Hearing and Cognition

Student audiologist at the University of Manchester, Kelly Henderson, has kindly written about the importance of accessing support with hearing loss and how to access a hearing test at Trafford's audiology department. If you have any questions about the article, please contact dementia.adviser@ageuktrafford.

Have you had your hearing tested?  Why is it important?

As we get older our hearing deteriorates and we begin to notice a change in our ability to hear.  An age related hearing loss is the most common form of hearing loss in adults and mostly starts to affect people in their 60’s.  It progresses gradually over subsequent years, leading to our brains slowly adjusting to ‘not hearing’ sounds especially soft sounds which are important in understanding speech.  Because of this gradual decline we may not notice our inability to hear and at first think other people are mumbling or not speaking clearly.  On most occasions it is generally family and friends who notice hearing problems before an individual notices it themselves.  Typical signs of struggling with hearing are:

·         Missing bits of conversation especially when there is background noise

·         Asking people to repeat what they are saying

·         Having the television or radio on louder than usual   

When a person has a hearing loss sometimes social occasions can be stressful as it is difficult hearing conversations.  This may lead to withdrawal from social gatherings as the sheer thought of trying to hear in these situations becomes tiring.  Therefore a hearing loss that is left untreated (without hearing aids) starts to affect our quality of life.  However, not only does a hearing loss affect our quality of life but it can also affect our cognitive functioning, that is our brain’s ability to process information such as hearing.

For anyone who has been diagnosed with a memory loss, their cognitive functioning is already at risk due to chemical and structural changes in the brain, so it is important to try and maintain as much cognitive functioning as possible.  There is evidence to show that a hearing loss is also associated with a decline in cognitive functioning and it has also been reported that the severity of hearing loss and the degree and rate of increase in cognitive functioning are related.  As a result of this evidence there is lots of research that supports the need for a hearing assessment for people with dementia.  Hearing aids are vital in not only enabling us to hear better but also to maintain cognitive functioning to help keep our brains stimulated and active.  If hearing aids make it possible for people to hear and respond to sounds, then that will boost their quality of life and consequently enhance their cognitive functioning.  So identifying a hearing loss sooner rather than later in people with dementia and if needed, fitting hearing aids, may reduce the risk of developing further cognitive decline and maintain their quality of life for longer. Early intervention of diagnosing a hearing loss is the key to helping minimise the impact of dementia and anything we can do to boost the brain’s cognitive functioning will be beneficial in terms of overall quality of life.

Here’s a thought.  A person with a memory loss may still respond to music and music stimulates the auditory and memory parts of the brain.  So if hearing aids make this happen then we are stimulating and boosting their cognitive functioning helping the person to stay active and alert and happy!    

So if you or any one you know has been diagnosed with a memory loss then have a think about getting your hearing tested.

 Good hearing is vital as it stimulates parts of the brain and keeps it active!

How to get your hearing tested

Visit your GP and ask to be referred for a hearing test

Here at Trafford General Hospital we will:

·         Examine your ears and make sure they are healthy

·         Perform a full hearing test which will require you to wear headphones and to press a button when you hear a sound

·         You will be asked some questions about your hearing and requested to fill in a short medical questionnaire

·         After discussing your test results with you, your audiologist will advise whether or not hearing aids will help

·         The hearing aids here at Trafford General  are free NHS hearing aids which have the latest up to date technology!

·         You are welcome to bring a friend or member of the family with you to all appointments

·         We also offer a home visit service for people who cannot make it to the hospital 

References

Boxtel van MPJ et al. (2000) ‘Mild hearing impairment can reduce verbal memory performance in a healthy adult population’. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology 22 (1): 147-154.

Gates GA et al. (2002) ‘Central auditory dysfunction may precede the onset of clinical dementia in people with probable Alzheimer’s disease’. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 50 (3): 482-488.

Lindenberger U and Ghisletta P (2009) ‘Cognitive and sensory declines in old age: gauging the evidence for a common cause’. Psychology and Aging 24 (1): 1-16.

Lin FR (2011) ‘Hearing loss and cognition among older adults in the United States’. The Journals of Gerontology 66 (10): 1131-6.

Lin FR et al. (2013) ‘Hearing loss and cognitive decline in older adults’. Internal Medicine 173 (4): 293-299.

Lin FR et al. (2013) ‘Hearing loss and cognitive decline in older adults’. Internal Medicine 173 (4): 293-299.

Albers K.  Clinical and Health Affairs.  Hearing Loss and Dementia:  New Insights.  Minnesota Medicine.  2012, 95(1):52-54

http://www.healthyhearing.com

www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk

Summer Events in Trafford

Upcoming events and groups:

June 17^th: Hale Dementia Hub

Hale Library, Leigh Road, Hale. 1.30 – 3.30pm. Anyone with memory loss or dementia welcome and family supporters. Color Purple Therapies joining us to talk about relaxation and stress management.

June 21^st: Best Foot Forward, Falls Awareness event

Our lady of the Rosary Church, Davyhulme Road, Urmston. 10.30am – 4.30 (drop in). Information on healthy feet, bone health, Walking Stick MOT, medication review plus more. Contact Karen Duffy to book a place 0161 746 9752.

July 2^nd: Urmston Dementia Hub

Urmston Conservative Club, Crofts Bank Road, Urmston. 1.30 – 3.30 pm. Anyone with memory loss or dementia welcome and family supporters. Trafford Leisure Trust joining us to talk about leisure services for over 50’s.

 July 5^th: Brooklands Primary school concert

Brooklands School, Woodbourne Road, Sale 1.30. The school choir will be showing their musical skills, singing songs for us – in readiness for their end of year talent show! Please help us show our appreciation for the school who are very supportive of Age UK Trafford.

July 15^th: Hale Dementia Hub

Hale Library, Leigh road, Hale, 1.30-3.30pm. Anyone with memory loss or dementia welcome and family supporters. Trafford Leisure Trust will be joining us to talk about leisure services for the over 50’s in Trafford.

July 26^th: Carers Group meeting at Sale Water Park

Anyone who supports a family member with dementia is welcome to meet us at Sale Water Park from 1pm for a beverage and mutual support.

July 29^th: Outing to Salford Quays         

Whatever the weather, meet us at the Quays at 1.00pm (meeting point to be arranged) for a stroll round the quays and media city, or should it be inclement, we can look around the Lowry. All with memory loss / dementia and family supporters welcome.

August 6^th: Urmston Dementia Hub

Urmston Conservative Club, Crofts Bank Road, Urmston. 1.30 – 3.30 pm. Anyone with memory loss or dementia and family supporters welcome. No speaker this month, but relaxation, activities and information sharing.

August 13^th: General Hub Outing to Sale Water Park

Meet at the car park around 1pm for a gentle stroll round the water, or a sit down and a beverage in the cafe. All who have memory loss or dementia and family supporters welcome.

August 19^th: Hale Dementia Hub

Hale Library, Leigh Road, Hale, 1.30 – 3.30 pm. Anyone with memory loss or dementia and family supporters welcome. No speaker this month, but relaxation, activities and information sharing.

If you have any questions or would like to let us know you’re coming to any of the above events, please contact Lise or Joanna on 0161 746 3944. We are available to provide support and advice on dementia, so please don’t hesitate to call. If no-one is in to take your call, please leave a message and we will return your call as soon as possible.

If you prefer to email, drop us a line at dementia.adviser@ageuktrafford.org.uk

My Nan, Peggy

My Nan, Peggy Matthews, came from a family in service. My very first memory is of her taking me to hospital to see my new born cousin, and I have many memories of drinking green pop on her doorstep on a hot summers day, eating freshly cut crinkly chips and egg, a 10p bag of sweets on a Sunday morning. We’d wait at the bus stop to go into town – “one and two halves please” – 50p in all – and while eating chips and curry sauce in Busby’s chip shop I’d look at the poster of the knickerbocker glory on the wall, wondering how old you had to be before you were allowed one. She’d bring raspberry pie for lunch on a Sunday, called bread rolls ‘cobs’ and took us around the flower gardens in Shrewsbury, umbrella at the ready. She was a witch on Halloween, cackling as she rode high above the town, a jazz singer in the clubs, a nurse, and she slept for a whole week in a bunker during the war. One day during the war, she even did the washing on the wrong day because they got so mixed up with the time. She had three sons, an adopted daughter, and proudly told everyone she met about her ten grandchildren. She hummed tunes called inky pinky parley vous, chattanooga choochoo, and many others that ended in dum di dum, and felt sorry for Freddie Mercury when he died.

As I moved through my early teens things started to change – I don’t recall the speed of decline, but I remember telling my friend on the way home that she was in a second childhood. Phoning our house fifty times a day, shouting at mum, who asked her to bring seven pairs of knickers to wash on a Sunday, and who was promptly given seven unworn pairs. Dr Hughes told Dad that Peggy knew John Major was the Prime Minister, so she must be OK and there was nothing he could do. My Mum worried that her relatives in Derby would think they weren’t doing anything for her. But there were falls, fall-outs, upsets and lots of worry. She still came on a Sunday, but the pies stopped coming with her. The words dementia or Alzheimer’s were never mentioned, nothing was forthcoming in the way of support or information. Eventually, one day when we came back from Wales, Dad found her on the floor of her bungalow. She hadn’t fallen, the ambulance man said, but had lain down on the floor, was dehydrated and severely confused. In hospital we showed her pictures of a lovely hotel – she could still read though, saw the words “residential home” and gave a cry of anguish.

We took her on outings to Lake Vyrnwy and around the countryside. Like all the other residents, she was usually sitting in a chair in the lounge, staring into the abyss, talking to no-one and no-one talking to her. I feel certain she was given medication to keep her quiet. In the corner a lady sat smoking – 100 cigarettes a day, she was an Oxford graduate who eventually was the engineer of her own fatal fire. At least she didn’t get lung cancer, we said. I remember seeing the smoke marks on the wall where she used to sit, before they had a chance to clean it up.

Peggy seemed to fade away – one last birthday gathering with 7 of the grandchildren and a cake, one last winter, and the phone call came after my Dad had left to come home, having sat with her for two days, a few months short of her 80^th birthday. Her distinctive smell was apparent to me for a good fortnight around the chair where she used to sit on a Sunday afternoon.

That was seventeen years ago. I often wonder now whether, with access to medication, day support, advice, guidance and support for my parents as carers, she would have made it to eighty. I’m sure it would have been a happier journey for everyone, and more dignified. Let’s be thankful for progress, and keep fighting to improve awareness, care, treatment and quality of life for those affected by dementia.

Dementia Hubs

It's been a while since our previous post, so I thought we were due an update on the dementia support hubs going into 2013.

Our hubs are for people with a recent diagnosis, or memory loss worries, and have a dual aim of connecting people with others in a similar situation, and inviting guests from local organisations of particular interest to carers and people with dementia.  

We want to ensure people have the information they need, to adjust to life with dementia in the present and planning ahead. The groups are informal and welcoming to all.

Urmston Hub

Conservative Club, Crofts Bank Road
First Tuesday of the month (6th Nov, 4th Dec, 8th Jan etc)
1:30- 3:30 pm


Hale Hub

Hale Library, Leigh Road 
Third Monday of the month (19th Nov, 17th Dec, 21st Jan etc)
1:30 - 3:30 pm

Carers Group and Post-Christmas meet

Our Friday Carers Group at Butler Court will cease from January 2013.

Instead, we are starting a floating group, to meet in various public establishments around Trafford every 6 weeks.  Carers are welcome to attend all the dates, but we also extend to those who just want to come along when we are at a local venue. Carers can treat themselves to lunch if they wish.

Before our carers group gets started in earnest, we will be having a post-Christmas social, to which both people with dementia and carers are invited:

Friday 13th January, 1pm at The King's Ransom in Sale.

People will be able to buy lunch or simply come for the company. If you would like to come, please let the dementia advisers know, so we have an idea of how many will attend - on 0161 746 3944.

The 2013 Carers Meetings are planned as follows,  1 - 3pm:

Monday 11th February at Mersey Farm, Ashton on Mersey
Tuesday 26th March at The Roebuck, Urmston
Wednesday 1st May at The Moss Trooper, Timperley
Thursday 13th June at Dunham Massey Estate
Friday 26th July at Sale Water Park
Monday 23rd September at The Cottage, Hale
Tuesday 29th October at The Urmston Hotel, Urmston
Wednesday 11th December at The Hare and Hounds, Timperley

Please note, the above dates are only for carers.

As always, don't hesitate to call on 9161 746 3944 with questions or enquiries.

Older People's Day 2012

Dementia Hub at Hale

Falls Awareness Week 18th - 24th June 2012

Number Crunching with Dementia

A report by the Health Foundation in October 2011 has provided some estimates of potential financial savings that could be made by treatments and support for people with dementia.

This table takes a bit of time to absorb – of course the figures are estimates, and I can’t comment on the accuracy or efficacy of the sums.  But they give us an idea of the amounts of money we are talking about, that is, how much each parent, spouse, grandparent, each person with dementia costs to care for.

There are several things that can be pulled from this. Firstly, the importance of seeking and accepting support early on, despite being counter intuitive to many, actually can have a positive financial effect, as well as maintaining the quality of life we expect by retaining independence and membership of our community. It also highlights the cost of complications including infections and fractures, both of which may be to some extent preventable with good information and support to people with dementia and their family carers. The complications experienced within hospital also may be reduced by good quality dementia care – which is not universally provided at the present time. Once again, dementia’s unique place between health and social care means efficiency is dependent on convergent, symbiotic practices. The report also notes that the implementation of the National Dementia Strategy will create a £1.35 billion deficiency, after the £533 million it will save, which in other words is an acknowledgement that the necessary changes in provision for people with dementia should not be squeezed or confused with altering service provision to cut costs. Schemes such as direct payments and personal budgets are therefore only going to be effective in terms of supporting people with dementia if they are not constrained and governed solely by the need to save money. The final point I wish to make (although not the final point that can be made) is the financial cost of prescribing anti-psychotic drugs needlessly and without benefit. With good quality diagnosis, early treatment and support for family carers, including knowledge of how to reduce the risk of delirium, altering the elements which can be changed, including environment and caring approaches to alleviate certain situations, higher level needs can be supported without anti-psychotic medication.

The entire report can be found here: http://www.health.org.uk/public/cms/75/76/4181/2703/Spotlight_Dementia%20Care.pdf?realName=55ojeV.pdf  

Estimated costs of care for people with dementia and potential savings (found on p33 of The Health Foundation’s report, linked above)

	Estimated Costs	Potential For Savings
	Direct healthcare costs £8bn a year in UK. Memory clinic service for early diagnosis: £220m a year in England.	Cost saving after six years if use of memory clinics for early diagnosis leads to 20% or more reduction in need for residential care.
	Anti-Alzheimer drugs: £720 per patient per year (assume £60 per month). Excess bed-days in acute hospital: £1,400 per week. Clinical leader to implement dementia care pathway in every acute trust: £3m a year in UK.	12% reduction in need for residential care in people with mild to moderate dementia treated for six months or longer. £117m if length of stay is reduced by seven days for every inpatient with dementia admitted for fractured hip, chest infection, urinary tract infection or mini stroke. £700m if length of stay reduced by two days for every inpatient with dementia by providing psychiatrist-led multidisciplinary assessment, or intermediate care. Assuming 25% of people aged 60+ admitted have dementia, and excess bed cost is £200 per day. £38m from seven day reduction in hospital admissions from use of hospital at home scheme £400 per patient whose length of stay is reduced by two days from use of psychiatrist-led assessment of all elderly patients admitted to hospital
	Inappropriate use of medication: £84m a year for 140,000 people in England given antipsychotic drugs who are unlikely to benefit and may be harmed by them	£84m a year from stopping inappropriate use of antipsychotic drugs (assume £600 for one year’s treatment per patient)
Social Care	Long-term residential care: £9bn a year in UK. Community social service costs: £2.4bn. Home care: £150 per week. Day care: £90 per week. Residential care: £500 per week, £26,000 per year	18% fewer people needing residential care after two years with care management to coordinate health and social care. £14,000 reduction in costs of residential care from psychosocial care given to carers (200 day delay in need for residential care).
Costs to the patient, family and other informal carers	Costs of informal care: £12bn a year for UK. £270 per patient per week if carer time estimated at minimum wage	£1,280 saved per patient over three months from an occupational therapy training service for carers

 As always if you require any information on supporting someone with dementia in Trafford, please do not hesitate to contact us on 0161 746 3944.

New Group Starting

Quick reminder for our first peer support group on Tuesday:

1st Tuesday in the month from 3rd April

Urmston Conservative Club, Crofts Bank Road, Urmston

1:00 - 3:30 pm

Open to anyone with memory loss / dementia diagnosis and supportive allies.

There will be a newsletter coming out in the near future, and because of the impending rise in postage costs, we are planning to e-mail out to anyone who is happy to receive it electronically.
If we don't already have your e-mail address, and you would like an electronic copy, drop us a line at dementia.adviser@ageuktrafford.org.uk or call on 0161 746 3944 with your details.

Home Care Road Show

At our last memory event, we promised to arrange an opportunity for people to meet and find out more about home care agencies in the borough.

We hear lots of stories about home care experiences - there are good examples as well as problems - and often people are unsure about what they can ask for, what they should expect, and who they can talk to about the care they receive. This is particularly true for people with memory loss / dementia who may be reliant on support for their day to day wellbeing. Carers also often have phone calls from so many people they can feel in a fog as to who is responsible for what, and who they can call to resolve issues.

We have therefore arranged an event, detailed below, to provide an opportunity for anyone looking to put care in place, or who already receives it, to find out about home care and ask the questions they have.

Home Care Roadshow
Tuesday 24th April
Urmston Library, Crofts Bank Road, Urmston
10:45 - 1:00 pm

The event is informal, free to attend and hot drinks will be available. Please feel free to invite anyone who may be interested or who would benefit as 16 home care providers in Trafford will be joining us.

If you have any questions, as always, please don't hestiate to contact us on 0161 746 3944.

Table Tennis Olympic Celebration

Sport for all. You should be glad we decided against the hurdles.

Hope to see you there.

Door Step Safety and Cold Callers

Trafford Trading Standards came to talk about reducing the risk of becoming victim to doorstep traders and cold telephone callers at our Newhaven group. Whilst acknowledging that there is currently no failsafe way of preventing people with dementia from being vulnerable, there are some steps that everyone can take to reduce the risk and the stress and anxiety associated with it.

1. Keep your door on a chain, and get in the habit of putting it on. If you are unable to verify the person’s identity there and then, it is OK to say you will call their company to arrange for them to return when you are happy for them to.

2. If you’re expecting someone you have not met before, give them a password that no-one else will know.

3. Memo minders can be useful for some people with mild short term memory loss. As well as reminding you, for example, not to sign anything on the spot, hearing second voice in the home can make callers unsure if you are alone.

4. A sticker in the window informing callers they are not welcome should deter genuine traders. Trading standards produce a sticker with their contact number on the side visible to you so you can call to report any problems.

5. Register with the telephone preference service, and the mailing preference service. These make it illegal for companies to make ‘cold’ calls, or send unsolicited mail. It gives you a mechanism for reporting and consequently dealing with, unwanted contact which you may otherwise feel powerless against. It does not stop companies calling who you have had contact with in the past, if you have given permission for them to call.

6. Charities – and trading companies - with whom you have dealt previously should remove your details from their contact list at the first time of asking. If you continue to have problems, Age UK Trafford or Trading Standards can assist.

7. Any person, not just someone with dementia, can be swayed by a friendly sales person. Learn to refuse firmly and confidently and not feel guilty, and don’t hand cash over to anyone.

8. Arranging for a trusted person to hold Lasting Power of Attorney. This means that if the time comes that you have reduced mental capacity to manage your affairs, your appointed person can act on your behalf, which is very difficult otherwise due to strict data protection and fraud prevention laws.

9. Don’t hesitate to report problems to Trading Standards – if they know that someone is about to be taken advantage of, they can take action to prevent this. Remember that if it is happening to you, it is probably going to happen to someone else in the neighbourhood too. The more Trading Standards are aware of, the more they can prevent. If a crime has been committed, or is about to be committed, the police can also act. Silent phone calls are also illegal and can be reported – the number can be traced even if it was withheld.

10. Trafford Consumer Alert Network is an early warning system operated by trading standards – a message is sent to anyone registered by phone, text or email, about cons and scams operating in the local area.  You can then pass the message on to your friends and neighbours who may be vulnerable.

11. Some telephones have a caller display screen – all mobile phones now have this, and you can buy land lines with them. You can then choose not to answer calls if you don’t know the number. You can also purchase a blocker that will stop specific numbers from calling if they are problematic, but these have a higher cost.

People with dementia are at risk regardless of whether they live alone or with someone – after all, no supporter can be around them 24 hours a day, and continued independence is accompanied with risk. Establishment of good habits early on, taking preventative steps rather than waiting for something to happen and being prepared by putting power of attorney in place can all reduce the impact of problems.

Useful Contact phone numbers and web sites

Trafford Trading Standards

Tel. 0161 912 1377

E: trading.standards@trafford.gov.uk

W: www.trafford.gov.uk/ican

Age UK Trafford Dementia Advice Service

T: 0161 746 3944

E: dementia.adviser@ageuktrafford.org.uk

Telephone Preference Service

Tel: 0845 070 0707

W: http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/

Mail Preference Service

W: http://www.mpsonline.org.uk

The Information Commissioners Office

Tel: 030 3123 1113

W: www.ico.gov.uk

Imperial War Museum Trip

Age UK Trafford Dementia Peer Support 6th March
 

We are going to the Imperial War Museum at Salford Quays on Tuesday 6th March, and extend invitation to anyone with dementia and any carers, old or new to peer support in Trafford.

The itinerary follows, of course if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us on 0161 746 3944. We would also love to know if you wish to come so that we know who and how many people to look out for.

12.30 Meet at the main entrance of the museum


12.30-14:30 Look around the museum at leisure

14:30- 14:50 "Blitz on Britain" - A member of the museum staff will show various pieces of memorabilia from World War 2, with the chance to handle some of the pieces for ourselves.                Bring your own memories and stories to share if you were there.

14:50-15:45 Cup of tea/ coffee in the cafe, sit down and socialise.

The cost of entry to the museum is free, however refreshments will need to be paid for individually.

If you cannot make it for 12:30 but would like to come later, just let us know so we can look out for you.

Training, Events and Speakers

New Peer Support group

We are continuing to develop peer support across Trafford, and from April will be starting a new group in Urmston. Details are as follows:

Starting on Tuesday 6th April, we will meet on the 1st Tuesday of each month.
From 1:00 - 3:30 pm
Urmston Conservative Club, Crofts Bank Road, Urmston.
The group is open to anyone with memory loss or dementia and their close family member / carer. Those recently diagnosed are particularly welcome, but we will not turn anyone away if they have been diagnosed for longer but who would benefit from support.

Although the dementia advisers are on hand to provide a source of information and guidance on various topics of relevance, the most important people at peer support are the 'peers' themselves, who understand best what someone else in that situation is going through. As well as a social opportunity, you will be in a supportive, informal environment, where it is OK to speak your mind about your experience of health and social care services, how you are feeling, and what can be done to improve the lives of people with dementia. The groups are free of charge to attend.

Carers Group

A quick reminder also that our carers group is now meeting on the 3rd Monday of each month at Wellington House, Sandy Lane, Stretford, from 1:30. All carers welcome to attend.

Imperial War Museum Outing

If you feel unsure about coming to our group, why not join us on our next afternoon out? On Tuesday 6th March we will be meeting at The Imperial War Museum at 12:30 where you can join us on a guided exploration of objects from the second world war, and find the cafe for a cup of tea and a chat.
Please don't hestiate to contact Lise or Joanna on 0161 746 3944 for further information.

Doorstep Safety

Our Newhaven group will be joined by Trafford Trading Standards on Tuesday 28th February. We are continuing to receive questions and concerns about the number of door step and telephone traders, particularly those who are persistent and are quite clear that these issues are to be taken seriously. Genuine traders and charities should be respectful of requests to remove your details from contact lists, and people should not feel reluctant to flag up when calls and requests for money are continued. Join us at 10 am on 28th February, Newhaven Extra Care, Tulip Drive, Timperley.

Memory Event

We are holding our next memory loss event at Urmston Library on 23rd February, 10:30 - 3:00. We will be joined by researchers from the University of Manchester who are interested in finding out how people with dementia can continue to be cared for at home, instead of moving to a care home. A buffet lunch will also be provided. If you wish to attend, please contact us on 0161 746 3944 to put your name down and a full agenda will be sent to you nearer the time.

Dementia Awareness Training

We also have places left on our Dementia Awareness Training days. Our facilitator, Eileen Kane, is an experienced nurse, carer and educator in the issues surrounding dementia care and always provides a lively, interesting and informative day. This training is open to those currently caring for someone with dementia and Age UK Trafford volunteers, and will run from 10:30 - 3:00 with lunch provided. There are limited places on the following dates: 16th March, 20th March and 21st March. Please contact Elaine Barton on 0161 746 9754 if you wish to attend.

Cancer Speaker

We have a cancer awareness talk at our Newhaven peer support group on 24th April. Trafford Carers Centre caseworkers will be joining us from 10.00 to provide information and an opportunity to ask questions about cancer generally. All welcome.

Dementia Engagement and Empowerment Project (DEEP)

Members of our Butler Court group will be joining peers from all over the North at an event to celebrate the DEEP project which was led by the Mental Health Foundation. The project was all about discovering the work that people are doing to ensure people with dementia are playing an active role in their local groups as well as influencing decisions on local dementia service provivion. Hopefully the development of a national network will make us, and the voices of people with dementia stronger. We will be going to Stockport County Football Club on the 13th March to fly the flag for Trafford's Peer Support Network.

Trafford Spending Consultation

Don't forget Trafford Council's consultation on their proposed changes to social care provision in line with funding cuts is open until 27th February, so if you have yet to offer you thoughts on the proposals, you can do so via Age UK Trafford on 0161 746 3944 or directly to the council on 0161 912 1219.

I think that is all for now, but please don't hesitate to call us or email to dementia.adviser@ageuktrafford.org.uk with any queries or questions. In particular, if there is a specific topic which you would like to know about, let us know and we will see what we can do.

Upcoming in 2012...

Happy New Year to everyone, now we have blustered in to 2012 in decidedly gale-force style.

It seems an appropriate point to give a general overview of how the year is looking so far.

Morning Coffee
In Lieu of a Christmas-week meeting at Newhaven, our Timperley group are meeting at the Bowdon Hotel, Langham Road, Altrincham, WA14 2HT around 11.00 for a coffe and a catch up. Everyone welcome to join us.

Carers Group
Our carers group at Wellington House will now be on the 3rd Monday of the month from 1:30 - 3:30 starting from 16th January. We are looking to arrange pampering sessions in conjunction with our partners at Trafford Carers Centre, as well as giving the chance to talk openly about your caring role. The monthly dates are:
16th January, 20th February, 19th March, 16th April, 21st May etc

Doorstep Safety
We also have a session focussing on door step safety at Kempton Court in Sale on 24th January, from 2:00 - 4:00, everyone is welcome, and Trading Standards will be on hand to provide advice and tips on enabling the person with dementia to stay safe at home.

We are also hoping to arrange another peer support holiday and currently generating and following up possible ideas, so do let us know if you have one!

Table Tennis Day
With the flame of the Olympics fast approaching, and being in a host borough no less, it would be a shame not to have a bit of sporting fun of our own. Although we'll leave the 110 metre hurdles to the pros, with the firm belief that neither memory loss nor 'age' should be a barrier to physical activity, we are planning to host a peer support table tennis tournament to see who has the sharpest backhand in Trafford...get practising and watch this space for further information.

Dementia Engagement and Empowerment Project (DEEP) Update

In September of last year, the Butler Court group helped complete a survey as part of DEEP, run by the Mental Health Foundation. Nationally they received over 140 completed surveys and are arranging a get-together for people with dementia to attend, meet each other and learn about the work of different groups, and not least unite in the quest to amplify their voices. The detailed feedback from the questionnaires will be sent in February, more information to follow.

And Finally, don't forget if you wish to respond to Trafford's proposals for saving £5.9 million this year and £42 million by 2015, visit their website at http://www.trafford.gov.uk/ or contact the dementia advisers as below.

As always we are here to talk,

See you soon,
Lise & Joanna

Age UK Trafford
tel. 0161 7463944
www.ageuk.org.uk/trafford
@dementiaadviser on Twitter

Safety and Security - doorstep and telephone traders

We have had a number of queries recently relating to the issues that traders - in all guises - cause to people with dementia and their carers.

We have arranged an open event with Trafford Trading Standards. At Kempton Court, off Ascot Avenue, Sale, M33 4GU

Tuesday 24th January 2012 from 2:00 - 4:30pm

They will be able to supply information about their services in Trafford and answer any questions about security for people with dementia.

If you have any questions in the meantime, please don't hesitate to call Age UK Trafford's dementia service on 0161 746 3944.

Not only are people with memory loss more vulnerable to scams and confidence tricksters, but impaired judgement can mean that legitimate traders - including utility companies, charities and door step sellers - cause a bigger problem, because they are more visible, more numerous and more likely to appeal to people who may have heard of them or used them previously.  

We are bombarded more than ever with persuasive images and messages - and most people are able to use judgement in dealing with these, which means we can ignore them, tell someone we are not interested or know when something is not genuine. When someone has impaired social judgement - a particular presentation of some dementias affecting the frontal and temporal lobes, but can also result from a less tangible combination of memory loss and altered insight or mood in other dementias - they may be more vulnerable to persuasion.

There are no easy solutions, because the risks are so wide ranging and many companies and charities are advertising legitimately. Even a doorstop seller with a social conscience may not detect that the person they are talking to has dementia as they may present perfectly well in the short, amiable conversation. You also cannot assume that someone with dementia is not able to decide to donate to charity or buy something - as always it is recognising when something has gone beyond informed decisiveness - when a quirk for something becomes problematic. When desire to support charity becomes an unaffordable response to automated requests.

Stickers requesting no cold callers at the door, and services such as the telephone and mailing preference lists should reduce contact from considerate and law abiding sellers, but in effect means that contact is then more likely to be from unscrupulous traders or scamsters, and the risk of loss higher. There is then the question of reporting those who flout the preference-service laws, and resolving issues where money is lost and contracts signed - stress that most carers would rather live without.

Trading Standards in Trafford have a communication system whereby anyone signed up receives information about known scams and rogue traders operating in the area, and it may be that greater use of communication within communities is the best way to reduce the risks. 



We'll be closed between Friday 23rd December and Monday 2nd January but back on Tuesday the 3rd bright and early.

Carers Christmas Meal and Trip to Christmas Markets

We have one place left on our carers' Christmas Lunch at the Swinging Bridge in Urmston.

We need to fill this as soon as possible to get our orders in.

Friday 16th December

12:00 midday - should be time to leave to pick up loved ones from day support (if not I can put your pudding in a box and deliver it to your doorstep)

Swinging Bridge, Traffford Boulevard, round by the Trafford Centre, off junction 10 of M60 (more precise directions available)

Three Courses for £14.99   choose from:

Starters - Carrot, Honey and Coriander soup;    Chicken Liver Pate;       Mushroom, Blue Cheese and Garlic Bruschetta,         Prawn Cocktail   or      Melon

Mains -    Turkey;       10 oz Rump Steak with Mushroom & Brandy sauce;        Salmon Fillet with Tomato, Basil and Caper sauce;            Stilton, Shallot and Walnut Tart;             Duck and Pork Sausages with Juniper & Red Wine Sauce

Desserts - Christmas Pudding;          Belgian Waffles;         Profiteroles;              Mince Pie Ice Cream;            Ice Cream    

If you would like to come please call Lise on 0161 746 3944 as soon as possible.


We also have places left on our coach to Manchester Christmas Markets on 13th December. We will be leaving Urmston Manor Avenue car park at 11:30 and returning by 3:30. Drop and pick up Manchester at the Slug and Lettuce on Albert Square. No travel cost involved, again please contact Lise on 746 3944 if you're interested.