Page 20 - link magazine

Care at Christmas 19
Volunteers needed to widen
Christmas time opportunities
horizons to be involved

Two organisations who need your help in December
Could you give some time to help someone with learning difficulties Swindon Christians Against Homelessness (Caring At Christmas)
enjoy the activities you take for granted? needs volunteer to sort clothing, prepare vegetables and cook meals,
MENCAP Community Access ordinator, says, "people often vol- and clean facilities from Christmas Eve to 28 December.
Project is looking for volunteers unteer because they want to do It would be helpful if you have your own car, though minibus
who will befriend adults with something worthwhile and are transport is provided in the eve-
learning difficulties, enabling them amazed at the enjoyment and sense nings. Expenses are paid on pro-
to do the things they really want to of being valued they get out of it." duction of a receipt. If you can CHIROPODIST
do. These include going to foot- To find out more, call 530154. help, contact Betty Spencer on
ball matches, attending evening 485483. Advanced Reflexologist
classes, darts and snooker, swim-
ming, and going out to the pub or Jubilee Gardens Stratton Age Concern is looking & Kinesiologist
for people to help deliver parcels
cinema. Christmas Open Day
Training and support is given to with the use of a vehicle, either as CLINIC AT HIGH STREET
volunteers, who are linked on a 5 December, 10am to 3.30pm driver or assistant on Friday 11 & WoorroN BASSETr
one-to-one basis with people of On Sale: houseplants, dried Saturday 12 December
similar interests. Expenses are flowers, chutneys , mince pies. The work starts at 11am at For an appointment with
paid. Church Bush Hall, Cricklade Kingsdown Youth Centre, Hyde Mrs Lesley Taylor ,
There are also optional group Road, Purton Stoke Road. You will be using a list of MBchA, Mssch, MIIR, ASKJ
events in the year where everyone Jubilee Gardens provides educa- addresses to deliver the parcels to
involved in the project can get to- tion and training for adults who homes. If you are driving you will
gether. Recent activities have in- experience learning difficulties, need a clean driving licence. Call (01793) 849914
cluded a skittles match, a Christ- through the development of horti- No expenses are paid. To volun-
mas disco and a trip to Longleat. cultural skills alongside literacy, teer, call Ethel Workman on 825078. anytime
Sarah Norris, Project Co- numeracy and social skills.
Angela Cracknell Chiropodist
Struggling to cope
Registered Nurse MSSCh MBChA t I, -
In response to our feature on mental health in the November Link,
we were contacted by a North Swindon mother to tell us about her 14"OM'& tMf/t' 4 a1oI/(C#re./rC ' .'..
experience of trying to care for her son. Telephone: 01793 613334 f
Sore
For the last 20 months, Sue Jones Steven is now spending part of Answermachine - all calls returned feet?
has been trying to come to terms, each week at Albion Street, a hos-
not only with her son Steven's tel that offers a halfway house to
schizophrenia, but also with the independent living, and the rest / I VERRUCAS &
lack of support and information with his family. REIKI (ray - key)
provided by the mental health sys- After 15 months Sue finally has WARTS (hands)
tem. a diagnosis, enabling her to read Experience the wonders A PROBLEM?
Steven was just 18 when, seem- about Steven's condition as she
ingly over the course of a few days, wanted to know more about his of Reiki energy Book your appointment with
he was transformed from a teen- behaviours and how to respond. 1 hour of relaxation, Martin Drew MBcHA, MSSch
ager full of life to a frightened and Perhaps surprisingly, Sue feels
confused stranger. He was admit- that the last 20 months have normal price: £20. CHIROPODIST
ted almost immediately to a men- changed her for the better. She Introductory offer, only £5
tal hospital. says she is now a calmer person, for stress/depression/back pain Children's verruca surgery open.
Sue is still haunted by his terri- but she lives with the constant nag- All other aspects of foot care
/_-
fied 'phone calls home, a terror ging worry of what would happen F.J. Taylor, Reiki Master catered for.
induced as much by association to Steven without his family's sup- Tel: (01793) 849914 Call free anytime on
with high-risk patients as his own port. 0800 7316879
illness. The family's first experi- From her experiences, Sue be- or 07775 932984 Home visit service or come to our ,-. 7
ence of inpatient care was ex- lieves that Steven has more chance Reiki training available at all levels Home ir
modem town centre surger
tremely disturbing and distress- of recovery living in the commu-
ing. nity than in an institution where
"What I find hardest," said Sue, he has so little contact with normal
"is that with cancer patients some- life. "Care in the community is a SWINDON MOBILITY CENTRE
one takes you into a quiet room brilliant idea, but you've got to put FOR ALL YOUR NEEDS
and tells you what is happening the things behind it to support it." ELECTRIC AND MANUAL WHEELCHAIRS, SCOOTERS
and what can be done. With a What would have helped her
mental illness you get none of that." most would have been to be told * New and used machines - 30 in stock
Having just been made redun- from the start by professionals of
dant, Sue was able to give her son what was likely to happen. She * Repairs servicing accessories
both the time and the financial also feels that all new carers should * Stairlifts: new and reconditioned
support he needed in the months be told about available support, * Bath aids and walking aids
that followed. After four weeks in such as she now receives from Fo- * Everything for the disabled and elderly
hospital without any obvious cus on Carers and Self Help, and * 24 hour call out
progress, Steven came home. Sue encouraged to use it. We
had no information, no profes- If you are caring for someone For emergency service telephone: a macftffie
sional support for herself as a carer. with mental health problems and 01367 253642 anytime for your
"All I wanted was help. I needed would like support for yourself, hotidays
to understand the illness, the ef- you can contact Focus on Carers Office hours telephone: 01793 423484
fects of the medication, the poten- and Self Help on 531133. Or call in at Unit 21 Axis Business Centre Westmead
tial outcome." (Names have been changed)