As part of the Carers UK Research Report 2020, unpaid carers were asked about what they thought were the biggest challenges they faced. The top response (71% of unpaid carers) was managing the stress and responsibility of caring. Previous research has highlighted that carers are nearly twice as anxious as the general population.
Finding support & connection
These figures shout out the importance of support and connection for unpaid carers. We’d like to remind carers that we're here to help with any worries that they might have to do with caring, money, housing and more – call our Helpline on 020 7281 6018 / info@islingtoncarershub.org.
You might want to take note of the Recovery College courses, including their course providing a toolkit for anxiety and a course focusing on sleep.
Dates for your diary
We have some Islington Carers Hub dates for your diary with upcoming online events for this autumn:
21/9 - First Aid Workshop
7/10 - Support Group
13/10 - Pathway Forum meeting
26/11 - Save the date for Carers Rights Day
Join us tomorrow.....
You might also want to join us for an online fitness class with a difference tomorrow morning - see details below of how to register for our Ageless Grace Get Together.
Get Together Update
We've developed our online Get Together programme in response to the Covid situation and have had lots of really positive feedback from people who have taken part. But we're still keen to restart our community activities, as soon as guidelines allow. Keep an eye out for more info!
If you'd like any help getting started with your first online Get Together, do read our NEW Digital guides. You can also call our Helpline on 020 7281 6018 and they can link you to support from one of our Digital Volunteers.
Ideas for keeping healthy & happy
1) Time for a Cuppa! with Museum of London
Wed 9 Sep 10.30 - 11.30am
Join Museum of London staff for a relaxed, FREE interactive session which brings together people living with dementia, older people and their loved ones and carers over shared experiences of living or visiting London. Sing, move, meet new people and reminisce while discovering hidden gems in the Museum of London's collection.
On this occasion, they'll be exploring all things food related - what are your favourite delicacies? Steak and kidney pudding? Noodles? Ackee and saltfish? They'd love you to join them on Zoom.
2) Join us for another FREE online fitness Get Together!
Join on Thursdays, 11 - 11.30am
Following the success of the Ageless Grace taster session we have an Ageless Grace instructor who will be providing Age UK Islington & Carers Hub clients with a regular online class on Thursdays.
Exercise to upbeat music and work at your own ability. There's nothing choreographed and nothing to learn or remember, and it's all from sitting. Astonishingly, it also activates 5 functions of the brain! There's videos and more info, if you click below.
Join Jeanne for this FREE online session to create an "art journal". Take some paper, some pens or paints, and any other household materials and see where this leads you! We thought you might like to hear from someone who attended the session:
"It was a really relaxing session and great to learn more about the processes involved in art journaling. I was so immersed that I didn’t realise we’d had a downpour of rain during the session!...Thank you so much for having me along." Ellen from the charity Arts4Dementia
To see an example of an art journal, and lean more about the session, please click below!
1) Getting help with paying rent, mortgage and bills
We're aware that with the Coronavirus outbreak, there are many people in London who have found themselves behind in payments for their rent or mortgage.
The government has temporarily paused housing evictions, and this date has recently been extended until 20th September. This means that before this date most people can't be evicted.
But if you're struggling to pay your rent or mortgage, you should take action now, and talk to your landlord or mortgage provider. You might be able to negotiate your payments with them. Read our guide below for more information about what you can do.
2) Join our FREE webinar: How to stay in control of your care
Thursday 24th September, 11 - 12.30pm
It’s important that we all take time to think about and plan for how we would like to be cared for in an emergency, and also in the future if we were to become unwell and unable to look after ourselves. This is important whatever age we are.
By planning ahead we can express what’s important to us, in terms of our care and treatment, in case we can’t make a decision for ourselves.
Register to attend this online talk from our Future Matters partner Gentle Dusk (funded by the NHS). We can help you try an online meeting beforehand if you've not done this before.
3) Give yourself a boost with a FREE course from the Recovery College
The Recovery College (NHS funded) has their autumn term of new FREE online courses ready for you. They start Wednesday 2nd September.
There's a great selection of courses including: dealing with debt, growing plants for wellbeing, getting a good night's sleep and a course that offers a toolbox of ways to cope with anxiety - did you know that 1 in 6 people report experiencing a common mental health problem (like anxiety and depression) in any given week in England?
Click below to see their course guide and calendar on their website.
We're all on a digital journey! Getting an email address, getting access to the internet, booking GP appointments online, all require an investment of time and an open-ness to discovering new ways of doing things. With this in mind, we've created a series of digital guides, specially developed to help people to get the most out of technology.
Are you worried about other things? You can call to talk to us about anything that you are struggling with. This might be if you're feeling low, for bereavement support, or about housing or money worries.....