Up Coming groups and events

It has been a while since our events and groups have been updated, so I thought it is a good time to let people know what is on and where you can meet us!


Our November peer support dates are as follows:


Wednesday 2nd November - Butler Court, Lacy Street, Stretford 1pm - 3.30
Jenny Graham, Occupational Therapist with Trafford Memory Service is joining us to talk about what can be done to help people with memory loss live independently.


Wednesday 9th November - High Lee House, Broad Road, Sale 10am - 12.30
Friday 19th November - Wellington House, Sandy Lane, Stretford 10am - 12.30
Tuesday 29th November - Newhaven Extra Care, Tulip Drive, Timperley 10am-12.30

New people always welcome, either show up on the day or contact Lise and Joanna on 746 3944 if you have questions.


Other Events


Dementia Adviser and our day support co-ordinator will be joining Trafford Carers Centre at their carers conference on Thursday 3rd November, The Hub, Pownall Road, Altrincham.
Two sessions of information stands, question and answer forum and access to carers assessments, between 2.00 - 4.30 and 6.00 - 8.30.
All carers are welcome, even if you have not been in touch with the Carers Centre before, please don't hesitate to contact on 0161 848 2400 and book a place.


Trafford Memory Assessment Service is piloting a post-diagnostic support and education course for those recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's and their respective family carer.
This exciting new project intends to help people adjust to their diagnosis and improve the experience of sourcing and accessing the support that is available within Trafford - too often carers and people with dementia find out by chance or upon crisis what is out there. The focus will be on future planning, and provide information on dementia, life books, legal and financial issues, and coping strategies. We hope that this will set the scene for a continued improvement in experience of receiving a diagnosis and beyond, and have a lasting legacy as people will learn how to manage their symptoms and access support that helps them live a good quality of life, rather than at a point of crisis.


We also have the first peer support holiday coming up - five days in Llandudno with a turkey and tinsel theme thrown in for good measure in the middle of November, I feel excited enough for them all.


We also have a peer support lunch at the Swinging Bridge in Urmston on 16th December to mark the last meeting of the year, and hopefully close 2011 on a high.


As always, we are here to talk, listen or nod and smile - call Lise on 0161 746 3944, come see us in the Age UK Trafford office, 20a Station Road, Urmston, or drop in to Kempton Court, Ascot Avenue, Sale on a Tuesday afternoon.

Council Tax Exemption, Mental Capacity and the Right to Vote

I had a query yesterday regarding the implications of claiming the Severe Mental Impairment exemption for the purposes of calculating council tax. Specifically, what is the relation between being certified Severely Mentally Impaired, and being able to vote?

The title 'severe mental impairment' itself is a difficult one to come to terms with - it is a blunt label that has a tinge of language used in a previous age - the word 'mental' has connotations that once had a great stigma attached, and which people may still associate with the large hospitals that we housed our mentally impaired people in past decades. But it is a catch all phrase that enables anyone, not just with dementia, but who may have another condition permanently affecting cognitive functioning, in legal terms to be exempt from liability for council tax.

Incidentally, the term Severe Mental Impairment for the purposes of council tax is not related to the severe mental impairment used in the Mental Health Act 1983 - its use stems from the Local Government Finance Act 1992 detailing the changes brought in with the abolishment of poll tax. The two are not to be confused.

The thinking behind the exemption is that those with permanent conditions affecting cognition and social functioning are not able to understand local issues that council tax is spent on, and therefore cannot be considered to have a stake or accountability in said issues.

After establishment of permanent condition such as Alzheimer's, eligibility for attendance allowance or other qualifying benefit, the doctor must then certify the person as having a Severe Mental Impairment.

Because dementias are progressive, and often gradual in their course, I often receive questions about whether someone can claim the severe mental impairment exemption - and the answer often is, I can't be sure. The judgement made by the doctor is just that, a judgement based on their knowledge of the person, to decide whether they have the ability to comprehend local issues and therefore whether their impairment is 'severe' enough to warrant exemption. There is no clear boundary or point at which this occurs - as is the case in many dementia related issues. If the doctor is unsure, after consulting with fellow medical practitioners, they are advised to exercise caution and not certify. This is possibly where some carers and people with dementia end up having long waits to hear about their application - whichever disease is causing the dementia, will get worse over time, so it is possible that someone ineligible at the time of application may consequently be eligible several months later.

So to the question of voting - it is important to note that the electoral register is created separately to the council tax, and the two are subject to different legislation. Although it is not the only Act of parliament that impacts on deciding whether someone has the right to vote, the Mental Capacity Act 2005 is most relevant in this circumstance. Just because someone is exempt from paying council tax on grounds of severe mental impairment, does not mean they are unable to understand the process of voting, make a decision (wisely or not!) as to who they wish to vote for, and express that decision.

These considerations - whether someone can understand the information related to the decision, retain long enough to decide, make a decision and communicate that decision - are used by the Mental Capacity Act 2005 to establish whether someone lacks the mental capacity to decide, and only when there is reason to question that we don't have capacity. In many circustances - for example, deciding whether to employ a carer, or have medical treatment, or wear a warm coat on a hot day, the person's best interests must be the basis for making each decision on their behalf. However, when voting is concerned, the law states that a voting decision is one that cannot be made on behalf of a person - therefore if someone does not have mental capacity to cast a vote, they are excluded from being able to vote. 

It is important to be clear that presence of a condition such as Alzheimer's or any other dementia, does not in itself remove the right or mental capacity to vote. All steps should be taken to enable someone to make and communicate an informed decision. If someone with dementia lives alone, has nobody to support them in registering to vote, to get to the polling station at the right time on the right day, or arrange a postal or proxy vote, they are likely to lose out on their right to vote, despite still possibly being able to do all these things and cast a vote with appropriate support.    

Links to useful websites:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/HomeAndCommunity/YourlocalcouncilandCouncilTax/CouncilTax/DG_10037422

http://www.trafford.gov.uk/adviceandbenefits/counciltax/

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/9/contents

http://www.aboutmyvote.co.uk/

http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/

redditch.whub.org.uk/cms/docs/smi%20notes.doc

Speakers Announced for Alzheimer's Research UK Talks

Talks by Tim Parry (Alzheimer's Research UK),

Brenda Reah (Neurology Social Worker for Salford Royal Foundation NHS Trust),

Prof David Mann (University of Manchester),

Prof Julie Snowden (University of Manchester),

Steve Chew-Graham (Brains for Dementia Research)

Free parking plus tea and coffee

2.00 - 4.30

Saturday 22nd October

Chancellors Hotel, Fallowfield

Butler Court 2nd November

Coming up at Peer Support, we have Jenny Graham from Trafford's Memory Assessment Team joining us at Butler Court on Wednesday 2nd November.

Jenny is an Occupational Therapist and supports people with dementia to access equipment that will help a wide range of issues that can affect daily tasks and routine that most of us take for granted, including:

Chair raisers, grab rails etc to get in and out of bed / chair

Frames to aid walking

Long handled sponges, perching stools etc and walk in shower adaptations to help with personal care routines

Equipment that can assist with food preparation which can cause a variety of difficulties

Memory aids that can support with taking medication, switching the cooker off, taking your keys when you go out.

Jenny will be able to answer any questions about the role of the occupational therapist and how to access an assessment, as well as talk about the equipment that can be provided.

As always everyone is welcome to come along from 1:00 - 3:30 people with memory loss and their carers.

If you wish to speak to one of the dementia advisers, we are on 0161 746 3944 are happy to answer any questions. We will always get back to you if you leave a message.