In touch

In the early hours of Friday, 24 June, it was confirmed that the UK had voted to leave the European Union.

Whether you were a ‘leave’, ‘remain’ or a ‘simply don’t know’, it’s fair to say that the result was quite a shock. It resulted in chaos in the financial markets, mud-slinging in the media and a complete overhaul of the country’s political leadership.

Despite this flurry of activity, the process of leaving the EU may take some time. In fact, it will be at least two years before the UK actually ‘Brexits’.

Even so, all the changes may have left some people feeling anxious, particularly about finances and residency rights. If this includes you, we wanted to take this opportunity to reassure you – there will be no immediate changes to any laws so you don’t need to take any action right now.

Protecting your financesIf you are worried about your finances, get in touch with your pension provider, bank or investment manager, or your financial adviser. You could

also take independent financial advice. You can find an adviser at unbiased.co.uk

Residency rightsIf you’re an EU citizen living in the UK or a UK citizen living abroad, your rights will stay exactly the same for the time being. If things change, you’ll have time to take action before any changes come into effect. In the meantime, if you experience any discrimination, contact your local Citizens Advice for help.

The important thing is not to worry. As Independent Age Director of Services, Lucy Harmer, says, “We are aware that many of you may be feeling concerned but want to reassure you that, for the moment, nothing has changed. We will continue to monitor the situation and keep you updated. We hope this gives you some peace of mind.”

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The newsletter for everyone involved with Independent Age

What Brexit means for you

August 2016 Issue 22

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All too often we only hear negative stories associated with care homes in the media, and this can overshadow the great work of many high quality homes.

Care Home Open Day, which fell on 17 June this year, is an annual initiative inviting care homes to open their doors to their local communities across the UK. It gives anyone who wants to the chance to go to a care home and make up their own mind.

Thousands of care homes take part each year, welcoming the public with the aim of building lasting links between care home residents and their local communities.

Many Independent Age staff members visited their local care homes to meet residents – and were pleasantly surprised by their experiences.

Independent Age Executive Assistant, Aga Szafran, says, “What struck me most was the story of one of the volunteers I met. His wife had been a long-term resident and he used to spend a lot of time visiting her. Sadly, she passed away six years ago, but he still comes to the coffee morning quiz every month to talk to residents who he met over the years.”

The Open Day initiative has helped many of our staff better understand what a good care home looks like, and the many challenges care homes face. You can read more about their experiences on the back page.

If you are in the process of choosing a care home, either for yourself or for a loved one, order our new advice guide, How to find the right care home. Visit independentage.org or call 0800 319 6789 for your free copy.

Care home initiative shows the other side of the story

Newsi

Have you struggled to talk to those closest to you about your wishes in terms of future care and living arrangements? Perhaps you’ve tried to find out the wishes of a spouse, sibling or friend only to find they didn’t want to talk about it.

According to our research, millions of people put off having these kind of conversations until a crisis – or never have them at all.

But making your wishes clear about who will look after you and where you want to live, if you become unable to cope alone, can make all the difference.

As Janet Morrison, Chief Executive of Independent Age, says: “For many people, having conversations about future care needs will never be easy.

But these are issues that only get more pressing with time.

“Cuts to social care budgets and a rapidly ageing population mean fewer people are receiving care from local councils, and older people are increasingly reliant on informal care from family members or left facing huge care bills. It’s far better to discuss the future together so everyone is clear about what the older person wants.”

If you are unsure about the options regarding care and housing in later life and would like to find out more, please call our Helpline on 0800 319 6789 or visit independentage.org/information

Millions avoid discussing future care

We are delighted to report that over 16,000 people signed our open letter calling on the government to urgently address the challenges facing our NHS and care services.

Our Campaigns Team delivered the letter to 10 Downing Street in May, along with one of the older people we support, Reg, from the South East (pictured right), who is a carer to his wife. We were also accompanied by representatives from the charity for disabled people, Leonard Cheshire Disability.

Decisive action is needed to make sure everyone has access to the care they need. Our letter called on the government to establish a commission to review the future of health and social care in England.

The fantastic response we have had clearly shows that many people are concerned about this pressing issue. We have since written a letter to the Health Minister, Jeremy Hunt, signed by 2,000 campaigners and will continue to put pressure on the government to act.

For more information about our campaign and to get involved, visit independentage.org/campaigning

Health and care campaign attracts thousands

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Information and advicei This section contains practical information about benefits and other issues

New website is a better resource for older people If you want to know the 20 questions we get asked the most at Independent Age, have a look at the information pages on our brand new website. You’ll find the answers to all those questions – and a lot more besides.

Our website, which launched in June, is full of useful information and resources. You can:

1. Find out if you are getting all the benefits you’re entitled to – we outline all the different benefits and explain who can get them.

2. Get tips on healthy living – there are things you can do to help yourself stay fit and healthy all year round. You can also find out about ways to avoid falls and what to do if you have one.

3. Watch our videos – our advisers explain how you can get extra help and support at home and also ways to pay for it.

4. Find out about adaptations and aids – sometimes just a few simple changes can make all the difference and help you to go on living independently in your own home.

5. Explore other housing options – find out what’s available if you think you need to move somewhere more suitable and what you need to look out for.

You can also contact us to arrange a regular call or visit from one of our volunteers. And you can download all our factsheets and publications for free. There are lots of links to other

organisations and services that might be able to help and support you as well.

If you haven’t visited our new website yet, have a look today at independentage.org

New guide helps those with depression Your mental health – how you think and feel – is just as important as your physical health. It can change with your situation and as you move into different stages of your life. If you experience low mood or depression, you’re not alone – depression affects one in five older people, and two in five people living in care homes.

However, depression isn’t simply a part of getting older and there is help available. Treatments can be very effective, no matter how long you’ve felt this way.

Depression doesn’t just mean feeling low. You may also feel hopeless, anxious or irritable; you may lose interest in things you previously enjoyed and have difficulty concentrating; or you may feel tearful and guilty, for instance. Physical symptoms include having no energy, sleeping problems and eating too much or too little.

Don’t be afraid to speak to your GP if you’re feeling depressed. Doctors aren’t just there for physical illnesses and will take your feelings seriously. They

will suggest an appropriate treatment, which could be a ‘talking therapy’, medication, self-help resources or a combination of these things.

There are things you can do to look after yourself too, such as talking to friends and family, looking after your physical health, staying active, and letting yourself do things you enjoy – such as going for a meal or to see a film.

If you’re feeling low or you’re worried about someone else, read our guide Dealing with depression, which looks at the signs and symptoms and where to go for help. For your free copy, call our Helpline on 0800 319 6789 or visit independentage.org to order or download it.

How to choose a care homeChoosing a care home for yourself or a relative can be very challenging, both emotionally and practically. Our new guide, How to find the right care home, simplifies the process with step-by-step advice on what to do and how to make your choice a personal one. Here’s a quick checklist to get you started.

1. Get a free care assessment and consider your optionsYour local council can assess your care needs to work out if a care home is the best option for you, and if so what type. The council will also check whether you qualify for help to pay the fees.

2. Work out how much you can afford to payA place in a care home can be expensive, especially if you need nursing care. Prices can also vary a lot from area to area.

3. Choose your preferred areaDo you want to stay where you are? Or maybe move closer to family or friends?

4. Get a list of available care homesAsk the council for a list, get personal recommendations, speak to your GP or look at an online directory (for example, housingcare.org).

5. Think about what matters to youMake a list of what you would like, divided into ‘essential’ and ‘desirable’.

6. Look at expert opinionsThe Care Quality Commission inspects and rates all care homes in England. Read their reports at cqc.org.uk.

7. Make a shortlist of care homes and visit themTake a checklist with you and consider things you couldn’t judge beforehand, like atmosphere and staff attitude. You might want to visit unannounced.

8. Arrange a trial stayLots of homes will offer this.

9. Check the contract and negotiate feesCheck things like how often the fees might increase, notice periods and complaints procedures.

You can order your free copy of How to find the right care home at independentage.org or call 0800 319 6789.

We would like to remind all our volunteers about our exciting national volunteer events that are coming up. These will include a guest speaker sharing insights about the early stages of dementia and the ways in which

our volunteers can help. The events will also include a panel discussion on loneliness, as well as opportunities to share experiences and give feedback. They will take place on the following days:

• Exeter, Saturday 24 September, 11am to 4pm

• Birmingham, Saturday 1 October, 11am to 4pm

• London, Saturday 8 October, 11am to 4pm

If you are an Independent Age volunteer and haven’t yet booked your free place on one of these events, please visit eventbrite.co.uk/e/national-volunteer-events-tickets-26170373291 or call us on 020 7605 4255.

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Other news and eventsi

Who doesn’t enjoy a cup of tea and a slice of cake? Our Big Tea is running from 1-8 October, so there’s plenty of time to gather your friends, family or colleagues together for a tea party to raise money for Independent Age.

One of the older people we support, 75-year-old Rita, has kindly agreed to share her story to help us promote this coming Big Tea.

After the untimely death of her husband from motor neurone disease when he was just 42, Rita struggled financially and even lost her home. She worked as a carer in residential homes for 10 years, but health problems led to her retirement at 60 and she found herself struggling to cope alone.

Fortunately, she got in touch with Independent Age and we not only helped her claim the benefits she’s entitled to, but also introduced her to one of our volunteer visitors, Ruth.

Rita says, “Ruth started to come just after I’d had my heart operation and I was so depressed, but she brought me right round... Ruth’s kindness and her understanding is the best thing. She’s a smashing person.

“I think Independent Age is the most wonderful thing in the world – I never knew anything like it existed. I feel a lot more independent now than I did before. I never thought that anybody would help the way they have.”

Help us to help thousands more older people like Rita. Order your free Big Tea pack today – it contains lots of ideas to help make sure your event is a success. Just call 020 7605 4288 or email tea@independentage.org

Enjoy a cuppa for Independent Age

Calling all volunteersDon’t miss out on your place

Being an Independent Age Volunteer Caller involves making a friendly call to an older person on a regular basis, usually lasting between 20 and 30 minutes.

One of the biggest advantages of this service is that distance isn’t an issue, so it’s a great way for us to reach older people who live in remote or rural places and it can help them enormously to have someone to talk to.

We are now looking to significantly increase our number of volunteer callers. If you are interested in applying, please call Telephone Services on 020 7605 4265 or email telephone.volunteers@independentage.org. Training takes place via a conference call and usually lasts an hour and a half.

Are you interested in becoming a volunteer caller?

Over 1 million older people in the UK haven’t spoken to anyone they are close to in the past month.

We’re looking for runners for Virgin Money London Marathon 2017, which takes place on Sunday, 23 April, to help us reduce loneliness and help make the UK the best place to grow older.

You’ll receive a customised running vest, fantastic fundraising materials and support, access to a social media forum and cheering fans at two points in the race – at nine and 20 miles.

If you have family or friends who want to take on the challenge – or you’re feeling up for it yourself – please get in contact on 020 7605 4288, email events@independentage.org or visit independentage.org

Get fit, raise money and combat loneliness

Rita and Ruth

Peoplei

Your sayWe asked some of our staff to tell us about their experience of visiting a care home on Care Home Open Day:

Nuria De Miguel, Services Volunteer Manager “I was surprised to find a care home just around the corner from my house. The

residents were really welcoming and pleased to have me around. We sang along with a singer who came in for the day, while a staff member was firing up a barbecue in the beautiful garden and another was setting up a nail station. The day was an eye-opening experience which I would recommend to everyone.”

John Thurston, Office Services Manager “The atmosphere was very positive and there were all sorts of well-organised social

activities, from Elvis impersonators to magicians. Staff encouraged residents to make use of the well-maintained gardens whenever possible. They were very dedicated and enjoyed spending time talking with residents. It was also uplifting to see visitors chatting to other people, not only their own relatives. It felt like a community.”

Clare Thorp, Head of Media and PR “Care Home Open Day is a great opportunity to help learn more about putting

older people at the heart of what we do. I’m glad I took time out of a busy day to find out more. The home I visited has two dedicated activity coordinators who put on numerous activities which residents are encouraged to take part in. There is also a bar in the garden where people can enjoy their favourite tipple!”

Do you want to receive this newsletter by email or on audio cd?Please let us know at services.admin@independentage.org or call 020 7605 4255.

New startersWe’d like to warmly welcome 61 new volunteers who have joined us since the last issue of In Touch. Huge thanks to each one of you for supporting Independent Age and making such a positive difference to the older people we support.