WELCOME TO OUR DECEMBER NEWSLETTER

The aim of OWT is to become a trusted and valued part of our community, particularly for those aged 50 or over who may be looking for new opportunities, social events, and challenges, as well as tips for independent living. We cover from Bude, Launceston, Callington, Holsworthy, Okehampton, Tavistock, Saltash and Torpoint.  We hope you’ll find useful information on initiatives and activities in your area.

The UK is dependent on an army of exhaustedfamilial carers to look after its increasingly ageing population – but the situation is unsustainable because the people it’s relying on are increasingly under intense personal, professional and emotional strain.

That is the disturbing central finding from new research conducted into the lives and lifestyles of the nation’s multi-generational carers and the basis for a new campaign from Home Instead, to highlight the intolerable burden they are under.

There are an estimated 5 million plus people providing unpaid care in the UK but they are given minimal support from the government or local authorities and so find themselves increasingly struggling, without understanding the other support available to them in the market. The problem is set to get worse as our ageing population grows – there are now more people aged 65 and over in England and Wales than children aged under 15. The number of people aged over 64 has surged by 20% over the past decade in England and Wales, to 11.1 million people. Nearly one in five people are aged over 65.

Key statistics from the research show how badly this is affecting carers’ lives:

●     A worrying 82% of those surveyed in the South West neglect their own health and wellbeing

●     52% struggle with their mental health as they juggle caring for ageing parents alongside their own families and careers

Home Instead can provide much-needed respite to these under pressure carers restoring important family relationships that can suffer when somebody takes on a caring responsibility.

To accompany the campaign, the home care provider has commissioned a short, hard-hitting film, based on interviews with representative real life family carers. The film is an unapologetically raw exploration of what day to day life is like for millions of multi-generational carers across the UK.  

With an equally powerful message comes the best Christmas advert, costing just £700 to make, which focuses on the theme of loneliness particularly of those bereaved in later life.  Do have a look at the advert below if you have not seen it already.

We always welcome feedback, constructive criticism, and submissions for OWT, particularly from those of you with professional or charitable links to our community. Do get in touch if you have something you’d like to share. Please feel free to forward this Newsletter to family, friends, and colleagues.

Best wishes,

The Older Wiser Together Team.

We are helping to facilitate some films to encourage people with dementia and their carers to get out more into nature. This is all part of a research project by University of Exeter – Project ENLIVEN

ENLIVEN is all about making the countryside and nature more accessible to people with dementia and those that support them. Last week a group fromOkey Memory Cafe did some filming with Biggerhouse Film CIC who aim to give a voice to those who may describe themselves as being removed from the centre.Everyone got involved in making the film.

We are getting together for Xmas gatherings with our Care Professionals in the next few weeks.  We had a lovely catch up and cake with the Bude crew at The Weir Bude.  In addition to thanking the team for all they do, it is lovely to hear all the many extras they do for their clients like trips to choose a Xmas tree, downloading Xmas songs to listen to with their clients in the car or picking up a cream bun for their client before each visit. AMAZING!!

It can be challenging to understand how dementia affects the mind of a loved one.The Bookcase Analogy, developed by the Alzheimers Society for the Dementia Friends programme, is an excellent way of describing what happens to memories, facts, and the emotions of someone living with dementia.

The Book Case Analogy is a simple yet powerful way of helping us understand ow memory if effected by dementia.

Read more here.