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Carers of the Year Awards 2010 - Nominate Today

The closing date for nominating a Carer for Carers of the Year and Young Carer of the Year is fast approaching and people who wish to nominate a Carer for these awards are being urged to do so before the closing date of September 10th 2010.

The Carers of the Year Awards are about recognition for Carers and placing a value on the wonderful work that they do everyday in their homes sometimes unnoticed and often unsupported. Family Carers provide over 3.5 million hours of care every week in the home for their loved ones saving the state over 2.5 billion a year.

There are two categories of Carers within the Awards Ceremony; a Carer of the Year and Young Carer of the Year. Young Carer refers to a Carer under 18 years who provides care for a loved on in the home.

There are incredible people all over the country today providing high levels of care for their loved ones at home and we want you to tell us about them. By nominating a Carer for our awards you are recognising their tremendous value and worth in our society and helping us to thank them for their unconditional love and support for their loved ones.

You can nominate your Family Carer for the Carers of the Year Awards 2010 the following ways:

• Nominate Online at www.carersireland.com
• Freephone our Careline to request a form 1800 24 07 24
• Contact your local Carers Resource Centre to request a form (Please see contact details at back of newsletter)

For any other enquiries please contact Lee Anne Greville on 057-9370218 or email lgreville@carersireland.com

Pre Budget Briefing Budget 2011

The Carers Association will hold their pre budget briefing for Oireachtas members on Wednesday October 13th 2010.

During the briefings The Carers Association will set out our priorities for Budget 2011:

• To maintain all Carer payments at their current level including Carers Allowance, Half Rate Carers Allowance, Carers Benefit and the Respite Care Grant;
• Need to improve respite care provision and ensure Family Carers are offered regular planned respite most suited to their needs
• Need to protect frontline supports and care services
• Support and protect the Health and Wellbeing of Family Carers
• Publish the National Carers Strategy.

The Carers Association AGM

The Carers Association A.G.M. will take place on Saturday 27th November at 11.30am. The A.G.M. will be held in the Heritage Hotel, Portlaoise, Co. Laois.

Open Your Eyes — Open Your Lens — HSE Elder Abuse Short Film Competition

The HSE in partnership with Dept of Health & Children, The Carers Association, Age Action, Alzheimers Association, Garda Siochana and Active Retirement has established a committee which is working to highlight the issue of Elder Abuse & promoting availability of supports and services to people who need them. One of the key projects to raise awareness is the Open Your Eyes Short Film Competition.

A full list of rules are available on the HSE website www.hse.ie. Entries will be judged by a panel of five people including George Hook, Broadcaster. Closing date for entries is Friday, October 29th 2010.

Please email all queries to openyoureyes@hse.ie with “Elder Abuse Prevention Youtube Competition” in the subject line.

Tell a Friend about Membership Competition!!

We are delighted to announce our “Tell A Friend” Membership Competition running through to November 19th 2010. If you’re an active Member of The Carers Association, all you have to do is “Tell A Friend” to join too and each of you will have a chance to win a 2-night weekend stay at the Lyrath Estate Hotel, Kilkenny.

These wonderful prizes include two nights accommodation in an Executive Room for Two Adults with Full Irish Breakfast each morning plus Dinner on one evening of your choice. Set amid 170 acres of mature parkland and just 1.2km from Kilkenny City, Lyrath Estate Hotel offers the ultimate in luxury, elegance and style. The hotel provides a sanctuary in which to rest, relax and dine.

Remember, there are two draw prizes to be won—one draw for active Members who Tell A Friend and another draw for new Members who sign up. So for an active Member, the more people you can get to join the more chances you have to win a prize.

Membership is open to all Family Carers, Former Carers, Health Professionals and all Other Individuals who are interested in the issues of Family Carers and The Carers Association. Through their involvement with us we will listen and advocate on the issues that affect Family Carers in Ireland.

So go on and Tell a Friend today to join The Carers Association. Membership is €25 for 5 years which includes a Discount Card (renewable) for Goods and Services across Ireland.

To request a Membership Form please contact Karen Phelan, Membership Officer by phone or email. State your name and where possible Membership Number and make sure to say it is for the “Tell A Friend Competition” . The membership form will be posted to your Friend for completion.

Call: 056-7753600 or Email: kphelan@carersireland.com

Closing date for entries is November 19th 2010. This competition will also be advertised on our Website and Facebook page. So don't delay, Tell a Friend today!

Fundraising News

Laois, Dungarvan, Clonmel and Kerry Mini Marathons 2010

Below are dates and locations for our upcoming Mini Marathons taking place across the Country in September & October. Promised to be a great day out for all runners, joggers, walkers and wheelchair users.

Laois Mini Marathon — The Maldron Hotel, Portlaoise on Sunday September 12th at 12noon

Dungarvan Mini Marathon — The Park Hotel, Dungarvan on Sunday September 26th at 12 noon.

Clonmel Mini Marathon — Hotel Minella, Clonmel on Sunday October 10th at 3pm

Kerry Mini Marathon — The Brandon Hotel, Tralee on Sunday October 17th at 12 noon.

Register for any of the above Mini Marathons in the following ways:

Register Online: www.carersireland.com or request a form by phoning the relevant number: Laois Centre — 057 8661112 Waterford Centre — 051-857970 Clonmel Centre — 052-6170454 Kerry Centre — 066-7121399

Last call for the International Walk

Beautiful Lake Garda, Verona and Venice await you as our International Walk volunteers explore the best of the Veneto Region October 23-30th 2010. Let us help you raise €2,990 to support our services for Family Carers and come away with us to Italy. Call Annette at 086 8393964 for more details.

Do us a Favour!

Instead of giving wedding favours to guests, many couples these days prefer to make a donation to their chosen charity. This special gesture of support is very much appreciated by The Carers Association. So if you know anyone planning to wed, please recommend us and we will create personalised table cards for the reception, acknowledging the Bride and Groom’s special contribution.

Training News

Carers across the Country are experiencing the benefits of taking a day away from their Caring responsibility as they participate in various topic specific workshops Nationwide. These workshops are part of the proposal for funding submitted by The Carers Association to Pobal under the Dormant Accounts Training for Carers Measure.

Throughout August, Carers have attended workshops in the following areas - Patient Moving and Handling, Stress Management, Nutrition, Continence Management and a half day Information and Discussion Group on Rights and Entitlements for Carers.

Below is some feedback received to date by Carers who attended the workshops

“I will feel more relaxed and able to cope better”

“This training has helped me with my day to day routine”

“The Stress Management Training will help me deal with stress when things are a bit tough”

“I hope to be calmer and not convey a feeling of stress to my mother”

“Help to calm the cared for person. I feel I have more tolerance now through using the breathing exercises I have been taught”

“This training will help me to stay more relaxed and the knock on effect will do the same for the person I am caring for”

For more information on upcoming September/October courses for Carers contact our Training Unit on 057-9322920.

Massage Awareness Week 1st—7th November 2010

The Irish Massage Therapists Association (IMTA) will again partner with The Carers Association during Massage Awareness Week from November 1st—7th 2010. A 30 minute massage by donation of €10 for The Carers Association will be offered to Family Carers through our participating Carers Resource Centres. More detailed information of dates and locations will follow on our website and in the October Take Care Newsletter. In the meantime, contact your local Carers Resource Centre if you would like to register your interest in a massage during Massage Awareness Week. (List of phone numbers at end of newsletter)

Special New Feature — A Day in the Life of a Family Carer

If you’d like to share a day in your life with readers of this newsletter, we’d love to hear from you. Please send your ‘Day in the Life of a Family Carer’ (600 words) to kphelan@carersireland.com or post to Karen Phelan, The Carers Association, Priors Orchard, Johns Quay, Kilkenny.

My name is Carolyn Akintola, I am forty six and I’m caring for my mum, Elsie, seventy-two, who’s got Chronic Kidney Disease and is on peretonitial dialysis at home. Mum also has Arthritis, Diverticular Disease and now has Parkinson’s Disease. She is only barely mobile indoors, her balance is poor and she shakes badly. She uses a powered wheelchair outdoors. What makes me slightly different I suppose is, I am a wheelchair user and have significant health issues too. I have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a genetic collegen defect. This means I dislocate joints easily, tear skin for nearly no reason and have a heart valve, respiratory problems, arthritis, hypertension and multiple serious allergies. The staff at several A&E dept’s and I are on first name terms by now! Apart from that I am in perfect working order!!

Anyway, here we go…..a day in my life…..

Its 6am on a bright, dry Monday morning and Mum’s just out of hospital following another peritonitis, her third. I came home from shopping to find her on the floor with a dreadful fever. She was very ill. Remembers nothing of the Ambulance crew or A&E. She is frail and very scared. Scared of becoming sicker and most of all scared of ending up in A&E again. Anyway as she is awake I get her some tea, then she does her first dialysis exchange of the day. When she’s done that I get her showered and changed and she goes back to bed to Morning Ireland. Meanwhile I am taking in the fourth load of washing from the line. How come so many loads by such an early hour? I am watching Mum like a hawk, wary of her developing another infection and if she does I want to get on top of it as soon as possible. What carer doesn't have loads of laundry?? It was a nice, dry, windy night, perfect for drying. Mind you, if my neighbours had seen me hanging clothes on the line during the night they would have been seriously doubting my sanity!

I take ‘Dougal’ the dog for a walk. This is a very important forty-five minutes for me. Gets me outside in the air, gives me the chance to clear my head and meet other dog owners for a chat. Caring can be lonely and isolating, so I grab at all contact I can. Now it’s a busy morning, Mum’s dialysis supplies are due to be delivered. So many boxes of Dialysis Fluids, dressings, paper towel, sterile surface wipes, sanitizing hand gel, adhesive tape, sterile saline etc. My spare room looks like a pharmaceutical factory. I am expecting a technician to fix a malfunctioning control console on my powered wheelchair. Without a good, strong, robust wheelchair I cant function. Bear in mind, my chair does not do all the things I need to do, I do all of Mum’s errands in it too. I don't drive…..

At 10am I pop out to the doctors surgeries to pick up our prescriptions and drop them into the pharmacy to be filled. As our prescriptions are so large and detailed, I call the pharmacy the day before to warn them that I’m bringing in our prescriptions. I do some grocery shopping while I’m waiting, collect prescriptions and home within a couple of hours. Honestly I could do with a trailer on the back of my wheelchair what with the shopping and six carrier bags from the pharmacy! Once home I start planning lunch. Now that’s a saga as Mum’s kidneys don't work she cant eat lots of foods. Mum’s diet has to be High Calorie, High Protein, Low Phosphorous, Low Potassium and Low Sodium. By the time I figure out something we can both eat (I’ve a nut allergy) we are almost not hungry. But needs must and I cook a meal that’s high in protein but low in potassium.

Of course I need to watch Mum’s medication, kidney patients are so unstable, the slightest error in a medication can be fatal. I need to remind her to take her Phosphate Binders and she’s due a Folic Acid Pill and an Arenesp Injection which helps her to produce red blood cells reducing anaemia. Mum’s now very tired, so I see her back to bed to listen to Liveline on radio and have some sleep and I clear up after lunch. Whoever it was who persuaded me to get a dishwasher, thank you. One of life’s great inventions! When Mum sleeps in the afternoon, if there nothing important to be done, so do I. Its nice to catch up on some lost shut eye. I get up refreshed, sort laundry, get light housework done and start the evening meal. Mum will only have a snack and I have to keep a good eye on her fluid intake as if someone gets fluid overload they get breathless they are at a high risk of a heart attack.

We watch TV in the evening, we don't share the same tastes! I hate Soaps, Mum loves them so we have some banter there. Mum goes to bed early so I have the evenings to myself which I realise that I’m a very lucky carer in that regard. I don't stay up late, I’m a morning person. By this time I too am very tired, take my own medication and go to bed. Of course, as most carers will tell you, I sleep with one eye open as I am always listening out for Mum. I’m wary of her falling and with Parkinsons her balance is poor. I’m not complaining, I love caring for Mum. I realise that I am very lucky to have this time with her and this closeness to her. No its not easy, I never expected it to be but anything worthwhile is never easy.

I highly value the assistance, support and advice from Cathy and all at the Clondalkin Carers Centre. It’s a lifeline. Another fantastic support structure for us is the local Community Gardai. They call in regularly for a coffee and to check we are okay. Wishing all Family Carers out there all the very best in the world. You deserve it! May God bless and protect you all.

Carolyn M. Akintola

Membership Services

Become a Member of The Carers Association and support Family Carers.

A strong membership is vital to achieve our vision of a better life for family Carers. We urge Ireland’s family Carers and those interested in the issues family Carers face to join our Membership and have your voice heard by helping us campaign for better supports, equality and a better quality of life for family Carers.

Joining is simple, to request a Membership form contact Karen Phelan, Membership Officer, on 056-7753600, join Online at www.carersireland.com, call our Freephone Care Line 1800 24 07 24 or contact your local Carers Resource Centre to request a Membership Application Form.

Through your involvement with us, we will listen and advocate on the issues that affect family Carers in Ireland. If you are already a member, please invite a Carer you know or someone interested in the issues facing family Carers to join and add their voice to our Membership Campaign.

Renew your Membership Discount Card

If you are an existing Member and you would like to renew your Membership Discount Card please contact our Membership Officer, Karen Phelan. Your discount card is valid for one year from date of joining and costs €10 to renew. Once you have received your discount card, log onto www.countdown.ie, register your card and view more special offers available in your area. Countdown also have an E Newsletter that you will received once you provide them with an email address. Their E Newsletter will keep you up to date of any new special offers that arrive.

To renew your Discount Card please contact: Karen Phelan, The Carers Association, Priors Orchard, Johns Quay, Kilkenny. Phone: 056-7753600 Email: kphelan@carersireland.com

Join us on Facebook!!

The Carers Association is on Facebook!! We now have almost 600 fans and we encourage people to suggest our Facebook Page to their friends. Become a fan of The Carers Association today on Facebook and join other family Carers and supporters of The Carers Association. Our page is updated regularly with news, photos and fundraising events taking place across the country.

Review — Outreach Project, Co. Mayo

This past March, The Carers Association launched an Outreach project in Co.Mayo. This was made possible by funding received from Baxter International Foundation to create a 2-year position to coordinate information sessions, support groups and training courses throughout the county. The main objectives of this project include:

• Creating awareness of The Carers Association for individuals providing in-home care to family members, friends and/or neighbours.
• Identifying family carers—male and female; young and old-within Co.Mayo and ascertaining their needs
• Helping to establish and/or support existing Carers’ groups
• Providing FETAC certified training in Practical Home Care Skills
• Enabling Mayo’s family carers to have a voice on a national level through membership of The Carers Association.

Since March, the project has raised awareness amongst family carers within the county through information meetings, press releases and radio interviews. As a result, membership within the county is beginning to grow rapidly. A growing membership creates a louder voice for family Carers. The project has formed alliances with the HSE, Co. Mayo VEC and several local community groups to help achieve its goals.

Training

This September will see the start of several Training Courses to be held throughout the county:

• A FETAC Level 5 course in Care for the Older Person and Work Experience begins September 1st in Achill.
• Three FETAC Level 5 courses in Practical Home Care Skills are organised for the following areas: Mayo Abbey 13th September, Achill 14th September & Charlestown 15th September 2010.
• Additionally, several one day Stress Management Courses are being organised throughout the county for this Autumn.

Support Groups

The County Mayo project is working closely with established Carers Support Groups in Claremorris and Mulranny. In the coming months, the project plans to engage with other established groups within the county and to begin forming additional support groups in areas where need has been identified by the Carers themselves. Additionally, will be launching a support group for Male Carers in the county in September.

This is made possible through funding from the Lottery Grants. The project will continue to branch out throughout the county in the coming months. If you require further information on any of the organised courses or would like to something organised in your area please feel free to contact the Co Mayo Outreach Coordinator Eileen McNamara on 086 3775702 or at carersmayo@carersireland.com.

Contact Your Nearest Resource Centre