Here’s the summer edition, but without tips on tanning or barbecues. Instead, you can read all about the good, the bad and the ugly things that are happening in the world of disability. And there are plenty in all three categories – so read on!
Start Date:
11th December 2013
End Date:
11th December 2013
Start Time:
10:30 for 11:00
End Time:
1:00pm
Event title: Shropshire Disability Network Members Meeting
Start date: 11/12/2013
End date: 11/12/2013
Start time: 10.30 am for 11 am start
End time: 1 pm
Venue: Mears, Shropshire Home Services Unit 3, Hartley Business Centre Monkmoor Road Shrewsbury SY2 5ST
Event description: Please come along, meet your Committee and other members from SDN. Hear about our work during the last 3 months and more. Not been to one of our meetings, then you are missing out. We want to welcome back all who have attended before and welcome new people as well.
Guest Speakers:
Captain Nic Beighton-Double Amputee -Paralympian London 2012
Ben Rowlings Wheelchair Racer Newport, Shropshire
Tony Lawrence. Fully qualified Tai Chi Instructor who teaches Tai Chi for Arthritis Sufferers which can also be done seated which is ideal for people with mobility problems.
We hope to have another record attendance to welcome our guest speakers.
To help finance our meeting we will have our usual quarterly raffle. Prizes are always welcome.
We also have space available for 2 Information Stands at each of our meetings. We charge a small fee of £25 which includes a non-returnable deposit of £5. Not only will you be able to promote your organisation & what it does to help people with a disability, their carers and families but you will also have the opportunity to address our members with a 5 minute talk. If you wish to have a stand but without the 5 minute talk then the cost is £15 including your £5 deposit. To take up this opportunity please email our Fundraising lead rbyhartshorn@gmail.com
If you wish to book your place at this meeting please contact our Secretary by email secretary@shropshire-disability.net or complete the form under the “About Us” tab
Weblink: www.shropshire-disability.net
Name: Russell Price
Contact email: secretary@shropshire-disability.net
Event title: Headway Shropshire Coffee Morning at the Darwen Community Centre
Start date: 04/09/2013
End date: 04/09/2013
Start time: 10 am
End time: 12 noon
Venue: Darwin Community Centre, The Fellmongers Hall, Frankwell, Shrewsbury, SY3 8JY
Event description: Whether you have been to one of our Coffee Mornings before or not why not join us. We would love to welcome you. Coffee, chit chat, information & practical support for clients new or old, their carers and/or family members. We also welcome people who are not affected by brain injury but who are interested in the work we do. If you have suffered a head injury or know someone who has or if you simply have an interest in our services please come along. These Coffee mornings are popular, and we are really pleased about that. If you have not joined us before, please come along. Everyone is welcome, hope to meet you there! Contact Donna for more details on 01743 365565.
Weblink: www.headwayshropshire.org.uk
Name: Donna Smith
Contact email: donna@headwayshropshire.org.uk
Contact number: 01743 365565
Event title: Park Hill Farm in Hale Fundraising Day
Start date: 26/08/2013
End date: 26/08/2013
Start time: 11 am
End time: 3 pm
Venue: Park Hill Farm, Hale, Market Drayton, TF9 2QA
Event description: This is a special fundraising day to collect money for Evie Poole who comes from Market Drayton. She has Cerebral Palsey and has been turned down for surgery by health professionals so the family are trying to raise funds in order to pay for surgery that will help her walk unaided. Plans are now well under way for a great day. There will be donkey rides, pond dipping, tractor and trailer rides, music, live bands and it is FREE. So bring the whole family along, to support this little girl. Evie will be at the Fun day with Mum. Festour in Market Drayton will bring their Ice Cream Van along. Wow wouldnt it be great to have a face painter at our Free of charge entry event as our usual helpers are on holiday on the 26th August so if you know someone who could face paint at our Family Fun Day and help raise money please ask them to contact us. Great news Amelias chickens have hatched yesterday I think there are 5 and they are soooo tiny They will be very cute for our Open Day Come along now and support a great day for a lovely little day.
Weblink: www.parkhillfarm.co.uk
Name: John and Pam Pimlott
Contact email: beef@parkhillfarm.co.uk
Contact number: 01630 652178
SDN Volunteers With Their Awards for All Award
I was recently invited to the North Wales Mobility and Driving Assessment Service for a day before going into too much detail; I would like to introduce the North Wales Mobility and Driver Assessment Service, one of several Mobility Assessment Centres around the UK, which is a registered charity funded by the Welsh Government, their aim is to offer impartial and professional advice that will enable people who are elderly or have a disability to achieve their optimum level of independent outdoor mobility, The Centre is Motability accredited, DVLA approved and a member of the Forum of Assessment Centres UK.
They offer both driver and passenger assessments that aim to provide the clients with long-term mobility solutions. All Assessments are conducted by suitably qualified members of staff and are treated confidentially.
Following assessment clients are provided with the necessary relevant information and a written report of their findings and recommendations. Clients may decide to use their report as evidence of their ability when informing DVLA or insurance companies of medical history.
The driver assessment is NOT A DRIVING TEST; the aim of the assessment is to evaluate the physical and cognitive ability of the individual to drive a motor vehicle safely and comfortably.
For clients who experience physical disability, the Centre has a wide range of adapted vehicles that can be tailored to individuals’ specific requirements. Should more sophisticated, high-tech vehicle adaptations be required, the Centre may be able to arrange a practical driving assessment in a suitably adapted vehicle.
Clients who experience neurological and cognitive disorders, the Centre’s offer expert assessment of their ability, consideration is given to the individual’s cognitive abilities at a practical level. During an assessment drive, they explore the client’s concentration, perceptual and decision making abilities, all of which are necessary skills to ensure safe driving.
For clients who are experiencing difficulties with access to and from a vehicle, the Centre has a wide range of equipment that may reduce or eliminate the physical effort involved during transfers. This assessment explores safe transfers and traveling needs, vehicle suitability and equipment options and stowage.
The Centre offers free information and advice service and can advise on a range of issues, including DVLA legislation, Motability Scheme driver tuition, Vehicle adaptation companies, grant funding schemes and much more. You ask the question, they will do their best to find the answer.
Reason for contacting the Centre;
If you have a client or you are a driverexperiencing difficulty with the following:
I’m in the fortunate or unfortunate position of being in a triangle of three assessment centres North Wales, Derby and Birmingham. I have previously visited Derby DrivAbility and North Wales satellite centrein Newtown this would my first visit to the Glan Clwyd Hospital Bodelwyddan. Although a long drive I arrived looking forward to the day.
The day started with introductions Gary Jones ADI Centre Manager, Louise Barr Admin, Chris Jones ADI, and Caroline Holt ADI. After a quick Health and Safety briefing, then on to an informal chat with the two ADI’s who would be conducting today’s assessment over coffee, and Licence checks. It was very rewarding being able to discuss and exchange ideas with likeminded ADI’s who work in the same sector of driver training as myself. CJ explained he needed to finish a report so asked, CH to show me around the Centre and its extensive range of vehicles 11, ranging from small and medium saloons, MPV’s and WAV’s (wheelchair accessible vehicles) different vehicles were setup in varying ways standard automatic, push pull, left foot accelerator, over ring/radial electronic accelerators, infrared secondary controls. Hoists from lifting wheel chairs and scooters, ramps for WAV’s
After a short break CJ & CH took me out in a Nissan Note fitted with Elap over ring/radial accelerator with push brake, for a short assessment drive similar to they would do on an assessment, it was interesting controlling the vehicle in two different ways one problem was I found it most difficult to maintain acceleration while turning the wheel with the over ring, although operation was very light , a similar problem with the radial accelerator that unlike the standard push/pull if you maintained acceleration while braking the system cut power to the accelerator until the brake was reapplied without gas this caught me out a couple of times.
Even though I had some initial problems with both types I can see the benefit for some clients, during the drive I noticed even as an experienced driver with adapted controls using a different set for the first time you do forget the odd mirror check and speed limit.
After a short debrief we parted for lunch and to allow CJ & CH time to discuss their client’s assessment, it also gave me an opportunity to make some notes. After lunch before the assessment I was required to sign a non-disclosure agreement so I cannot refer to the client in detail.
During the assessment watching the two ADI’s work together was very interesting the Q&A was thorough but sensitive and professional, you could see that CJ has more experience in this field his manner was effective and he allowed CH to conduct most of the Q&A she was also professional and empathetic CH technique differs slightly from CJ. Both ADI’s were professional throughout.
The Client X was asked for their hopes and expectations the assessment would bring, X was typically worried about being told Independent drivingwould no longer be an option. Spinal Surgery had initially left X with quadriplegia but with physiotherapy X had improved now having use of the right arm and leg, limited use of left arm hand no viable use of left leg. X now presenting left sided hemiplegia, enabling the use of a vehicle with automatic transmission fitted with steering aid plus possibly parking brake adaptation, with gear selector adaptation or choosing a vehicle without transmission lock button. Client could also consider secondary controls.
After the initial assessment in the Centre we moved on to the on road session, the client was introduced to the vehicle and controls and after getting used to the vehicle on the hospital grounds they were taken out onto public roads the usual exercises were carried out including controlled stop and then back to the Centre, the staff had a discussion with the client about their thoughts and possible plan forward after which the staff need to prepare a report on this occasion this would go to the client because they had self-referred, although they would be required to inform DVLA and insurers of their disability and any adaptation required.
As an observer I didn’t take any verbal part while the client was present, but while the client was out of the room, both instructors included me in their discussions and asked for my assessment of the client and for my training recommendations, and because of the confidentiality, I can only tell you that the client with some small adjustment to vehicle and their driving style, and with some training should be able to drive again.
It was a long drive there and back but it was well worth it, I found the day rewarding I felt that I learned quite a lot during the day, giving me an insight into their much undervalued work, most people and ADI’s don’t want to go to an assessment centre or have a DVLA assessment but if you do visit I’m sure you won’t feel the same after.
Haydn Jenkins
DSA ADI MIAM RoADA
Start Date:
9th September 2013
End Date:
11th September 2013
Make a date now and don’t miss the next Members meeting of Shropshire Disability Network.
It will take place at Mears, Shropshire Home Services Conference Room, Unit 3, Hartley Business Centre
Monkmoor Road Shrewsbury SY2 5ST
10.30 am for 11 am start. Finish 1 pm on
Wednesday 11th September 2013
As well as it being our Annual General Meeting when we will present & approve the Annual Accounts, update you about our work: we are hopeful we will be able to share with you our website refresh.
We also have 3 Guest Speakers who we hope will inspire as well as inform:
Jim Hawkins who many of you will know from BBC Radio Shropshire, He will tell us how to take a good snap. As part of our “Reaching those who have yet to hear About Us” project that is being financed by our successful bid with Awards For All, we have appointed Jim to help us build a portfolio of quality photographs that SDN will use on the website refresh, various publications etc
Linda Cox, Development Manager of Shrewsbury Dial-A-Ride and Chief Officer at Community Based Transport Board Member will talk about her work, what help is available to you and how the various Transport schemes work. Dial A Ride, Community Cars etc
Haydn Jenkins, DSA ADI RoADA proprietor of Alpha Automatic driving school. He is a Member of the Motor Schools Association GB, The RoSPA Advanced Drivers Association and Disabled MotoringUK.
Many of you will know Haydn as he is a member of SDN and regularly attends our meetings. He has his own disability and has many years of experience in teaching people with various types of disabilities to learn to drive, or get back to driving after acquiring a disability etc. Haydn has written articles for our newsletter “Your Voice” So come along, hear about the adaptations available that will help you increase your independence. May be you think your driving days are over for you but would like to re-consider, then this is a valuable opportunity for you.
At our Members meetings we always try to have speakers on a wide range of topics and interests that will benefit you our membership. It would be marvellous if we could have a full house just like we did at Oswestry in June this year.
We will have our usual quarterly raffle.
If anyone would like to book a table or to bring an Information Stand along enabling others to find out about your organisation please email info@shropshire-disability.net or call 01743 340832 to book. It costs £25 including a non-returnable deposit of £5. You will get a 5 minute slot to inform members about your work.
Both the raffle and having tables/information Stand helps to finance our quarterly meeting costs.
You can book your place on line by clicking on the “About Us” tab, scrolling to the bottom of the page where you will find an Easy Form to complete
or email James Moraghen email: home.base@virgin.net (interim Secretary)
There are lots of things happening at the moment within SDN, so take this great opportunity to meet with us and find out more by booking Wednesday 11th September in your diary now!!
The Joint Training Team have sent through details of spaces on their September courses. Contact details and application form at the bottom of the page.
Professional Boundaries in Social Care & Health Settings
Aims: To develop an understanding of what professional boundaries are and how to put them into practice when supporting service users and patients.
Objectives: To enable you to:-
Facilitator: Karen Littleford, Shropshire Partners in Care
Target: Workers in Health, Housing and Care Settings with direct contact with Service Users/Patients
Cost band: A. £20 B. (Shrop) £25 B. (T&W) £30 C. £60
| Professional Boundaries | ||
| Date | Time | Location |
| 12 Sep 2013 | 09:30-13:00 | Shrewsbury – Training & Dev Centre |
Counselling Skills for the Caring Professions
Aims to: To examine and practise the skills needed to use counselling as an addition to an established caring profession
Objectives
Facilitator: Sheila Cowie, Counselling and Training Services
Target: Care co-ordinators, registered workers and workers in the independent, voluntary or housing sectors who work therapeutically with service users
Cost band: A. £80 B. (Shrop) £90 B. (T&W) £110 C. £200
| Counselling Skills for the Caring Professions (2 days) | ||
| Date | Time | Location |
| 12 & 13 Sep 2013 | 09:30-16:30 both days | Shrewsbury – Barnabas Centre |
Bereavement Workshop
Aims to: Provide a basic theoretical framework to the grief process and consider key factors in supporting the bereaved person and the needs of the family carer
Objectives: By the end of the workshop you will be able to:
Facilitator: Sheila Cowie, Counselling and Training Services Target: All frontline workers in Health, Housing and Social Care settings
♦ N.B. You are advised not to attend if you have experienced a personal bereavement in the last 12 months
Cost band: A. £40 B. (Shrop) £45 B. (T&W) £55 C. £100
| Bereavement Workshop | ||
| Date | Time | Location |
| 16 Sep 2013 | 09:30-16:00 | Shrewsbury – Wildlife Trust |
Attachment (2 days)
Aims to:
By the end of the course learners will have:-
Facilitator: Shiela Cowie, Counselling and Training Services
Target: Healthcare Professionals, Social Workers, Social Care Professionals, Counsellors and Youth Workers from Statutory, Independent and Voluntary Sector Health & Social Care
Cost band: A. £80 B. (Shrop) £90 B. (T&W) £110 C. £200
| Attachment (2 days) | ||
| Date | Time | Location |
| 18 & 19 Sept 13 | 09:30-16:30 | Shrewsbury – Wildlife Trust |
Dysphagia Awareness
Aims: To improve responses to the needs of individuals with swallowing difficulties
Objectives:-
Facilitator: Katie May, Speech and Language Therapy, SSSFT
Target: Direct care staff and managers working with adults with learning disabilities, and older people.
Cost band: A. £20 B. £25 C. £60
| Dysphagia Awareness | ||
| Date | Time | Location |
| 19 Sep 2013 | 09:30–13:00 | Shrewsbury – Wildlife Trust |
Personality Disorder
Aims to:
Enable you to understand what is meant by the term ‘Personality Disorder’ and to identify ways in which you can work with those who are diagnosed with Personality Disorder
Objectives: By the end of the session you will be able to:-
Facilitator: Josie Brett-Summors or Pauline Curran, Staff Development Officers MH, Joint Training
Target: Mental Health Services staff, Voluntary & Independent Sectors who provide services to Mental Health Service Users, Mental Health Service Users and Family Carers
Cost band: A. £20 B. (Shrop) £25 B. (T&W) £30 C. £60
| Personality Disorder | ||
| Date | Time | Location |
| 19 Sep 2013 | 13:30-16:30 | Shrewsbury – Barnabas Centre |
Domestic Abuse Awareness
Aims to: Raise awareness of the issues involved in respect of domestic abuse and appropriate responses.
Objectives: To provide you with:-
Facilitators: Jo Berry – Community Safety, Pauline Curran, Josie Brett-Summors, Elizabeth Evans – Joint Training
Target: Workers within Shropshire in Health, Police, Housing, Independent, Voluntary and Social Care Settings particularly those in joint teams or regularly working with other agencies
Cost band: A. £0* B. (Shrop) £0* B. (T&W) £55 C. £100
*This training is funded by Safer Shropshire Partnership for Shropshire based establishments
| Domestic Abuse Awareness | ||
| Date | Time | Location |
| 25 Sep 2013 | 09:30-16:30 | Shrewsbury – Barnabas Centre |
Asperger’s Syndrome
Aims to: Explore some of the main conditions of Asperger’s syndrome (and high functioning autism) and their effects
Objectives:
Facilitators: Sara Heath ACE, Cert Ed, MEd. Lead Trainer in Asperger’s Awareness, Eric Heath, Lived Experience Trainer, Autonomy Support Group, Darren Forster, Lived Experience Trainer, Autonomy Support Group
Target: Mental Health staff and agencies (including housing) who work with people with Asperger’s syndrome or high functioning autism
Cost band: A. £40 B. (Shrop) £45 B. (T&W) £55 C. £100
| Asperger’s Syndrome | ||
| Date | Time | Location |
| 26 Sep 2013 | 09:30-16:00 | Shrewsbury – Wildlife Trust |
Mental Health – Suicide Intervention
2 days
Aims: ASIST – Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training. This course offers in depth practical training to front line workers, community volunteers and family carers to enable them to recognise someone who is suicidal and give them the skills and confidence to intervene.
This course may not be suitable for someone who has been recently bereaved by suicide or who is currently feeling suicidal.
Objectives:
Facilitators: Experienced ASIST trainer from Positive Choices MIND Cymru.
Target: ASIST is suitable for anyone whether they work in specialist services, in frontline services or are concerned community members
Cost band: A. £80 B. (Shrop) £90 B. (T&W) £110 C. £200
Free of charge to (Shropshire only, sorry not T&W)) unpaid volunteers, service users and family carers & Shropshire Council Assessment and Eligibility workers
| Suicide Intervention 2 days | ||
| Date | Time | Location |
| 10&11 Oct 2013 | 09:00-16:30 Day 109:30-16:30 Day 2 | Shrewsbury – Barnabas Centre |
Contact:
Joint Training Team/Social Care & Health Training
Learning, Employment and Training Service
Shropshire Council
Bourne House, Radbrook, Shrewsbury, SY3 9BL
01743 254731
For more information please see link below to the Joint Training webpage:
www.shropshire.gov.uk/jointtraining
Download Application Form Here: application-form-joint-training
The Local Government Association and the Met Office have produced a useful guide to keeping cool in hot weather, a time that can be fatal for some disabled and elderly people. Back in the hot spell in August 2003 about 2000 more people died than would usually be the case.
The dangers to watch out for include feeling faint and dizzy, shortage of breath, vomiting, or increasing confusion. Take immediate action if danger symptoms occur – cool down as quickly as possible. Do not take aspirin or paracetamol – doing so can make you worse. Seek advice from NHS 111, a doctor, or ring 999.
But do carry on taking prescribed medicines. Although many prescription medicines can reduce your heat tolerance you should keep taking them, but take extra care to keep cool.
Try to get help if you feel dizzy, weak, anxious or have intense thirst and headache; move to a cool place as soon as possible and take your temperature.
Drink some water or fruit juice to rehydrate. Rest immediately in a cool place if you have painful muscular cramps (particularly in the legs, arms or abdomen), and drink oral rehydration solutions containing electrolytes. Medical attention is needed if heat cramps last more than an hour.
Among the disability groups most at risk are people with serious mental health problems, those with mobility problems, and those with a serious chronic condition.
Electric fans may provide some relief, if temperatures are below 35°C, but above that temperature they may cause dehydration. The advice is not to aim the fan directly on the body and to have regular drinks. This is especially important in the case of people confined to bed.
If you, or somebody you know, find your home to be uncomfortably hot seek medical advice, and seek advice from the environmental health department at your local authority about the home.
Start Date:
14th August 2013
End Date:
14th August 2013
Start Time:
10:30 am
End Time:
Contact us for a time
Event title: Carers Contact Carers Walk at Attingham Park
Start date: 14/08/2013
End date: 14/08/2013
Start time: 10.30 am
End time: Contact us for time
Venue: Attingham Park, Atcham, Shrewsbury, SY4 4TP
Event description: Come along and join fellow Carers for a gentle walk in this lovely weather. Meet outside the visitors reception. FREE entry. Bring your own picnic and stay a while longer with us. Please arrive 15 minutes before the walk begins in order to register. Wear suitable clothing and footwear for the weather conditions. So join us for a bit of “me ” time. Call Clare for further details 01952 262065
Weblink: www.carerscontact.org.uk
Name: Clare
Contact email: admin@carerscontact.org.uk
Contact number: 01952 262065
Event title: Shrewsbury Autonomy Group Social
Start date: 14/08/2013
End date: 14/08/2013
Start time: 7.30 pm
End time: 9 pm approx
Venue: Prince of Wales Pub, Brynner Street, Shrewsbury SY3 7NZ
Event description: Please note the venue has changed due to the Globe closing. You are welcome to join us at The Prince of Wales Pub Social from 7.30 pm to about 9 pm but there is folk music on afterwards.
Weblink: http://www.shropshireautonomy.co.uk/
Name: Sarah Heath
Contact email: autonomyshropshire@yahoo.co.uk
Contact number: 01743 821363
