Friday 2 June 2017

5 day tour with NHS Western Isles for dementia awareness week 2017

I  would like to take this opportunity to thank the Elizabeth Shelby, NHS Western Isles Dementia Consultant Nurse,  Denise Symington, NHS Western Isles Patient Focus Public Involvement Development Officer, and all at   NHS Western Isles @NHSWI  for the kind invite and for putting this tour together over dementia awareness week 2017 

with  great thanks to Chief Nursing officer for Scotland Fiona McQueen  @FionaCMcQueen  as This is part of our new partnership working With the CNOd 

Tommy 

Tommy’s Hebridean Tour – Dementia Carer Voices: You Can Make a Difference.
In conjunction with NHS Western Isles, Tommy Whitelaw from Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE) Dementia Carers Voices will be hosting a series of events aimed at raising dementia awareness for people with dementia and their carers.
Tommy, who lives in Glasgow, was a full-time carer for his late mother Joan who had been diagnosed with vascular dementia. Through supporting his mother, he became a well-known national campaigner raising awareness of the issues surrounding dementia.
The events, which are being held throughout the Western Isles, will also be attended by Elizabeth Shelby, NHS Western Isles Dementia Consultant Nurse, and Denise Symington, NHS Western Isles Patient Focus Public Involvement Development Officer, and will enable those with dementia and their carers to meet in a relaxed and friendly environment, encouraging them to discuss issues which affect them.
Tommy said, “My motivation as a carer came from the love I had for my mum and I would do it all again in a heartbeat, but my experience has shown me just how tough it is to live with dementia and how many struggles it can bring. I felt passionately that no one should have to face the confusion, loneliness and isolation and my passion to raise awareness of dementia and its impact on families has grown even stronger since my mum’s passing. I am working on The Dementia Carers Voices project with the ALLIANCE which will build on my ‘Tommy on Tour’ campaign by engaging with carers, collecting their life stories and raise awareness amongst health and social care professionals on both dementia and caring.”
The ‘No one ever asked’ short film, which was produced by Tommy to raise awareness for people with dementia and their carers from a carer’s perspective is available to view at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6sm4jOxeQs
During the events Tommy will provide an emotional account of caring for his mother, whilst promoting the work of Dementia Carer Voices, which raises awareness of the issues around caring for someone with dementia including among health and social care professionals, students and the wider public.
Elizabeth Shelby, NHS Western Isles Dementia Consultant Nurse, said “Tommy’s experience will ring true with many people who had difficulty finding and accessing support following a dementia diagnosis.
“In the islands, particularly in the more remote areas, it has been families and communities who have provided the main support to their loved ones and we need to ensure those carers have all the information and help that they need to carry on. The local strategy aims to ensure that wherever you live, you do not need to face dementia alone. Dementia is everyone’s business and knowing what anyone can do to make a difference is a first step.”
As part of the project’s pledge campaign and in the lead up to ‘What Matters To You’ day being held on June 6th, additional events are also being planned for health and social care professionals and students to receive information to support them in delivering compassionate, personal and relationship based care. Those attending will be encouraged to create pledges, with the simple message of how individuals can make a difference, no matter what their role.
The ALLIANCE`s Dementia Carer Voices particularly highlights the role of carers as experts, and champions how they should be recognised for the value that they bring to the life of their loved ones and to society as a whole; carers as people with needs and carers as people with independent lives. Furthermore it empowers carers by providing information based on the Charter of Rights and Carers Strategy about caring for someone with dementia, and captures the experiences of carers across Scotland with a view to informing future policy and service provision.
Events will be held as follows:
BARRA:
Wednesday 31st May – Meet and Greet Carers and people with Dementia. 1.30pm-2.30pm at Cobhair Bharraigh, Castlebay.
UISTS:
Thursday 1st June – Carers Morning Tea. 10.30am-11.30am at Sacred Heart House, Daliburgh.
HARRIS:
Thursday 1st June – Staff and Carers Tea. 7.00pm-8.00pm Harris House, Tarbert.
LEWIS:
Friday 2nd June (two events)
* Opportunity to Visit the Clisham Memory Garden from 1pm-1.30pm in Clisham Ward Garden at Western Isles Hospital, Stornoway. Volunteers involved in readying the garden for spring are invited to join. Entry via the garden gate.
* Ceilidh on the Ward from 1.30pm-2.30pm in Erisort Ward, Western Isles Hospital, Stornoway.
Saturday 3rd June
A Memory March, hosted by Alzheimer Scotland, will be held to take place from 2pm at the Bridge Centre, Stornoway.

Read at: http://www.wihb.scot.nhs.uk/news/item/570-tommy’s-hebridean-tour-dementia-carer-voices-you-can-make-a-difference

Press Release

Dementia Carer Voices awareness campaigner embarks on a five day tour with NHS Western Isles for Dementia Awareness Week 2017

The Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland’s (the ALLIANCE) Dementia Carer Voices Project Engagement Lead, Tommy Whitelaw, will be holding a series of talks in conjunction with NHS Western Isles from 31st May to 3rd June. The talks are aimed at raising awareness for people with dementia and their carers.
The programme highlights the role of carers as experts and how they should be recognised for the value that they bring to the life of their loved ones and society.  It empowers carers by providing information based on the Charter of Rights and Carers Strategy about caring for someone with dementia, and captures experiences of carers across Scotland to help inform future policy and service provision.

ALLIANCE Director, Irene Oldfather said,

“We are delighted to be invited back to give talks in the Western Isles. This project reaches out and touches the hearts of so many people, not least the health and social care professionals who attend the talks and make their pledges. These interactions are an ideal opportunity for staff to pause and reflect on what is really important to the people in their care. Make a pledge, make a difference.”

Tommy said,

“My motivation as a carer came from the love I had for my mum and I would do it all again in a heartbeat, but my experience has shown me just how tough it is to live with dementia and how many struggles it can bring. I felt passionately that no one should have to face the confusion, loneliness and isolation and my passion to raise awareness of dementia and its impact on families has grown even stronger since my mum’s passing.”

Further information
Talks and events:
Barra: Wednesday 31st May - Meet and Greet Carers and people with Dementia.  1.30pm-2.30pm at Cobhair Bharraigh, Castlebay.
Uist: Thursday 1st June - Carers Morning Tea.  10.30am-11.30am at Sacred Heart House, Daliburgh.
Harris: Thursday 1st June - Staff and Carers Tea.  7.00pm-8.00pm Harris House, Tarbert.
Lewis: Friday 2nd Junetalk followed by Ceilidh 1.00 pm-2.30pm in Erisort Ward, Western Isles Hospital, Stornoway.
Lewis: Saturday 3rd June - A Memory March, hosted by Alzheimer Scotland, will be held to take place from 2pm at the Bridge Centre, Stornoway.



Notes to editors
·           The Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE) is the national third sector intermediary for a range of health and social care organisations. The ALLIANCE has over 1,800 members including a large network of national and local third sector organisations, associates in the statutory and private sectors and individuals. Many NHS Boards and Health and Social Care Partnerships are associate members.
·           The ALLIANCE’s vision is for a Scotland where people who are disabled or living with long term conditions and unpaid carers have a strong voice and enjoy their right to live well.
·         Dementia Carer Voices blog: https://dementiacarervoices.wordpress.com/
·         The ‘No one ever asked’ short film, which was produced by Tommy to raise awareness for people with dementia and their carers from a carer’s perspective is available to view at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6sm4jOxeQs
·         As part of the Dementia Carer Voices ‘You Can Make a Difference’ campaign and in the lead up to ‘What Matters To You’ day being held on June 6th, additional events are being planned for health and social care professionals and students to receive information to support them in delivering compassionate, personal and relationship based care.
·         Tommy Whitelaw toured Scottish towns and cities back 2011, when caring for his late mum Joan, in a walk to collect life stories from fellow carers and people living with dementia and is delighted to have been invited to give another series of talks with NHS Western Isles.
·         Our flagship ‘You Can Make a Difference’ campaign has now received 13,000 personal pledges from health and social care staff and students at hospitals, universities, care homes and colleges from across the country.  

Contact

Tommy Whitelaw, tommy.whitelaw@alliance-scotland.org.uk 0141 404 0231; 07921395712




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