Elderly
Winter Solstice Wishes from Curious Motion
✨Winter Solstice Wishes✨
Today marks the winter solstice, where the hours of darkness are at their peak. It can be a challenging time for our bodies, minds and souls.This time of year is also the dawn of new beginnings. Slowly but surely the light will prevail, the days becoming longer and the anticipation of lighter and warmer times leading the way. It’s a time of hope, reflection and restoration.Remember that this period is all about doing what is best for you and your mental health, and that can look completely different for each person. I’ve included some ideas around this below, plus there’s info on activities to look forward to in the new year.For now though, on this dawn of light and new beginnings, I hope you can spend this time in the way you most want to. Wishing you a restorative and nourishing festive period and much love for 2022. Sam x
THANK YOU!
Huge thanks to you all for being part of our community this year. Curious Motion is now two years old, and with most of our existence being in a pandemic it’s been quite a ride! We’re so grateful to you all for continuing to be by our side and what a joy it has been to move, dance, and create together! Some wonderful memories have been made and exciting plans for 2022 are in motion. Here’s a summary of what’s to come in January – keep an eye on your inbox for more info to follow:
Rhythm & Brews
Through October and November, people of all ages from across Elland’s community joined us to explore what it means to move, sing, dance, and play together. It was joyous to say the least!Here’s how the participants told us they felt after the sessions:
Sessions return on 28th January and will run bi-weekly through February and March 2022. Keep an eye on your inbox for more information!
Monthly ‘Happiness Lab’ workshopsExplore what happiness means to you through a different creative activity each month. We’re kicking off with lantern making with Handmade Parade in January! Booking info coming soon.Find out more here.
Brews & Grooves
Sam recommends…
Some winter solstice resources for comfort and restoration: Christmas Coping Tips from Mind – some great tips to navigate this time from the mental health charity Mind.The Comfort Book by Matt Haig – a beautiful book created to provide hope in a stressful world. The Calm App – lots of wonderful meditations, sleep stories, and music.
Sending love and lightSam and the team at Curious Motion x
Our mailing address is:
Curious Motion CIC
Santa-gram campaign brings Christmas cheer once more to Calderdale!
Home Instead Senior Care Calderdale’s second Santa-gram campaign has been a great success, spreading Christmas cheer to elderly people across the local area.
Launched in November, Home Instead’s Santa-gram campaign reached out to primary schools across Calderdale to ask school children to create a special Christmas card or letter for an elderly person this Christmas.
Most of our elderly population have experienced isolation and loneliness this year due to COVID-19, with many continuing to isolate over the Christmas period.
The home care company, which provides companionship, housekeeping and personal care to people in their own homes was overwhelmed by the result. They had seventeen local schools and one after school club sign up to the campaign, receiving 1452 Christmas cards which were all decorated, or hand drawn by children from ages four to 11.
They also received a further 389 items including bookmarks, letters, pictures, decorations and riddles, to be distributed along with their cards.
Morrison’s supermarket in Elland, Halifax and Kershaws Garden Centre in Brighouse also got involved, with customers donating presents to the campaign.
The Santa-grams were packed into envelopes and delivered along with the presents to assisted living facilities, churches and community groups including Memory Lane and Riverside Dementia Cafés, Age UK, Halifax Blind Society, the Royal British Legion and Making Space – the carer’s wellbeing service.
The company also teamed up with local pharmacies who helped to distribute the Santa-grams to their network of customers that receive home delivery of their medication.
A local resident phoned in after receiving her Santa-gram to say:
“Thank you for our lovely Christmas surprise. It was so kind of you to take the time making them for us. I am sending you a photo of your decorations in house they are lovely.”
“Lovely Christmas card delivered by my local pharmacy. It was beautiful and really made my day.”
Munaf Patel, Director at Home Instead Calderdale said:
“Since the reopening from lockdown in July, many of the community groups which serve the elderly have still not restarted their meetings and as result a lot of older people are missing out on the companionship, care and love that many of us simply take for granted. We wanted to do something to help out and this is a nice way to bring two different generations together.”
To find out more about Home Instead Calderdale and the home care services they provide, including live-in care, please call 01422 292424 or visit https://www.homeinstead.co.uk/calderdale/.
Home Instead launches second Santa-gram campaign to help bring some festive cheer to the elderly!
Home Instead are asking children in local primary schools to join their second Santa-gram campaign by using their creative talents to design Christmas cards for elderly people in Calderdale.
Read this on the Home Instead webpage
Deadline to send your Santa-gram is December 3rd
Last year’s campaign was a fantastic success with over 1,000 Santa-grams delivered to more than 500 older people: both those still living at home and some care home residents.
According to Age UK, Christmas is the loneliest time of the year for over 1.5 million older people, with those who have lost a loved one struggling the most.
After this most difficult of years with many clubs and church groups still cautious about meeting, this provider of home care to the elderly and the vulnerable decided to repeat their campaign to help relieve some of the loneliness felt by many elderly people across our community.
The Santa-gram campaign involves children at local primary schools creating Christmas cards, drawings, bookmarks, puzzles or writing a letter to an older person to open in the run up to Christmas to help bring a smile to their day. The Santa-grams will be delivered to elderly people during the first two weeks of December.
Home Instead Senior Care Calderdale will be working in partnership with local community groups and charities such as Age UK, Memory Lane Dementia cafes, local care homes and assisted living facilities for the elderly to deliver the Santa-grams in time for Christmas.
Munaf Patel, Director at Home Instead Calderdale said:
“Since the reopening from lockdown in July, many of the community groups which serve the elderly have still not restarted their meetings and as result a lot of older people are missing out on the companionship, care and love that many of us simply take for granted. We wanted to do something to help out and this is a nice way to bring two different generations together.”
Here is one of the many comments we received last year about the campaign:
“Thank you so much for arranging for these (Santa-grams) to be sent out to us. The cards are so good with lovely artwork by the children. It has really cheered us both up. When we opened up the surprise we both got a very warm feeling inside and it really did make us smile. The jokes had us both laughing.”
Home Instead are accepting items to be included in the ‘Santa-grams’ from now until 3 December If your organisation, church or community group would like to receive Santa-grams, contact Julie Ingham, Community Engagement Officer at Home Instead Senior Care Calderdale on 01422 292424 or email Julie.ingham@homeinstead.co.uk
Christmas Events galore at Halifax Minster
Enjoy Christmas in all its splendour at the Halifax Minster. There are Carol Services, Christmas themed events for all the family to enjoy and all the celebrations associated with this wonderful time of the year for you to enjoy.
Some of the events include:
- Advent Quiet Day : Saturday 27th November
- Advent Carol Service : Sunday 28th November 6:30pm – 8pm
- Christmas Tree Festival 3rd – 6th December
For a full list of Christmas Events (and more!) please click below :
The Halifax Minister
Unit 3, Causey Hall, Dispensary Walk, Halifax, West Yorkshire, HX1 1QR
T: 01422 355436
Elland and District Men’s Probus next meeting November 16th
Live Engagement on Older People’s Care Homes
Consultation opens on Friday 15th October, closes on Friday 26th November 2021
Calderdale Council and NHS Calderdale Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) along with other providers, and professionals are committed to working together to build sustainable and quality services to improve the quality of life of older people who live in nursing or residential care homes.
Calderdale Council and NHS Calderdale CCG are working in partnership, leading on a piece of engagement that will inform our work to build a sustainable model of older people’s care home provision across Calderdale.
It is important that we hear from residents, staff members/health and social care professionals and relatives/friends. Our aim is to gather as many views and experiences as we can so we have an understanding of what really matters to the people who live, work or have a relative/friend who lives in a Calderdale care home.
Please click here to take you to the survey that’s relevant for you to complete.
If you would like to know more information about this piece of engagement please contact Joanna Marshall, Commissioning Engagement Officer at Calderdale Council joanna.marshall@calderdale.gov.uk
Patient and carer group highlights importance of World Stroke Day
World Stroke Day is held on 29 October each year. This year’s campaign focuses on saving precious time, referring to the need to act F.A.S.T. in the aftermath of a stroke, as well as how that action can improve the quality of life for stroke survivors.
Stroke is the largest cause of disability in the UK and the fourth biggest killer. In West Yorkshire and Harrogate, around 3000 people a year have a stroke with two thirds of stroke survivors left with some form of physical, mental or emotional disability – often completely life changing.
The West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership has a group of patients, families and carers affected by stroke that share their experiences and help to shape the future of stroke services and this is part of the Integrated Stroke Delivery Network (ISDN) remit of work.
The West Yorkshire and Harrogate Integrated Stroke Delivery Network has been established, to enable services to work more closely together and share best practice, with the aim of delivering the best care possible for the people of West Yorkshire and Harrogate. Patient representatives ensure the views of people with lived experience of stroke are included in the planning, delivery, and evaluation of the ISDN’s work. If you have been affected by Stroke and would like to get join you can visit the website and find out more.
On world stroke day the message from the members of the ISDN is to urge people not to ignore signs and symptoms that could be potentially life changing and life threatening.
Having a stroke or a ‘mini stroke’ (known as a Transient Ischaemic Attack where symptoms may be temporary) is a medical emergency.
Knowing the signs of a stroke is key and people need to Act F.A.S.T. if they or someone close to them experience the following:
Face – has their face drooped?
Arms – do they have arm weakness?
Speech – Is it slurred or absent?
Time – Time to dial 999 immediately!
Every second of delay, perhaps through calling a GP practice to make an appointment, may lead to further loss of brain cells and reduce the chances of survival or avoiding disability. Stroke is a medical emergency – if you spot the signs, Act F.A.S.T. and dial 999 immediately.
Nathan Stone, stroke survivor and patient representative for the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Integrated Stroke Delivery Network (ISDN) said “Stroke is not an ‘older persons’ illness and can impact anyone young, old, adult, child and even the fit and outwardly healthy. Stroke does not just happen on World Stroke Day but is an all-year round condition that can strike at any time. Make sure you know the signs and to react FAST”
Barry Rogers, stroke survivor and patient representative for the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Integrated Stroke Delivery Network (ISDN) said “Being a patient representative means I’m able to share my experience and help shape service developments and improve outcomes for other stroke survivors. World Stroke Day is an event that we as patient representatives feel strongly about supporting. If you have been affected by stroke and would like to be involved with the group my advice would be to do it! We are a friendly group and you’d be most welcome”.
Rachel Stewart, Network Manager for the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Integrated Stroke Delivery Network (ISDN) said “World Stroke Day is a real opportunity to highlight Stroke and I would like to thank our panel of patient representatives for coming together on it. Working alongside our panel of patient representatives is a great way to get ongoing feedback. We’ve built a good working relationship and a better understanding of patient experiences. We’re very much looking for more people who have been affected by stroke to join especially women and people from ethnic minority communities”.
Elland and District Men’s Probus next meeting October 12th
International Day of Older Persons 01 October
Calderdale is a wonderful borough in which to live and work. However, we are also aspiring to be a supportive and inclusive place to grow old.
There are wonderful things going on all over Calderdale to help people age well and stay healthy and happy for longer.
Join those who have celebrated the International Day of Older Persons by tweeting a photo of you holding up a statement to say, “I support the International Day of Older People’ and using the #agefriendlyCdale.
Some helpful resources for older people in Calderdale
www.ageuk.org.uk/calderdaleandkirklees/
Calderdale Lower Valley blog 