to 6 at outdoor spaces • Shops and outdoor markets will be opening from 15th June • Must use face coverings on public transport from 15th June As the Government continues to monitor the effects of the lifting of the Lockdown, Headway SELNWK will be carefully considering how and when it will be safe to best re-open our centres. We will be working with our Members, Carers, Volunteers and Staff in a consultation process to make these decisions together. --------------------------------------------------------------Help slow the spread of #COVID19 and identify at risk cases sooner by self-reporting your symptoms daily, even if you feel well . Download the app https://covid.joinzoe.com/
Headway South East London & North West Kent Ltd Registered Charity No. 1084323 Affiliated to: Headway The Brain Injury Association 190 Bagnall Road, Old Basford, Nottingham NG6 8SF
P a g e | 14 Testing for Covid-19 Everyone in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland with coronavirus symptoms can get a free test. The UK Government is asking employers to encourage workers to heed any notifications to self-isolate under the new NHS test and trace service, and to provide support to these individuals when in isolation. At all times social distancing (i.e staying 2 metres away from the nearest person) should be observed. You should still stay at home as much as possible. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Your ideas count Please tell us what you think of this newsletter – any suggestions for improvement? News you would like to share (especially if positive)? -email newsletter@headwayselnwk.co.uk
Headway South East London & North West Kent Ltd Registered Charity No. 1084323 Affiliated to: Headway The Brain Injury Association 190 Bagnall Road, Old Basford, Nottingham NG6 8SF
P a g e | 15 Our Social Media Please like and share our Facebook and Twitter Pages Facebook: @Headway South East London North West Kent
Facebook: @Headway Selnwk Radio
Twitter: @SELNWKHeadway
Note: These are the only social media platforms we currently use. There are other versions e.g. HeadwaySELNWK which ARE NOT in use by us.
Headway South East London & North West Kent Ltd Registered Charity No. 1084323 Affiliated to: Headway The Brain Injury Association 190 Bagnall Road, Old Basford, Nottingham NG6 8SF