22 June 2018 News

22 June 2018 News

News

Information NOW
What is frailty?
The Age Old Question

Research & Reports

  • Fair access to eye treatment in the NHS
  • Newcastle Park Run contributes to healthy living
  • Centre for Ageing Better digital report

Opportunities for Action

  • Tyneside Crowd event
  • Scotswood natural community garden workshops

Resources

Great Exhibition of the North 2018 (GNM: Hancock) guided tours

This week’s events & activities at a glance

Twelfth Night
Gosforth Park annual open day

New and updated on Information NOW this week!

Updated articles 
Dementia
Fitness
Day trips and visits (EC outings with a concessionary bus pass)
Alcohol
Drugs and Alcohol
Addictions
Fraud and Scams

New and updated Updated organisations
Newcastle Can
FoodCycle Byker
Fawdon, Coxlodge and District History Society
Natural History Society of Northumbria


News

Information NOW

We were recently in touch to tell you that Information NOW is launching a new email service and we’d like you to subscribe the new list to receive it.  Please click on this link   We are planning special editions on volunteering, housing and care including advocacy starting this month.  We have just updated the following article on alcohol to help people become more aware of how to manage alcohol consumption as well as dementia highlighting risk factors such as diet and exercise.

What is frailty and What does it mean to you?  25 July, noon to 1.30 pm Good Space, Commercial Union House, Pilgrim Street, (opposite Tyneside Cinema)

Frailty is a term used in the health service but it is not one that many older people fully understand or are comfortable with. Lesley Bainbridge, the Lead Nurse for frailty in the Newcastle Gateshead CCG would like to meet with older members of the public to discuss the term. This event is in conjunction with the Elders Council and places are limited as it includes a light lunch. Please contact Barbara Douglas or ring 0191 2082701 before 29th June.


Research & Reports

The Age Old Question

The Royal Society for Public Health in partnership with the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation has reported that there are significant ageist attitudes across the UK.  The report highlights how ageing is viewed by many as a period of decline and ordeal.

Key findings of the report include:

  • Ageist views are held across the generations, but are most prevalent among those aged 18-34 years
  • Almost a third of the public (30%) believe “being lonely is just something that happens when people get old”, while a quarter (25%) of 18-34 year olds believe it is “normal” for older people to be unhappy and depressed
  • Two in five 18-24 year olds (40%) believe there is no way to escape dementia as you age.

Newcastle Park Run contributes to healthy living

You will be aware that Newcastle’s Exhibition Park has hosted the Park run (along with numerous venues across the North East) for a few years.  The Park Run UK team have published a report which reveals through case studies and activity the great impact they are having with fitness, friendship and healthy living.  The Park Run welcomes runners from 4 years (juniors) to elderly runners.  They also have a great volunteering ethos and welcome teenagers through to older people too.

Read our Information NOW articles on fitness, benefits of keeping physically active  and 10 tips for good health.

The Centre for Ageing Better has launched a digital report

While more older people are accessing the internet than ever before, 4.8 million people over the age of 55 are not online –  often those with the lowest levels of health, wealth and education.A new report from The Centre for Ageing Better, ‘The digital age: new approaches to supporting people in later life get online’, identifies an urgent need for new approaches to supporting people in later life to get online. It urges government, companies and organisations to ensure that the most vulnerable people don’t get locked out of essential services and benefits. The report makes a number of statements including:

  • that we need to see the internet as an enabler of access to information, services, better deals and cheaper goods; and can help to improve well being, access to social connections, financial security and health.
  • we need to increase confidence to use the internet safely (fear may be the biggest barrier)
  • provision needs to be ongoing and open-ended.

Information NOW has several articles about digital technology and how to keep safe online.  Classes are offered by:
Search and Get Online Newcastle or ring 0191 2774100.  You can also try Digital North.


Opportunities for action

Fair access to eye treatment in the NHS

The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Eye Health and Visual Impairment (an informal group) has published their report “See the light:improving capacity in NHS eye care in England.” which states that people are experiencing avoidable sight loss and consequently a loss of independence owing to a shortfall in the services provided.  This is partly because NHS England does not officially commission the services which may lower their priority within the Trusts. The report claims that some of the people disadvantaged are those with glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and wet-age related macular degeneration.  Are you having problems accessing services?  Contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service or Healthwatch Newcastle and read the Information NOW article on visual impairments

Tyneside Crowd Event;  25th June at 5.00pm,  Bewick Hall, City Library,  NE1 8AX

You are invited to join  the launch of Tyneside Crowd, a new Crowdfunding platform where people in the Tyneside area can collaborate on creative and innovative projects to improve and celebrate the places where they live, work and study.

From music festivals to art installations, guerrilla gardening to pop up markets, if you have an idea to make your place even better, they want to hear from you. Projects that can show they have local support might be able to attract additional funding of up to £5,000 from Tyneside Crowd partners.

Register for free and for more information contact Victoria Powell on or 0191 277 3598.

Scotswood natural community garden, four workshops on a Friday, from 10 – 12.30 pm in July or August

Take an opportunity to learn more about all things edible in the garden and the importance of bees.  Book to attend on a Friday in July or August.  Email Leanne at Scotswood natural community garden or ring.


Resources

Great Exhibition of the North 2018 (GNM: Hancock)

Four free tours have been arranged for different communities who may need particular help to access and enjoy the exhibits at the Great North Museum.

16 places are available on each tour which includes support workers, guides or assistants.

27 June, 3.30 to 4.30 pm; a tour for blind, partially sighted and visually impaired people with a guide and access to audio descriptions.  Book by Monday 25th June (see details below).
4 July, 3.30 – 4.30 pm; a tour for people with learning disabilities or who consider themselves to be on the autistic spectrum.
The tour guide will have received training in communicating with a wide range of people and will be able to answer most questions that may be posed about the exhibition.  Book by Monday 2nd July (see details below).
10 July, 3.30 -4.30 pm; A tour for older people or those have dementia. The tour guide will be aware of specific communication and interpretation issues that older people may have and therefore the tour will cover as much of the exhibition as possible in the time available. Book by Friday 6th July (see details below).
18 July, 3.30 -4.30 pm; A tour for Deaf and people who have significant hearing loss. The tour guide will have worked with communication support including BSL interpreters.  Book by Wednesday 4th July  (see details below).

Contact and book by email with Robert Latham or ring on 0191 277 2313.  You can email through the website.

Why not check out the Innovation, Design and Arts Trails for the Great Exhibition of the North.

This week’s events and activities

To search for events and activities to suit your needs, just type in one of the search boxes

Search on day of the week for instance, Thursday, Saturday
Search by location eg Denton and Westerhope (Council Ward changes May 2018)
Search by type eg music

If you’d like us to include a category of events or you are an organiser that would like to include some of your activities, then contact us at Information NOW

Remember to look at the weekend events too.  Coming up this weekend: The Great North Contemporary Craft Fair

Twelfth Night in aid of Northumberland Wildlife Trust

The HandleBard’s, the world’s first cycling theatre company, will be performing at Northumberlandia. This is a fundraising event for Northumberland Wildlife Trust.  They pedal from venue to venue with all the set, props and costumes necessary to perform environmentally sustainable Shakespeare.  Book here

For more Shakespeare (Romeo & Juliet) by the HanldleBards visit their website. Includes events at Raby Castle, Darlington: the Cycle Hub, Quayside and Hexham Abbey.

Gosforth park annual open day, Saturday 30th June

The Natural history society of Northumbria are holding an annual open day on 30th June, 10.30 to 3.30. Learn about the fauna and flora of one of the best places to watch wildlife in the Newcastle area.
Contact Clare Freeman 0191 208 2792.

 

Last updated: July 4, 2018