October 2022

How often do you think about your own mental health or wellbeing?

If we have a physical problem or illness, like a broken leg or chest infection, we seek medical help. We know that we need help to enable us to get better. For many people, the same does not apply to mental health or wellbeing. They are both equally as important as physical health, but for some reason we tend to ignore the symptoms and try to push on regardless of the impact on our lives or those around us.

Recognising that your mental health or wellbeing are suffering might not always be obvious, especially for carers who are often busy looking after someone else. It can be helpful to regularly take some time, even just a few minutes, to focus on your own mental health and wellbeing.

The five ways to wellbeing, see the picture above, is a simple strategy to get you thinking about your wellbeing. Finding activities that enable you to GIVE, BE ACTIVE, KEEP LEARNING, CONNECT or TAKE NOTICE – no matter how small – will give your wellbeing a boost and have a positive effect on your mental health.

You will hopefully find some ideas to get you started in the articles below. If you are a carer and would like some help to find ways to improve your mental health and wellbeing, you can speak to a member of our team.

Portsmouth Carers Service – Call: 02392 851 864 – Email: carerscentre@portsmouthcc.gov.uk

Knowing who you’re talking to can help you feel more comfortable

First Name: Larry

What do you do at the Carers Centre? I am one of the ISA’s, I talk to carers and do the carers assessments, which is more of an informal chat, to get an idea of what a carer is doing on a day-to-day basis and from that we can discuss what support the carer feels they need. I arrange support or signpost the carer to other support options. I provide emotional support because being a carer can be an emotional roller coaster.

What do you like about working at the Carers Centre? We are not miracle workers, but we do our best and it’s nice to know that we can make things a bit better for people. We are a good team and look after each other.

What do you enjoy doing when you are not working? Chilling out, especially on my favourite beach in Cornwall.

Favourite quote? The man who asks the question may feel a fool for the day. The man who doesn’t ask, will be a fool for a lifetime.

Extra support for you mental health and wellbeing

PositiveMinds is a new style of service in Portsmouth, offering informal support for anyone who feels low, worried or hopeless.

They can help you if you are in despair about anything – such as housing, money, relationships, work or bereavement. Through 1:1 support and useful workshops, they can help you identify your needs and get you moving towards your goals.

Upcoming workshops:

• 5 Ways to Wellbeing – 6 week course starting on 31^st October (Mon 2pm-3pm)
• Anxiety and Stress – 4 week course starting on 1^st November (Tues 11am-12pm)
• The Decider: Life Skills – 6 week course starting 3^rd November (Thurs 2pm-3pm)
• Depression and Low Mood – 4 week course starting 4^th November (Fri 12.30pm-1.30pm)

For any enquiries and to register for the workshops, please contact the PositiveMinds office.

Call: 02392 824795 or email: positiveminds@solentmind.org.uk

*Please note times and dates may be subject to change

Open to all carers in Portsmouth supporting someone with dementia

Hosted by Portsmouth Carers Service and Home Instead Portsmouth, carers can join us for a one-off workshop specifically designed for carers supporting someone with dementia.

The workshop will be held on: Tuesday 25^th October from 11am to 1pm.

Venue: Portsmouth Carers Centre – click here to open google maps.

Topics will include:

• Helpful information on adapting to life following diagnosis
• Supporting someone to live well with dementia
• Carer wellbeing

To find out more information or to book your place, please contact Portsmouth Carers Service

Call: 02392 851 864

Email: carerscentre@portsmouthcc.gov.uk

Your experience as a carer in Portsmouth could help other carers

The next two articles are from Portsmouth carers. We would love to have your input too and share your valuable experience as a carer with our caring community. Would you like to share your caring story or do you have tips that could help other carers? Perhaps you have a great way low-cost to improve your wellbeing or would you like to give feedback on our Carers Service?

If you would like to submit a story, tip, idea or feedback please contact Portsmouth Carers Service.

Call: 02392 851 864

Email: carerscentre@portsmouthcc.gov.uk

A family wellbeing adventure!

The school holidays can be a challenge when you have children to care for, Faye who is Mum to Rosie and Jovi, shares how they created their own holiday challenge over the summer.

“Throughout the summer holidays, it can be difficult to keep up good habits of being active, getting fresh air and spending time together all whilst on a tight budget! This year we created our very own challenge as a family to make sure we got all those things in for free and enjoyed exploring new places and going for walks.

We set ourselves the #PortsmouthParkChallenge.  A challenge throughout the summer holidays to visit as many different parks and playing fields as we could, especially those we have never been to before.  This year we managed 11 different parks although we returned to some multiple times!

Our dog Nova would come along too, if we visited playing field or parks with equipment, it was easy for Nova and me to walk around whilst I watched the children. We enjoyed having the adventure of going out walking every day and seeing where we would end up, having picnics and spending time together making memories.”

Rosie said, “I enjoyed the #PortsmouthParkChallenge because it meant we got out every day which was fun. I would recommend it to other families as it keeps you active and it’s fun to take a picnic”.

Jovi said, “I liked going to all the different parks, we went to quite a few, some we had never visited before and some we had, I loved spending time with my family”

A map of Portsmouth parks and open spaces can be downloaded on the Portsmouth City Council website: Portsmouth Parks Map

If you have any tips or ideas, you would like to share with other carers we would love to hear from you.

For more information on the project so far and outputs from all of the workshops, go to the Health & Care Website Improving Mental Health in Portsmouth – Health & Care Portsmouth

A great way to share the care and FREE using our access code!

The Jointly App was created by Carers UK and is a secure way to share and manage information related to caring and supporting someone at home.  You create a circle of support for the person you are caring for and add people to the circle via an email invitation.

A carer shares their experience of using this app:

“When a member of our family who lives alone was recently diagnosed with a serious illness the family wanted to do all we could to support them, staying with them whilst they were unwell,  attending medical appointments, and supporting them to keep on top of the everyday household tasks and admin.

We have found the Jointly App a helpful tool to share information and make arrangements to ensure we are all aware of:

• who is staying when
• medical appointments
• keeping track of medication and prescriptions
• important carer related contact details
• sharing out the household tasks

Using the App enables us to keep all the information in one easy to find place which is accessible through our mobile phones. We have also included the person being cared for in the app which means they can also keep track of all the information too.”

If you would like to learn more about the app visit: Jointly App.  The Jointly App can be downloaded on your App store. To register for free, you can use our access code: DGTL1973

Spreading the Word: #CarersCount

On Thursday 24^th November 2022, we are hosting Carers Count at The John Pounds Centre in Portsmouth. This one-day event will bring together carers, health and social care professionals and voluntary sector organisations to present the Portsmouth Plan for Carers – Strategic Plan 2021-23.

The event will include guest speakers, discussion groups and information on support services in Portsmouth. It will give carers an opportunity to share their valuable experience and to help shape services in the future.

To register your interest and to receive further details for this event please contact Portsmouth Carers Service.

Call: 02392 851 864 – Email: carerscentre@portsmouthcc.gov.uk

Access eLearning courses to help you care with confidence

We can now offer carers access to online learning modules relating to many different aspects of care. There are many different courses available, including: continence management; moving and handling; communication and condition specific awareness.

If you do not have access to the internet or a computer, we may be able to arrange for you to use one of our public access computers.

Please contact Portsmouth Carers Service for more information.

Call: 02392 851 864

Email: carerscentre@portsmouthcc.gov.uk

Do you look after someone living with dementia?

Our new weekly Dementia Drop-In session is held at Portsmouth Carers Centre every Friday morning, from 9.30am to 12.30pm.

Zena, a very experienced clinical nurse specialist, is available to talk to anyone living with or supporting someone with dementia, living in PO1-PO7.

There is no need to book. Just pop in and you can talk to Zena about any symptoms, medications or concerns you may have.

Take an hour out, sit down and have a chat – biscuits are optional!

Our monthly drop-in sessions are open to all carers in Portsmouth. A member of our team will be on hand to answer any questions you may have or just to lend a listening ear. If you don’t need any information or support, you can use the session as a way of taking a break from your caring role. Refreshments are free.

Upcoming Carers Cuppa and Catch-Up sessions at Portsmouth Carers Centre:

• Monday 24th October 1.30pm-3.30pm
• Tuesday 22nd November 12.00pm-2.30pm (BYO Lunch)

We look forward to seeing you there!

Portsmouth Carers Service newsletter is published every two months and is sent by email (or post for those without email or need a printed format). If you would like to sign up to our newsletter mailing list, please complete the form below. Alternatively, you can call us on: 023 9285 1864