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The Cambscuisine Community Fund, as managed by Cambridge Community Foundation, has awarded Care Network a grant to help our delivery of the Community Navigator service.

The fund offers grants to support local voluntary groups, community groups and organisations that are undertaking charitable work with the aim to help people that face disadvantage and to those that engage and support local people, and therefore build stronger, healthier, inclusive and sustainable communities.

The Community Navigator Service offers a gateway to local support for any adult in Cambridgeshire looking for help to find their way. This is one of the ways we deliver our charity vision For communities and individuals to be empowered to live happier, healthier and independent lives.

For more information about the service and how our expert team can work with you and loved ones to consider your options, please visit https://care-network.org.uk/community-navigators-2

Thank you to Cambscuisine and the Cambridge Community Foundation.

Thank you to everyone who helped our Big Give Kind2Mind campaign last week, by making a donation or engaging with our social media posts. You helped us raise awareness of the support we can offer adults across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and £646 specifically toward delivering our Wellbeing service.

Your support means so much, thank you!

If you would like to receive our new supporter newsletter to hear about future opportunities and events, please email Corrina on fundraising@care-network.org.uk.

 

It’s here! Our new Community Navigator leaflet is now available to download or to order printed copies from our head office. Please send any requests to us at admin@care-network.org.uk.

The new design reflects our latest service, working with all adults in Cambridgeshire and in collaboration with our local partners, to provide tailored information and support to help people consider their options, access support, and make positive change.

Christmas can be a difficult time for many people for many reasons. For unpaid carers, the challenges of looking after someone, combined with the extra pressures of Christmas, can mean they just won’t get a break. We hear the message that Christmas is a time for family, festivities, and fun, but the reality of coping this time of year can be very different.

Here are some top tips from other carers and caring charities to help navigate this time of year:

• Try and plan as much as you can in advance, particularly if the person you look after likes or needs routine.

Think about what you both need and how you might be able to get it. Talk to family and friends, manage expectations, including your own! It’s ok to prioritise what’s best for you, even if others don’t seem to understand.

It can be reassuring to have an emergency plan in place, in case of an unforeseen event, such as if you were taken ill. Local charity partner Caring Together offer help with their ‘What If?’ planning tool. https://www.caringtogether.org/support-for-carers/adult-carers/emergency-planning

Think too about pharmacies and GP surgery opening times and where possible make sure you’ve got all the medication now that you need to see you through to the New Year.

• Self-care at Christmas

As a carer it’s important you try and get a rest over Christmas too. If you’ve got friends and family who could help, even for a couple of hours, don’t be afraid to ask them.  Many people don’t realise the impact caring can have but may be able to offer support if you explain.  Talk with your family and friends about how you’re going to approach Christmas as well as discussing any worries or concerns you have. Everyone being on the same page can help alleviate stress, reduce conflict, and make the festive period run smoother.

If it’s not possible for you to get a break, you may be able to get comfort and support by talking to other carers in the same situation. One way to do this over Christmas is through online groups and forums.  You can also use telephone helplines but check their Christmas opening times.

The charity Mind have some really helpful tips for coping at Christmas, covering a range of topics from coping with money worries to managing relationships. Understanding why you feel the way you do can be really helpful in starting to address it.

www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/christmas-and-mental-health/christmas-coping-tips

• Stay warm and well

It is important for both of you to stay healthy and warm. This fun and animated video take of the 12 days of Christmas from the NHS is a few years old now but many of the key messages still apply: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWt3DGzVDME

And there’s lots of local advice and resources here https://www.bewellcambridgeshire.co.uk/

• Know where to go for help if you need it

Some services are limited over Christmas or closed, so you and the person you look after may find it harder to access support if you need it. Try and find out in advance which local services will be available. You can contact Caring Together helpline on 0345 241 0954, or your local Community Navigator for help with this:

Cambridge city: 01223 300460

East Cambs: 01353 659639

Fenland: 01354 695208

Huntingdonshire: 01480 775493

South Cambs: 01954 212100

If you care for someone with dementia, Christmas can be a confusing and upsetting time. The Alzheimer’s Society have lots of good practical advice to help and their online community Talking Point is free and available over the holidays to connect with others in similar situations www.alzheimers.org.uk/blog/how-support-dementia-christmas

If you are concerned about the pressure of Christmas on your mental health, you can call the Mind Infoline on 0300 123 3393 for further information and signposting to local mental health support.

If you need to talk to someone right now, the following services are free, anonymous, and are always open:

• Call Samaritans on 116 123 (freephone)
• Text SHOUT to 85258. This is a free 24/7 crisis text service run by Shout

 

Wishing you a safe and happy Christmas ?

Find out how a gift to Care Network this Christmas can help us be there for local people and communities when they need us.  https://care-network.org.uk/funding-and-donations/

Thank you to all our supporters who give to Care Network all year round, whether through funds, volunteering your time and skills, or your friendship.

Merry Christmas! ?