The RNIB is offering Mental Wellbeing Check-ins. These one off sessions are for community members with sight loss who would like to share feelings, explore coping strategies and any further support needs with a trained counsellor.
Sessions will address some of the feelings created by the current pandemic situation including anxiety and distress. To refer into this service please fill in the form online or call the helpline 03031239999.
Dementia Friendly Worthing has a week of events taking place as part of Dementia Action Week. Starting Tuesday 18th May there are both online and in-person events to choose from. Details of each event are below:
Hosted by Lynsey Tran, Dementia Friendly Co-ordinator
This is an open meeting where we welcome Clinics Admiral Nurse, Gary Burnham-Jones to discuss their work in East Sussex and how people living with dementia and their carers can benefit from Dementia Nurses. Everyone welcome
For details of how to book please contact Lynsey on INFO@DEMENTIAFRIENDLYWORTHING.ORG or phone and leave a message on 07903 720208.
Dementia Friendly Worthing and Guild Care have come together during Dementia Action Week in May to arrange Worthing’s first Memory Café since the lockdown. With most carers and people with dementia now being vaccinated, and with social distancing regulations slightly more relaxed, it was felt the opportunity was right to support the more vulnerable groups within our community with an in-person event.
The Memory Cafe is open to anyone caring for a person with dementia and their loved one whether they have been recently diagnosed, have early onset dementia, or who were diagnosed some years ago. Even if you think you might have dementia and want to find out more about what happens next, you are welcome to attend.
It is essential to book a place with Guild Care on 01903 528635 or by emailing joanne.longhurst@guildcare.org If the uptake is high, places will unfortunately be limited.
Venue: Bradbury Wellbeing Centre, Haviland House, Robin Road, Goring BN12 6FE
Book: 01903 528635
Dementia Friendly Worthing has teamed up the Alzheimers Society and Mr Ric Gray for a free Sing-a-Song session for people living with dementia and their carers.
This takes place on the Zoom platform and can be accessed on your computer, tablet and a wide variety of phones.
Please contact Lynsey, Dementia Friendly Worthing Co-ordinator on 07903 720 208 for more details or email: INFO@DEMENTIAFRIENDLYWORTHING.ORG
Come along and find out about local support and services for those with Dementia. Abbeyfield Ferring is at 50a Ferring Street, and the team will be there from 10am – 1pm. Look for the gazebo!
The Government has issued advice on how to avoid COVID-19 vaccination fraud.
According to gov.uk, criminals are using the COVID-19 vaccine as a way to target the public by tricking them to hand over cash or financial details. They are sending convincing looking text messages letting people know they are eligible for the vaccine or phoning people directly pretending to be from the NHS, or local pharmacy.
To ensure vigilance bear these points in mind:
The NHS will:
If you receive a call you believe to be fraudulent, hang up. If you are suspicious about an email you have received, forward it to report@phishing.gov.uk.
Suspicious text messages should be forwarded to the number 7726 which is free of charge.
If you believe you have been the victim of fraud or identity theft, you should report this directly to Action Fraud either online at actionfraud.police.uk or via phone 0300 123 2040.
If you have any information relating to vaccine fraud you can stay 100% anonymous by contacting Crimestoppers COVID Fraud Hotline online: covidfraudhotline.org or phone 0800 587 5030.
Two Sight Support Worthing Trustees recently attended a Vaccination Champions training session. The aim of the session was to educate its participants about how the COVID-19 vaccination programme works.
The following information is designed to help Sight Support Worthing members understand the COVID-19 vaccination programme and, in particular, any aspects that may be of particular relevance to those with visual impairment. This information has been interpreted by the two Vaccine Champions, and they have provided it in no particular order, although the point is in bold for anything believed to be especially important.
a. Everyone over the age of 70 is scheduled to be vaccinated by mid-February. Within the priority Groups, there is no specific order in which these people are contacted.
b. Patients will be contacted, usually by phone – you should not try to phone for an appointment yourself.
c. The second (of the two required vaccinations) will be up to 12 weeks after the initial vaccination.
d. The initial vaccine will take two weeks before creating an effective immunisation; normal COVID restrictions must be followed during that period.
e. All vaccines require a needle; nose sprays or other options are not yet available. If you have a needle “phobia” please make that clear when confirming the appointment so that you can be treated in a less public setting than might otherwise be the case.
f. The restriction “rules” do allow a family member or friend to transport you (or accompany you if it’s close enough to walk). That individual may be permitted to stay with the patient – but that is not always the case.
g. If you need transport, please contact the SSW office on 01903 235782 and either speak to a staff member or leave a message. We will do our best to find a SSW driver regardless of the appointment day or time. We are here to help – please use us.
h. The Sussex NHS management team has recruited a number of “Vaccine Champions” with the aim of promoting the vaccination programme, providing a reliable source of information and being a contact point for any questions/problems. Sight Support Worthing has two of its volunteers, as well as one member and the charity’s President as Vaccine Champions. So, SSW is well placed to ensure that all its members (and others in the locality) are fully briefed about the Programme. If you would like to speak to one of the Vaccine Champions do let us know and we will do our best to put you in touch with one.
We hope this information is useful to our members and their families. If you have any particular concerns that you think we can help with, please do get in touch.