Health and Wellbeing

Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Warrington – for information and advice, please visit warrington.gov.uk/coronavirus.

Following instructions from the government, we have made changes to some face-to-face services, including closing all community and children’s centres in Warrington. You will find information about this and changes to social care services, support available for residents and businesses, along with advice on health, and what to do during the outbreak, on the council’s website.

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the current situation? - information and advice available here - http://happyoksad.warrington.gov.uk/ 

New advice has been published by Public Health England for parents and carers focused on looking after the #mentalhealth and wellbeing of children and young people.

You can read the full guidance: www.gov.uk/…/covid-19-guidance-on-supporting-children-and-y…

#coronavirus #StayHomeSaveLives

Coronavirus safety advice for survivors

Some local support services in the community may be temporarily suspended because of coronavirus. This will mean that some survivors will feel particularly isolated. If you were accessing counselling that has now been suspended, some counselling services can continue to provide support. Supportline provide a confidential telephone helpline and email counselling service. Particularly to those at risk of abuse or are isolated.

https://www.warrington.gov.uk/coronavirus-safety-advice-survivors

Coronavirus - What you need to do  - https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

Guidlines from the NHS - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

Stay at home guidance - https://bit.ly/2Cx9L5S

Coronavirus: information for families looking after someone living dementia

We know that this is a worrying time for families looking after someone with dementia. The weeks ahead are going to be challenging. But there are a few things you can do to look after yourself, and the person with dementia, during this time

https://www.dementiauk.org/get-support/coronavirus-covid-19/

Volunteering in the community - https://www.mylifewarrington.co.uk/kb5/warrington/directory/service.page?id=jf54b_aJELU

We know that what happens during the first few years of life (starting in the womb) has lifelong effects on the health and wellbeing of a child – from obesity, heart disease and mental wellbeing, as well as success at school and later working life. We also know that the choices parents’ make for themselves can support or make it difficult for children to develop healthy habits.

Start4Life website is the place to go for trusted NHS help and advice during pregnancy, birth and parenthood. It gives advice of how to eat well and keep active during pregnancy, helping to ensure you have an uncomplicated delivery and healthy baby. It helps new parents understand about how best to feed a new baby by explaining the benefits of breastfeeding and when to introduce solid foods. There is also a section about the best foods for toddlers and tips to keep them active.

These days, 'modern life' can mean that children are a lot less active. With so many opportunities to watch TV or play computer games, and with so much convenience and fast food available, children don't move about as much, or eat as well as we used to. Nine out of 10 of our kids today could grow up with dangerous amounts of fat in their bodies. This can cause life-threatening diseases like cancer, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The Change 4 Life website helps families ‘Eat Well, Move More and Live Longer’, it helps parents understand what foods keep children strong and healthy, it has loads of easy to cook recipes and lots and lots of ideas to keep kids fit and active. You can find information about

C4L Recipes            Healthy Snacks               Food labels               Get Kids Active

Public Health England has launched a major adult health campaign to seize the opportunity for a national reset moment. ‘Better Health’ will help capture the imagination of the nation, using this unique moment in time to help kick start our health to eat better and get active.  

COVID-19 has affected the whole country; for almost everyone, life has had to fundamentally change. But it has also prompted many people to reflect and think more seriously about their health.

Visit the Better Health webpage to access the tools and support you need to quit smoking, get active and lose weight.

Hospital data shows that obese people are significantly more likely to become seriously ill and be admitted to intensive care with COVID-19 compared to those with a healthy BMI. Carrying excess weight causes pressure to build up around vital organs, making it harder for the body to fight against diseases like cancer, heart disease and now COVID-19. By reducing your weight within a healthy range, you can help cut your risk of being critically ill with COVID-19.

Download the free NHS weight loss plan to help you start healthier eating habits, be more active and start losing weight. The plan is broken down into 12 weeks so you can: set weight loss goals, get active and burn more calories, plan your meals, make healthier food choices, and record activity and progress. You can download the app from the App store and Google Play.    

More ways to kick start your health

If you want to improve other aspects of your wellbeing, below are some great free tools to support you: (could the image below be added? Or would we have to write them out individually?)

One You

The Better Health campaign promotes the One You website.

One You encourages people to reappraise their lifestyle choices, put themselves first and do something about their own health. It reminds people that it’s never too late to improve their health - making small lifestyle changes such as eating well, drinking less alcohol, quitting smoking or being more active can double your chances of being healthy at 70 and beyond.

It encourages adults to take part in a free online health quiz, called ‘How Are You’, to identify where they can make small changes. The quiz provides personalised recommendations and directs people to tools and advice created by experts to help them take action where it’s most needed.

You can take the quiz here and view the One You website here.

One You can also help you understand more about:

Quit Smoking                     Eat Better                             Sexual Health

Lose Weight                       Move More                            Sleep Better

Drink Less                          Diabetes                               Better Mental Health

Moving more and Ageing well

In the UK, physical inactivity is the fourth greatest cause of ill health with negative impacts on health, social and economic outcomes for individuals and communities. It is responsible for 1 in 6 UK deaths, which is equivalent to smoking. Importantly, up to 40% of long-term conditions could be prevented if everyone met the UK Chief Medical Officer’s physical activity recommendations.

The Chief Medical Officer recommends, per week, for adults including over 65’s:

• 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity (10 minute bouts) e.g. brisk walk, swim, cycle etc
• 2 x muscle-strengthening exercises e.g. carrying heaving shopping bags, yoga, circuit training etc
• 2 x balance and coordination activities e.g. bowls, tai chi, dance etc 

Adults should also aim to minimise the amount of time spent being sedentary (sitting down), and when physically possible should break up long periods of inactivity with at least some light physical activity.

Moving more and being more physically active is a protective factor against COVID-19. Therefore there is no better time than now to start moving more! Other benefits of moving more include…

 If physical activity were a pill, it would be the most commonly prescribed medication in the world. No other intervention has such wide-reaching benefits.

Adults should do activities to develop or maintain strength in the major muscle groups. Muscle strengthening activities should be done at least 2 days a week, but any strengthening activity is better than none.  Muscles, bones and joints like to be moved, lack of movement causes your muscles to waste away quickly and this affects your strength and your balance.

Aim to do these exercises 2-3 times throughout the week. You can spilt them up and do them a few at a time throughout the day, at a time that works for you. Remember to start small and build up gradually, as the exercises begin to feel easier you can increase the repetitions to 8-10.  If you want to make it harder still, you can build up to 3 sets of 8-10 repetitions for each exercise.  See the super six moves below which are ideal for beginners.

The super six strength and balance moves can be done at home.  Experts are encouraging people to stay active in the home, as we are spending a lot of our time at home due to COVID restrictions.  Some ideas for older adults can be found below.

The Active at Home booklet, developed by Sport England and Public Health England, provides more ideas on how to do this and can be accessed online by the link below.

https://search3.openobjects.com/mediamanager/warrington/fsd/files/phe_active_at_home_booklet_21_may_electronic.pdf

Warrington Wellbeing Service

Wellbeing is about having a good quality of life; it can be described as feeling healthy, happy or being able to cope with the problems that can happen in life. There are many different issues that can affect your wellbeing; worries about money, feeling stuck in a rut, or maybe wanting help to change, for example quit smoking.

For more information click here

These courses are for adults age 18 and over in the Warrington Community.  Who are looking at improving their health and wellbeing.

I am I can Time for Me/Happiness

Mindfulness

Anxiety Management

Positive Thoughts

Looking after your mental wellbeing using - www.happyoksad.org.uk

Youth Connect 5

Boost

Maketime

Dementia Friends

OFFLOAD

Budget Boosting

Creative Remedies

Getting to know your Tablet

Computers for the Terrified

Ageing Well

Blooming Art

All these courses are FREE and held in the local community - for more information click on the course you wish to attend

Happy? OK? Sad? is a mental health site for people who live or work in Warrington.

The site includes information about how to look after your mental wellbeing, as well as a directory of mental health support services. There’s also details of services you can contact if you can’t cope and need help right now. Local services are clearly marked and there’s a short description explaining what each service offers. The website is divided into age related pages, so you can quickly find the information and services most relevant to you. There’s also a page for frontline workers with links to free resources and training.

The aims of the Happy? OK? Sad? website are to make you aware of:

• simple things you can do to look after your mental wellbeing
• symptoms of common mental health problems
• services that can offer information, advice, support or treatment
• what to do if someone can’t cope and needs help right now

Dementia Prevention

Dementia is not an inevitable part of ageing.  Adoption of healthier lifestyles in midlife can reduce the risk of dementia. The World Health Organisation recommends reducing the risk or delaying the onset of dementia by helping people to:

• stop smoking
• be more active
• reduce their alcohol consumption
• improve their diet
• lose weight if necessary and maintain a healthy weight

Health Matters

Those who are at a higher risk of dementia are carer’s of people with dementia, over 65’s, females and those from Black and South Asian Groups.

The protective factors for dementia are keeping socially active, obtaining higher levels of education and cognitive stimulation such as puzzles or learning a second language.

Diagnosis and support

GP’s play a key role in recognising and identifying the symptoms of dementia and referring the person to the specialist Later Life and Memory Service (LLaMS)  The LLaMS service will then undertake a more detailed assessment of the person and may or may not diagnose them with dementia.

Memory Assessment/treatment

Living with Dementia

Upon being diagnosed with dementia there is a range of support available for those living with dementia and those caring for someone with dementia.  In Warrington there are a range of Dementia support groups or cafes across the town, see attachment names Dementia activities.

The Alzheimer’s society provide a care navigator service, to support the person upon diagnosis and their family through the Health and Social care systems ensuring they have the appropriate support they need.  Support can be delivered on a one to one basis or in a group setting.

Alzheimer's Society

The Wellbeing Service

The Wellbeing service provides one to one support for anyone living with dementia and their carers. Anyone can refer to the service and support can be provided for as long as is necessary. The service is also commissioned to provide a dementia navigation service which supports people diagnosed with dementia at the Later Life and Memory Service at Hollins Park and their carers. Support is provided under four areas, dementia friendly community activities, carer needs, equipment & benefit/income support.

Wellbeing Service

Dementia Friends

Wheels for all

Livewire Dementia friendly activities programme

There are respite and a day-care facilities available for those living with dementia in Warrington.  These can be accessed via social services and there will normally be a charge based on a financial assessment.

Telephone: 01925 443322
01925 444400 (out of hour emergencies)

E-mail: asc@warrington.gov.uk

Website: www.warrington.gov.uk/asc

There are numerous Care homes that provide care and support to persons living with Dementia.  These can also be accessed via Adult social care but more information is available here:  Care Homes

Support for carers is available from the local carers service –Wired which is based in the town centre. It is important that people who look after the person with dementia are fully supported in their caring role. Wired

Dementia Library

Catalyst Choices

Every Wednesday 9-5pm

Stockton Health Library

Alexandra Road

WA4 2N

Come along for friendly atmosphere fun and community focused.  Activities include. Chair based exercise, Quiz’s, film club, Dominoes, baking, music, computer, painting and physical activities.

Call Catalyst Choice on:

01925 202380 or

Sarah.mcderra@cataystchoices.org.uk

Dying well

People with dementia should be able to choose their preferred place of care, where symptoms are controlled and care is focused on ensuring comfort at end of life.  Support is available to have early discussions about a persons’ wishes and their plans for their end of life care.  The Care navigators with the Wellbeing service or Alzheimer’s society.

There is a list of Dementia Activities in the download section on the right hand side.

We don’t need to wait until we’re struggling with our mental health, there are lots of things we can do to protect ourselves and prevent problems escalating, just as we do with our physical health. The national mental health campaign Every Mind Matters suggests simple steps we can take to look after our mental health and wellbeing.

The Every Mind Matters website:

• offers a range of useful resources to help us spot signs of common mental health concerns
• provides practical self-care tips and guidance
• explains when to seek further support

The website also has a free NHS-approved online tool “Your Mind Plan”. You can use this to build an action plan, which could help you to deal better with stress and anxiety, boost your mood, improve your sleep and feel more in control.

To learn more about looking after your mental health and wellbeing, or to create your own action plan, visit: https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/

In addition to visiting the national Every Mind Matters website, you could take a look at www.happyoksad.org.uk. This Warrington site has information about local mental wellbeing resources, as well as details of a wide range of local mental health support services.

Death as part of life

We plan for every big event in our lives: weddings, new babies, birthdays, holidays, Christmas, family parties because we want everything to go well, we want those important to us to share special times, we want to take the pressure off others to organise, we want to ‘get it right’ for ourselves and those we care about.

Though death is an inevitable part of life, we’re reluctant to talk about it. We fear it may be ‘tempting fate’, we don’t want to upset those we love by bringing it up, we think there is plenty of time left for this.

Watch the Marie Curie video ‘whatever you call it we should talk about it’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCYTQvoXQgk

Making death a part of life involves talking to your friends and family about your choices and preferences and knowing what your loved ones want too. It is important you:

Think about your wishes – REFLECT

Write down your wishes so they are known – RECORD

Tell other people so they can carry out your wishes - SHARE,

Have help, and help those you love to be involved in your plans and think about these things for themselves - SUPPORT

This way your wishes can be known, respected, and carried out to prevent things going wrong.

Watch the Dying Matters video ‘I didn’t want that’  

https://www.dyingmatters.org/page/i-didnt-want-that

Reflect & Record

What would you want to happen to things which are important to you?

From pets to possessions, here are some useful links to information about how you can make plans for what will happen to the things that are important to you after you are gone. 

Have you made a will?

Some charities offer free will making – British Heart Foundation, Macmillan

https://www.gov.uk/make-will/writing-your-will

Your pets are part of your family, it can be a worry to think what will happen to them if you die and you will want to ensure they are cared for after your death. You can find helpful advice here

https://beyond.life/help-centre/preparing-for-death/pet-care-after-death-of-owner/

Your social media accounts:

Facebook - If you die, a relative or friend can request for your Facebook profile to become memorialised. It essentially freezes the page in time. Whoever requests it will have to give Facebook some proof that you have died, such as a death certificate. Photos and posts you've shared will stay visible.

Instagram - If you see an account on Instagram that belongs to someone who has died you can report it to Instagram for memorialization. If you are an immediate family member of that person, you can request the account be removed from Instagram.

https://beyond.life/help-centre/admin-legal/social-media-accounts-loved-one-dies/

Your photographs and memories, consider making a photo diary, video or memory box for your loved ones after your death – this can be particularly helpful for children and grandchildren https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/treatment/if-you-have-an-advanced-cancer/end-of-life

Have you thought who you would like to make decisions for you about you care or finances if there comes a time when you cannot make them for yourself? Even if you have a next of kin, they cannot legally make decisions for you without a Lasting Power of Attorney. RECORD who you want to make these decisions by completing a Lasting Power of Attorney for Health and Welfare and Property and Finance. You can do this yourself or ask a family member to help you.

 https://www.gov.uk/power-of-attorney

Don’t forget to RECORD all your wishes

Have you ever thought about how you would want to be cared for at the end of your life?

Where would you like to be cared for?  It may be important for you to be with people you love and possessions which are special to you – this can be in a variety of places at home, in hospital, hospice? You can RECORD this in an Advance Care Plan

There may be treatments you will or will not want – you can RECORD these in an Advance Care Plan. Planning ahead https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/end-of-life-care/

You have the right to refuse certain treatments including resuscitation – you can RECORD these in an   Advanced Directive to Refuse Treatment

https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/nhs-services-and-treatments/do-i-have-the-right-to-refuse-treatment/)

There may come a time when you become so poorly and there is no prospect of recovery that your doctor will talk to you about stopping certain treatments which are prolonging the dying process. In this situation if your heart stopped beating it would not be possible to restart it. You have the right to be involved in these discussions and be informed of the decisions made.  It is important everyone looking after you knows of these decisions, they can be RECORDED in a DNACPR decision.

 https://www.dyingmatters.org/sites/default/files/DNACPR%20Patient%20leaflet_A4.pdf)

Organ donation, you can help someone live after your death. From spring 2020, organ donation in     England will move to an 'opt out' system. You may also hear it referred to as 'Max and Keira's Law'.

 https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/

Your religious beliefs may be very important at this time, there may be important people to contact to visit you before or after you die, special rituals or blessing to occur. RECORD these so those caring for you know and can respect your wishes. www.equalityhumanrights.com/com/en/human-rights-act (article 9)

Do you understand the decision-making process for post-mortems? Why they take place and when?  Find out more at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/post-mortem/.

How would you want your life to be celebrated, what would you want at your funeral?

Some things to consider -would you want a religious service, which funeral home would you choose, flowers, favourite music, favourite readings, donations to a charity, photographs, would you want to write your own Eulogy or ask someone else, how would you wish to be dressed, burial or cremation?

RECORD IT - with so much to consider and plan – do your loved ones know your preferred choices? Do you know theirs?

Share

Make your GP, Hospital Teams and those caring for you aware of:

•   Lasting Power of Attorney
•   any Advance Directive to Refuse Treatment
•   any Advance Care Plan in place

Make your family / loved ones / next of kin aware of:

•   Lasting Power of Attorney
•   any Advance Directive to Refuse Treatment
•   any Advance Care Plan in place
•   where your Will is kept
•   funeral plan(s)
•   special wishes – e.g. plans for pets, social media, photographs, memories, etc.

Support

All the links will support you in your reflections and decision making.

Please also consider how you can support your loved ones to reflect on their own lives, plan for the future and how death and dying needn’t be a taboo subject any longer.

United, we can make a difference: Bill United

Talking to children about death - The death of someone close is one of the hardest things anyone has to face. It can be especially difficult to help a child manage their grief while you’re dealing with your own. Talking to a child about death can help them feel better supported and more secure. They may have fears or questions that they’re worried about bringing up. Read useful advice at https://www.mariecurie.org.uk/help/support/bereaved-family-friends/supporting-grieving-child/talking-to-children-about-death

Bereavement – the loss of a loved one can be devastating, however there is help and support available.  Remember grief is normal, it is the price we pay for love.  It is a process we travel through and it, it is different for everyone and it takes time.  You might experience anger, confusion, disbelief, regret, fear, loneliness.  It is important to talk about how you feel, be kind to yourself, do not neglect your physical health, eat, and sleep well, avoid turning to alcohol or cigarettes.

There are no rules, grief and loss are individual and a normal reaction, please take care of ‘you’ and when you can’t ask for help bereavement support page on the NHS Warrington CCG website.

Happy ok sad https://happyoksad.warrington.gov.uk/

Kind to your mind https://kindtoyourmind.org/  

How to be happier https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/feel-better-and-happy/