Isolation Resources – December

On behalf of all of us at BDAA I would like to wish you an early Happy Christmas. It’s been a tough year for many of us and the heart-warming stories and updates we’re received have helped us all so much. Thank you so much for your ongoing support of our work.

We had a very different Christmas meal at Happy Days Memory Cafe on Friday. Usually we have a Christmas meal together, entertainment and a visit from Santa! Last week, Wiltshire Farm Foods kindly delivered frozen meals to our participants (generously paid for by a grant by John James Bristol Foundation – thank you). Bristol Brunel Lions kindly supplied boxes of chocolates for everyone. We had a short online call to connect, wear our Christmas jumpers and have a little quiz! You can see pictures on our Facebook page.

Thanks to Diane Soysa for these lovely Christmas card templates.

Oxford University Music society have created an Online Musical Advent Calendar which can be accessed through this link: https://bit.ly/musicadvent. It was originally designed for local Care homes and Hospitals to provide music over December from many different performers. However, it was quickly shared and is now available to everyone!
Each day there will be 3-4 performances from local schools, community groups and university students. They will be uploaded a few days before, to work like an Advent calendar. There’s everything from brass bands to gospel choirs and school performances to chapel choirs!

Thanks to Pete Conway at Alzheimer’s Society for this winter activity pack.

The CCG have developed a short online survey to understand people’s views and opinions of the Covid-19 vaccine: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/C19_vac2

We Care Home Improvements are running an online workshop on how to improve safety in the bathroom for people with dementia on Wednesday 20th January at 7pm.  The workshop is aimed at people with dementia and family and friends supporting them, or concerned about how they are managing, or wanting to future-proof the bathroom for when the condition progresses.  The workshop will be lead by an occupational therapist called Maria Fitzgerald.  Please email Maria if you would like to attend and you will be sent further information.  Maria.fitzgerald@wecr.org.uk

We like these Being Human Moves postcards. You can read more here: https://www.bristolmuseums.org.uk/blog/being-human-moves-get-moving-with-the-museum/  Ailsa can mail out copies of the cards to people who would like them, they are very multifunctional and can be used for conversation, storytelling, drawing as well as the movement activities. You can access the cards here to print or contact Ailsa if you would like them posted Ailsa.Richardson@bristol.gov.uk

Here is Mindharp’s Christmas email.

Thanks to Julie at Dementia HIT for sharing this information: NHS England is asking patients, NHS staff, partner organisations and interested members of the public to give their views on proposals set out in the document Integrated Care: next steps to build strong and effective integrated care systems across England,  You can give your views on this document via an online survey between now and 8 January 2021

Bristol City Council has a consultation open on a new version of the Bristol Impact Fund, which supports organisations tackling inequalities in the city. 

We love this new project by Alive Activities – The One Good Turn Project – Alive Activities is looking young volunteers aged 5-14 , families, youth groups, brownie groups, scouts clubs, school children and local NGOs to make a JAR OF JOY for a local care home resident. More information here and ideas here.

Wessex Water has asked us to share how they are helping customers affected by COVID to afford their water bills. 

Healthwatch Bristol and Healthwatch South Glos are organising an event about support for dementia carers on Friday 18th December from 2-3pm. If you would like to attend, please book on: https://bit.ly/2JbFz3B

Playlist for Life is raising awareness of the power of music and memories in the festive season by encouraging people to share a festive music memory.https://www.playlistforlife.org.uk/my-festive-memory/
Christmas card shop – people can donate £5 and they will send a Christmas card with a music memory direct to a loved one https://www.playlistforlife.org.uk/christmas-cards/
People can share their own festive memories with Playlist for Life on Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #MyFestiveMemory

This CASS newsletter is packed full of useful information.

Here is Bristol Health Partners latest newsletter.

Thanks to Norrms for this Christmas newsletter which includes some great activities and recipes.
Please do pass on our details to any care homes/hospitals, individuals or organisations who could use MP3 players with people living with Dementia. We have funding to provide them free of charge with a personal playlist of 15 tracks in the Bristol area. This is part of the Purple Angel MP3 national scheme – they are urgently requesting any old MP3s that might be in a draw at home. See this information sheet.