Isolation Resources – February

We are delighted to hear that Avon and Somerset Police are now offering the dementia wristbands as they cover a greater area than Avon Fire. You can read more about the wristbands on our website: https://www.bdaa.org.uk/free-resources/dementia-wristbands/ and, if you live in the Avon Fire & Rescue area you can request one from them. If you live in the wider area you can get your free wristband by registering for the Police Dementia Safeguarding Scheme. Please see this poster for further details. These wristbands contain the contact number of their next of kin and can be scanned by anyone with a smart phone. We hope this will help people who are alone, lost or confused to be reunited with their loved ones quickly. No other personal details are contained on the wristband.

We are working closely weight loss with many people to understand what already exists for people with young onset dementia and what the needs are. Our plan is to support people to set up their own groups – online for now but hopefully in person moving forward. Our next meeting is on 2nd March at 7pm. Please contact us on office@bdaa.org.uk if you wish to join our zoom meeting.

We thought you might like to read the Care Forum newsletter, BRACE’s latest newsletter and this easy read leaflet on vaccinations which has just been published by NHS England.  

Are You Looking After Someone Else? Please read on…
A new survey has just been launched to find out the needs of people who are looking after someone else. This can mean many things from making a regular phone call, helping with housework, shopping or personal care, to full-time round-the-clock care. If you regularly help someone else, whether you live with them or not, we would like to hear your views.
The survey is open until Friday 26 February 2021 
If you haven’t yet responded please complete the online questionnaire: https://forms.gle/EWbsMSjrY64ficLE7 
The questionnaire is anonymous – you do not need to enter any personal data.
The survey has been commissioned by Bristol City Council (BCC) with a view to reshaping their services and support for people who are looking after others. The data and findings from the survey will be shared with BCC and BOPF will publish the survey results in their newsletter, on their website (https://bopf.org.uk) and via their Facebook page (https://facebook.com/Bristololderpeoplesforum). 

The CCG is partnering with BNSSG stakeholders to deliver a vaccine information event.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/covid-19-vaccines-information-and-accessibility-tickets-138770808223
This event is an opportunity for you to find out more about COVID19 vaccines and allow you to make an informed choice.
With three COVID-19 vaccines approved and more trials taking place, Dr Rajeka Lazarus, Consultant in Infectious Diseases at University Hospital Bristol & Weston, and our expert panel, will be available to discuss how vaccines work and help answer many of our concerns and questions around getting access to the vaccine.
Some common questions which will be addressed will be:

• How did the vaccine get approved so quickly?
• Is the vaccine safe? What ingredients does it contain?
• What are the side effects of the vaccine?
• Will the vaccine give me COVID-19?
• Will the vaccine be effective against all the new strains of the virus?
• I’m fit and healthy, why should I have the vaccine?
• Where will I receive the vaccine? How do the vaccine centres operate? How will I get there?

The event, run by Bristol, North Somerset South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and Healthwatch Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire will feature updates from keynote speakers and a panel discussion to address some of the questions above and more.

This free phoneline – Daily Hope – has been recommended to us. In addition to Hymns we Love, reflections, hymns and prayers, the line also offers ‘Chair Exercises on the Phone’ which are vital, but gentle exercises, to help with circulation and fitness for this most isolated section of our community.
‘Sleep well with the Daily Hope’ has launched this month – a series of gentle and relaxing reflections using Bible verses for callers to listen to on the phone whilst they’re in bed. So many (over 2.5 million) elderly are not connected to the internet so are not able to access any online support. Please listen to this very short ‘Audio Taster’.
So far, Daily Hope has received over 350,000 calls which represents 5 million minutes of call time.

If you know anyone who could benefit from an MP3 Player please let us know on office@bdaa.org.uk. We have already received funding to provide MP3 players for locals. We simply need a name and delivery address and 15 song titles and artists. Read more about The Power of Music on our website. Please do share this poster with anyone who would be interested in MP3 players.

Thank you to BOPF for this information:

Postal Votes
The deadline for Postal Votes for the May 2021 local elections is Tuesday 20th April at 5.00pm.
You may have already organised this for yourself, a family member, or a friend, but if not, it would certainly be worth following up if you would prefer not to vote in person, particularly during the pandemic. Here is a link to the relevant part of the Bristol City Council website: https://www.bristol.gov.uk/voting-elections/postal-voting

Increase in Some Energy Bills
In case you weren’t already aware, some people’s energy bills will rise by up to £96 after the Regulator increased the price cap.
For six months from 1st April, the price cap will increase by £96 to £1138 for 11 million default customers, and by £87 to £1156 for 4 million pre-payment meter customers.
Further details of the changes, including support available, are set out in this link to the Ofgem (Regulator) website: 
https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/energy-price-cap-increase-april-consumers-should-switch-save-money

UWE Bristol Research survey invitation
Do you visit a friend or family member who has dementia and is living in a dementia care setting?
Our team at the University of Bristol and the University of the West England is developing a suite of technologies for recognising and responding to stress in dementia.
If you are aged 18 or over and visit a friend or family member who has dementia and lives in a care or nursing home then we would like to ask you how you feel about these new technologies.
To help us and receive a £10 gift voucher, please complete our short survey at: bit.ly/2Xti8q8
For more details, please contact Zeke Steer on 07887 855393 or zeke.steer@bristol.ac.uk.South Gloucestershire Dementia Action Alliance is hosting another Communication and dementia webinar on Tuesday 23rd Feb 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
This webinar is of value to people from all walks of life.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/communication-and-understanding-in-dementia-workshop-2-tickets-140984118293

Please see this Alzheimer’s Society campaign for social care reform including care home visits – you can send an email to your MP- from this link: Alzheimers Society campaigns – (e-activist.com)

Alzheimer’s Society has asked us to share this job vacancy: Group Coordinator in Bristol: https://jobs.alzheimers.org.uk/e/careers/positions/dFQO_XxOfpM5pFcSPwzSGz
We thought you might want to view the Alzheimer’s Society latest newsletter.

We like the look of these puzzle books: https://www.facebook.com/Bright-Old-Sparks-105318057927664/?view_public_for=105318057927664

We’ve heard about this project launching in Bristol called Community Calling which is a donation project that sees old smartphones be data-wiped, cleaned and gifted with free credit to owners who otherwise wouldn’t have internet access. It has already been launched with great success in London and Manchester.
Covid-19 has seen us all change the way we interact with each other. With 77% of us using our phones and the internet as a coping strategy, lockdown for those without a device hasn’t been easy. At the start of lockdown, Hubbub, together with O2, trialled a campaign that re-homed a whopping 538 smartphones with vulnerable, and otherwise digitally excluded, owners. With 28 to 125 million smartphones lying unused in people’s homes in the UK, this brilliant initiative is coming to Bristol with a focus on mid-aged/elderly, low-income households.
For some beneficiaries of Community Calling, it was the first phone they’ve ever had. For others, it was the first time with a phone that connects to the internet so they can access education sites, health advice, employment services, as well as connect with loved ones. Find out some of the stories of people receiving phones here. With the UK going into another national lockdown, there’s no time like the present to help support those that need it.