The Domiciliary Care Service supported Naomi to help build her confidence and improve her well-being after spending time in hospital, experiencing Mental Health issues.
At first an assessment took place and Naomi was very open about her past Mental Health issues, and the help she needs organising her paperwork and ensuring she attends her health appointments. Naomi is registered blind and finds it hard in life to do the daily tasks that we complete quite easily.
A professional friendly approach works well and Naomi takes the lead with planning activities for the day. Ordering prescriptions, G.P. visits and picking up medication and prompting Naomi to take medication is very important to her and with a little help finds it much easier to cope.
Naomi likes to go to the shops and is supported whilst out in the community to cross roads safely and Naomi will gently hold your arm for reassurance, whilst in the shops we help Naomi check her change and expiry dates on food.
Some days trips out that Naomi would not have been able to do without support were to the Botanical Gardens and the Garden Centre.
Naomi is a very kind person who was recently supported by us to go to the hairdressers to have 14 inches of her hair cut off in aid of a charity. The hair is sent off to make wigs for people who have suffered from cancer.
Naomi attends the Church, and is involved in volunteer work, and asked if we had any voluntary work placements, this was one of her goals when we started working together, Naomi has the name and number and is going to ring and speak to the Hub.
Naomi’s looks so well and happier and her confidence has grown since being supported by Midland Mencap.
Naomi feels much better and she is on top of most things and is attending all of her appointments. She now feels her Mental Health is managed well and she can now see the signs if she needs to seek medical attention.
Find out more about our Domiciliary Care Service by calling 0121 442 2944 or by visiting our website
Midland Mencap launches new app
We are always looking for ways to make getting involved with Midland Mencap as easy as possible. This is why we are very pleased to be introducing ‘Midland Mencap – on the Go’ our brand new online booking system which will give people more control over the sessions and activities that they or their family may wish to access.
The quick and easy app, which can be accessed via your smartphone, tablet, computer and the Midland Mencap website will make it easier to book and pay for sessions, meaning you have more time for other things!
As well as booking and paying for sessions the app will also keep you updated on all things Midland Mencap and will support you to browse all the other amazing services we have to offer.
The Children & Young People team will be trialling the app to begin with but very soon you’ll be able to book many more services and activities including community activities, carer support programmes, training opportunities and our gardening service to name just a few.
Please feel free to contact Gemma Weston on 0121 245 1500 if you have any questions.
You can download the app here:
As a member of the Save Our Support Alliance we have lobbied Birmingham City Council to not make any cuts to services that support vulnerable citizens in Birmingham. We have supported citizens to participate in the consultation to ensure their voice is heard. We have also written to every Birmingham Councillor explaining why we believe the cuts are discriminatory, unfair and unnecessary and that cuts will cost the Council more in the long term.
Learn more from this BVSC article
Midland Mencap’s Family Carers Information Service & Carers Emergency Response Team are pleased to be developing a partnership with the new Rare Disease Centre at Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
Last thursday we handed over a collection of baby clothes and baby quilts for the Neo-natal Surgical Ward and Rare Disease Centre. These Baby clothes were kindly donated by Boots Mini Club (Birmingham St Andrews Store)and quilts donated by Project Linus UK.
These were handed over by Georgina Gabriel of Midland Mencap’s Family Carers Information Service to Sister Janet Greenley Turberville of Birmingham Children’s Hospital, Rare Disease Centre.
The new centre is a first in Europe and staff from both teams have been working closely with the team at BCH to develop a connection to support families with information, advice and guidance on a range of issues, provide access to short break opportunities and emergency back-up support is amongst the support on offer.
Everyone is exited to develop this partnership throughout 2017 and beyond.
Find out more about the Birmingham Childrens Hospital here
Or find out more about the Family Carers here
This morning thirty people from Midland Mencap took part in a litter pick on Weoley Castle near to our Community Hub in Bottetourt Road. The litter pick was organised to support Birmingham City Council’s #CleanerBrum initiative which encourages local citizens to help the Council by clearing litter and rubbish in their neighbourhood.
Taking part in the litter pick is just one activity from Midland Mencap’s April campaign which is all about promoting good well-being. We wanted to encourage people to think about and better understand that living in safe, clean environments is a very important part of good well-being. We also wanted people with a learning disability to have an opportunity to participate as active citizens within the communities where they live making a positive difference to community life. Everyone who took part saw this as a great opportunity to do something positive for their community, help improve the environment, work together as a team and feel good about what had been achieved.
So armed with litter grabbers, gloves and bin bags we enthusiastically set off in three teams to clear the immediate vicinity of Bottetourt Road. After just one hour we had filled an incredible thirty five refuse sacks of litter which included tin cans, bottles, fast food packaging and some oddities such as boxing gloves, children’s toys and bicycle tyres. We also cleared household refuse and furniture that had been fly-tipped.
By the end of the litter pick we could really notice the difference that had been made but nearly everyone was shocked by the amount of litter collected from a relatively small area. With that in mind nearly everyone said they would like to make the litter pick a regular event to try to keep on top of the litter problem. When we were clearing away a local neighbour came and thanked us for trying to make a difference which was a lovely way for our thirty volunteers to round off a great community activity.
As a consequence of austerity cuts more and more people with a learning disability are becoming socially isolated and risk becoming excluded from society. At Midland Mencap our support services seek to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to be included, to be an active citizen, and enjoy good health and well-being.
Learn more in this BBC article
Mary Hunt uses our Sitting Service. Mary is unable to go out alone, as her anxiety causes her to suffer from panic attacks. When Mary steps outside her door, she likes to be greeted with a friendly face. Mary holds onto the support workers arm for reassurance, when they arrive, but gradually walks around alone, with the support of her walking stick.
Mary is gaining confidence with every visit and is building her confidence to access the community. Mary has been supported to Birmingham Registry Office to obtain a copy of her Birth Certificate, which she lost many years ago. She was supported to complete the relevant forms and is really pleased that she now has her birth certificate to use as ID.
We have also supported Mary to attend her appointments at the Q.E. Hospital. Mary had previously tried to go alone and when she arrived at the hospital she could not face going into the hospital alone, turned around and got straight back into the same taxi. With our support Mary has successfully attended her appointment thus improving her health and well-being.
We halve also supported Mary to travel to Kings Heath to open a bank account so that she can pay her bills easier.
With our support to promote and encourage her confidence and independence Mary know likes to have a chat and a coffee in a café. She also likes to sit in the park and have her lunch and loves to go out looking around the charity shops.
Mary likes using our service, she feels “ It’s good to have someone with me for support and reassurance”, her confidence has increased and she feels more able to access the community on her own.
The consequences of cuts to services often go way beyond the obvious, and have devastating affects on families. The loss of community prevention services in Birmingham will only make things worse in the future. That is why Midland Mencap continue to say #SaveOurSupport
Learn More in this BBC article
We recently attended a disability equality event with Birmingham MP for Yardley Jess Phillips. We joined with Jess in saying to the Government unfair and unjust #NoPIPcuts. At Midland Mencap we remain totally opposed to any cuts in services or welfare benefits that undermine the health, well-being and right to a life for people with a learning disability and all vulnerable citizens affected.
Find out more on the twitter hashtag #NoPIPcuts
There are major problems in funding, recruitment and the capacity of care providers to make ends meet, more evidence that the chronic under-funding of social care will only rebound on vulnerable citizens and good providers, we’re no longer shaping a market, we’re watching it implode.
Read more in this BBC article