OCTOBER 2001 THE CHEPSTOW AND CALDICOT CARERS' SUPPORT GROUP Telephone Patsy Lewis on 01291-420602 or Alison Short on 01291-623771 Dear Carers, Our meeting in September welcomed Corinne Williams from the Red Cross Carers Emergency Card Scheme and a new colleague, Sandy Cumner, who is now running the Red Cross Therapeutic Care. Sandy is new in post and came along to introduce herself. We have a Red Cross Therapeutic Care lady, Pam, at our meetings each month, but we also have two domicilary ladies, Judy and Anne, who go out to our carers homes to do some pampering, manicures and neck and shoulder massage. Please use this service it is wonderful to have your nails done and a massage! Let Alison Short know (Telephone number above) if you would like one of them to come to your home and give you a session. There is no charge, and normally they will come once a month for about four months. Corinne and Sandy also had a box of small aids that the Red Cross sell to the public. There were all sorts of things, like folding walking sticks, plate guards and grab sticks. They also have a catalogue containing a greater variety on mail order. I have one of these if you would like to see it. We will ask them to bring them along again. For those who do not know about the Emergency Card Scheme it is for carers who are concerned about what would happen if they are out and had an accident, suddenly became ill or were seriously delayed in getting home. This is a service that gives peace of mind and access to 24 hour, 7 days a week assistance. Carers register with the service by completing an enrolment form. This form holds information about you, the person you look after and the action tht needs to be taken in the event of an emergency. The Red Cross who run the service hold this information and you are then issued with a clip-on laminated card. The system is confidential. No personal details are held on the card, so that all identities are protected. The only means of identification is the serial number on the card. In an emergency the Red Cross respond by carrying out the instructions on the enrolment form. It may mean making a few phone calls on your behalf or putting a trained care attendant in to care for the person you look after until alternative arrangements can be made. It is like an insurance policy. You may never need it, but we all know how glad we are that we have a policy if anything ever happens!! If you would like to register with this scheme ring me. In the afternoon we welcomed Jasmine Grove from Monmouthshire Crossroads and Sandy Morris, the new Scheme Manager for Chepstow and Caldicot Crossroads. Sandy has just come into post and is busy meeting carers and other workers in the field at present. We wish her well in her new job. Jasmine told us about the new money that is now available through the National Strategy for Carers. This is respite care money which she and Sandy can now access to give Carers extra respite in addition what they are already having. It is also accessible through Age Concern. This money must be used otherwise the National Assembly will think that Carers do not want extra money for extra breaks - and we know that is not so! Contact any one of these numbers if you would like to have an extra break. Monmouthshire Crossroads: 01291-672750 Chepstow and Caldicot Crossroads: 01291-635632 Age Concern: 01291-673300 You do not have to have a doctor's letter or be referred from social services, you can go direct yourselves. We have a shopping trip to Bath on Tuesday November 6th. We shall be leaving Jubilee Way in Caldicot at 9:30am and returning about 5:00pm. If any one is interested in joining us please let me know. The price is £5. Please note the telephone numbers at the top of the newsletter. We are relinquishing our office at the Resource Centre from the end of September so the telephone will be disconnected. The rent has been increased and is likely to do so again. If you need to contact anyone, you can contact me. Patsy, on 01291-420602 or at Gray Hill surgery on 01291-420282 on Monday or Wednesday mornings. You can also contact Alison Short on 01291-623771. I am now working at Gray Hill Surgery on Monday and Wednesday mornings from l0:00am to 12:00 mid-day. Anyone, members or not, can come and see me there. Ring 01291-420282 for an appointment or take a chance and pop in. For transport to meetings contact Nan Smith on 01291-421665 or Alison Short on 01291-623771. Best wishes, Patsy Lewis.