Support for carers

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Living with disability can at times be difficult, both for the person with the disability and their partners, parents or family members. It is surprising the amount of people we speak to who do not open up to their families and partners about some of the tough stuff related to disability. This applies equally to the person with the disability and the person who may assist them on a daily basis.

Often this stems from loving the other person and not wanting to ‘burden’ them with our stuff…but over time this can build up and can cause relationship problems. We are also missing out of support we COULD be getting from our partners and family members and this can cause things like anxiety and depression as mentioned in this BBC article in the link below.

It can be hard to see how talking about anger, frustration, guilt, low mood and resentment can ever be a positive thing. However, if both of you are able to see the disability as a joint issue you are working on together, then how we cope with the tough emotions fits into that picture.

If you feel unable to open up at this point, that’s where our support can help to build your confidence and take steps to be more open with your partner with the aim of staying together.
Here’s hoping we can convince GPs locally to refer partners and carers on to us! :-)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-22478706

Stroke ‘emotional impact often overlooked’

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Great to see some more research which reflects what you guys tell us, that more emotional support is needed after rehabilitation and all helps to justify why we are around…here’s hoping we can become a national organisation in the future!

Stroke ‘emotional impact often overlooked’

Stroke There are now more than a million stroke survivors in the UK

The emotional impact of a stroke is too often overlooked and should be given the same priority as physical rehabilitation, campaigners say.

A survey of more than 2,700 survivors and their carers in the UK found many had experienced emotional suffering.

More than half of the stroke survivors surveyed said they had felt depressed and two-thirds reported anxiety.

But 42% told the Stroke Association they felt they had been abandoned after their physical needs had been seen to.

Of the carers who took part in the poll, eight in 10 had experienced anxiety and frustration.

Strokes affect about 152,000 people in the UK every year. The brain damage caused by the condition means it is the largest cause of adult disability in the UK.

There are now more than a million stroke survivors in the UK – a figure set to rise because of the ageing population.

Stroke Association chief executive Jon Barrick said: “Stroke leaves survivors and families shocked, shaken and anxious as their lives are often irreversibly changed in an instant.

“Better recognition by health and social care professionals of the impact of stroke will help people to be properly assessed and get the right support.”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-22350809

New SUpport for Self-employed through Access to Work

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Many people still do not know about the hidden pot of gold and support provided by the government’s Access To Work. If you work you can get help towards your daily wheelchair, support workers, equipment and much more, which of course also helps you in your personal life too!

They now have support to HELP YOU SET UP YOUR OWN BUSINESS. Support will vary depending on where you live we expect, like it does for NHS wheelchair vouchers, but our experiences with them have been wonderful.

If anyone contacts them about this new support for entrepreneurs, do leave some feedback on here about your experiences, good or bad.

https://www.gov.uk/moving-from-benefits-to-work/starting-your-own-business

Breaking negative thoughts

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it’s easy to get stuck in negative cycles of thoughts…especially when living with disability because there are plenty of people trying to get us down.however,you can learn to take a step back from these thoughts and stop the cycle…try a few free meditations on www.franticworld.com under resources…if it helps there is an 8 week self help book with cd…for extra motivation join one of our workshops or call us for 1-2-1 support

How MUSIC can support you

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  • Music…it can do wonders to lift mood and doesn’t have to cost a penny…we went to see the Notebenders at Birmingham Symphonie Hall this wknd 4 free,they are on every month,fantastic saxophone band…most cities have some free live music events, so as disability benefits are being cut we can still have fun…in fact we need to make sure there are fun times to compensate for the tough ones

23rd April Opportunities Fair Birmingham

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Come and talk to us at the Birmingham Opportunities Fair – ‘Making inclusive communities real’

23 April at Edgbaston Cricket Ground, B5 7QU. Doors open at 11.00am. FREE ENTRY and besides us, you can come and meet staff from over 100 organisations that provide professional and leisure services, in addition to help and advice on a range of subjects, to people who have disabilities and their partners and carers.

There is an area for food/drinks where you can chat, meet others and hang out afterwards as well till 6.30pm (stalls close at 5.00pm). Look forward to meeting you there, any questions, drop us a line on here.

Problems or Goals?

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What is the first thing you think of when you wake up, your problems or your goals?

Decide that you are going to start each day thinking about your goals, your dreams and your positive possibilities. As soon as you wake up in the morning, start throwing out those nagging doubts and worries. Concentrate, instead, on the things you have decided to accomplish in your life. Whatever you think about long enough and intently enough
will become a reality for you. That is because your thoughts direct your actions from moment to moment, from day to day.

If you spend a lot of time thinking about your problems, they will grow bigger and stronger. Is that what you want? Of course not. Instead focus on your goals. Keep them in the forefront of your mind from the moment your wake up, throughout the morning, the afternoon, the evening, until you go to bed at night. Your thoughts are yours. They are completely under your control. So you might as well use them to benefit you. Because, what you think about, you bring about. YOU have GREATNESS within YOU.
— Les Brown, published orginally by https://www.facebook.com/positivelypositive