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Berwick Area Heart Support Group
July 2004 Newsletter
NEXT MEETING JULY 7th At the DAY HOSPITAL BERWICK INFIRMARY
From 7.00pm – 9.00pmGuest Speakers Mandy,Michelle and Elaine from Cardiac Rehab at the Swan Centre are coming along to answer all the questions you have about cardiac rehab such as, What is cardiac rehab? What happens in a cardiac rehab program? How else can cardiac rehab benefit me? How can I learn more? Come along and get the answers to your questions and try some of the exercises
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On 2nd June, at our last meeting, our speaker was Marie McWilliams of Age Concern.
If we were specifically asked, “What does Age Concern do?” I would imagine that our individual, answers would vary greatly, either because of personal knowledge, or the fact that we were guessing, and say something like, they help the old, but it’s all a bit more involved than that Marie did come to explain projects that are currently on offer from Age Concern, and commenced by explaining that Age Concern Northumberland, like all other Age Concern groups are all independent of each other, but are all affiliated to Age Concern England.
But firstly I have to take exception to the fact that she has put me and many of you as well, into a group, and called us older people. Apparently the classification of an older person is 50+, and an older older person is 70+.
Now me, I’m only 35 + VAT and about 40% inflation, gradually noticing that my hair has gone from dark brown with some executive highlights of grey to nearly all grey with lots of white thrown in. But old! I don’t think so, it must have been that paper round I had as a kid. So Marie lass, just to let you know, that is not one of your better chat up lines, and I’ll wait until I’m 70 before admitting I’m getting older.
Joking apart, one of the main stays of the organisation is its information line. Open to all, dare I say it? older people, their helpers or families.This is a general information line, manned by volunteers, all trained by Age Concern, and is open Monday to Friday 10am to 1pm. Although it is based in Alnwick, calls are charged at the local rate, and the number is: - 0845950150.They can only give information of a general nature, and certainly not legal advice. Marie gave examples of “Yes” we can give information on Residential Homes, Stair lifts or Home Helps, but “No” to a legal matter like, If I sell my house, does the Tax Man need to know. But like all good people, whilst they cannot give this sort of advise themselves, they usually know a man that can, and will usually be able to tell you who to contact, or pass you onto an Organisation that deals with these matters.
The queries that are received are varied and diverse. Marie says it’s always nice to get a new query. If it cannot be answered at the time, someone will ring back later with an answer.
Also, and part of the same service, Age Concern have many leaflets covering the most common questions asked concerning us older persons, and some that are not so common. Hopefully Terry managed to rescue a list of the subjects covered, and will be reproduced it with this news letter, and you can see for yourselves how varied the subjects are. These can give legal advice and are kept up to date with current legislation. These leaflets also cover some leisure activities, and gives advice to people who might be a bit wary of going out on their own, or meeting new people for the first time, or just thinking of trying something new. Again this service is open to all.
Smoke alarms
One snippet if information, on smoke alarms. If you do not have one, contact either Age Concern or the Fire Service (Please don’t ring 999 for this), and the Fire Service will come and fit you one for free, with a 10 year battery.
Other Activities
Some other activities run by Age Concern in the Berwick area; -
- Aging Well classes.
- Social Day Care
- Lunch Club, This is at St. James Court, open to all, but you have to arrange this, you cannot just turn up without booking.
- Dementure Day Care, 3 days a week at Norham.
- Meals on Wheels
On all these subjects, please contact Age Concern for the full facts, also on the availability of Day Care, Home Care, and other home related matters, as, whilst not in Berwick yet, it is hoped to set these up in the near future.
Message in a Bottle
Something else Marie spoke about was message in a bottle. This is a scheme recognised by all the emergency services and can help save lives. What it consists of is, a smallish plastic jar, with a sheet of paper inside, and two sticky backgreen crosses. On the sheet of paper you would fill in you personal details, i.e.:-
- Name, age and date of birth and address
- Any illness you are currently being treated for
- Current Medication
- Any allergies
- Next of kin
- Your Doctors surgery
You don’t have to remember all this, its all on the form. The form goes back into the bottle which you place in the fridge, and then almost forget about unless some part of you details change. On the outside of the fridge door you put one of your green crosses, and on the back door, or the door most often used, you place the second green cross.Then if the worst happens and you are taken to hospital, and you are unable to tell the emergency staff anything, you may be unconscious, all they need to do is go to your fridge and get all your details, so that treatment can start quicker. The whole idea is that the bottle is kept in the fridge, so please don’t hide it in the wardrobe and expect it to be found.These bottles are available from Age Concern, or in Berwick, from Social Services, below the Library, or Citizens Advice, Tweed Street. A very good idea, especially if you live alone, or your medication or treatment is a bit complicated.
Marie did answer some personal questions, but it was an interesting insight into the work of Age Concern, and maybe, just maybe, I might soon have to a admit that I may be beginning to sneak into that older group.
Thank you Marie
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Wally’s Yarns
The spell of warm weather reminded me of one of my little stories.
John, a middle aged married man, was stood in the pub one Sunday lunch time, waiting for David his widowed friend to join him, for a quick pint, before going home for lunch.
David had been to church. He fancied one of the spinsters in the choir, and so had been going for the last couple of weeks, hoping to catch her eye.When he arrived at the pub after church, John noticed that one side of David’s face was bright red, and it looked as though he might have the start of a black eye.
John said “I thought you were at church, what happened to you?”
David said,” I was, that’s where it happened”.
John said, “What happened?”
David started to tell him how he got his red face. He said” I was sat there, in church, minding my own business. I was sat behind Molly Green that was,You know who I mean; she married the butcher on the High Street Anyway she was wearing this silky summer dress that was all light and flowing, with big flowers on.
John nodded, in acknowledgement.
David continued, “Well we had all been kneeling down to pray, and when we got up again, and began the next hymn, I noticed that her dress had got caught up between the cheeks of her bottom. (That’s not in the original story; I’ve changed it for the sake of decorum) Well I know what that’s like, it’s not very comfortable, and so I lent forward and pulled it out for her. As I did she jumped, gave a bit of a stifled scream, and then turned round and gave me such a smack across my face, before going off to an empty seat, muttering something.
John said, “That serves you right, that’s nothing to do with you, you shouldn’t have done that, it serves you right. If the woman’s decided to take in a bit of washing, it nothing to do with you, and it serves you right.
They had their pint and went home. David feeling sorry for himself.
The next week John was waiting in the pub, just as before. When David joined him, again he had a red face, and his eye, which had only just better from last week, was starting to swell again. John said “Not again. what happened this time?”
David said “It’s not my fault this time, well not really. What happened was, again I was sat behind Molly Green, and she had another of those silky, flowery dresses on, and just like last time, after we got up from praying I noticed that it was caught up her bottom again”.
John interrupted, “Don’t tell me, didn’t you learn last week?
David continued, “No I didn’t do the same this week, I didn’t touch it, but the fella next to me did, he lent forward and pulled it out, but, after last week I know she doesn’t like it out, so I lent forward and poked it back in.”
Click for Wally’s Yarns
Wally Selby
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Secrets of Romany
Long Life And Health
‘ Their secrets are not so much a mystery but simply a way of life based on common sense
Avoid stress and strain, Do not rush things but take your time and make perfection your goal, not the clock.
Let tomorrow take care of tomorrow.
Get plenty of fresh air whenever you can, as it has a magical effect on the body.
Walk instead of riding around; use your body or it will get old and fat.
As far as you can, rise with the sun and go to sleep with it; all nature does and so should you.
Eat healthily by eating only fresh, simple, wholesome, life-giving foods and avoid like the plague all stodgy, sickly, artificial, poor quality foods.
Eat sparingly of rice, pasta, and sweets but eat your fill of all manner of herbs, vegetables, fruit, buttermik, malted milk, wholesome bread and oats. Never cook in aluminium pots and pans but instead use ironware; aluminium impairs the quality of food and can cause symptoms in sensitive people.
Never peel vegetables such as potatoes because the skin contains much goodness that keeps your skin and hair healthy. Never use onions that have been cut and left for a while as they draw germs into them (as with leaving cut onions in a newly painted room). Never discard outer leaves of vegetables, even if they are full of holes, for they contain more vitamins and nutrients than the paler inner leaves. Eat plenty of lettuce. It is a wonderful food, full of goodness
(extract taken from The Complete Country Bizarre published in 1970/74 and edited by Andy Pittaway and Bernard Scofield.)
When I read this I though, these are all the things we should be doing .
Click for Wally’s Yarns
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Recipe of the month
Pasta salad on lettuce(serves 4)
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
200g pasta (twists or shells if available)
2 tomatoes, washed and cut into chunks
Quarter of a cucumber, washed and cut into chunks
1 tablespoon raisins
225g tin of tuna
3 tablespoons natural yoghurt
2 tablespoons low calorie mayonnaise
4 large lettuce leaves, rinsed and shaken dry
3 spring onions, washed and sliced
Method Cook the pasta in boiling water for the time stated on the packet. Drain and place in a large bowl. Add the tomato, cucumber, raisins and tuna to the bowl and stir together. Add the yoghurt and mayonnaise and blend in. Divide into 4. Serve each portion on a lettuce leaf and scatter with sliced spring onions and sprouting broccoli. Alternatives Use cherry tomatoes instead of chopped tomatoes. Add 25g toasted cashew nuts. If low calorie mayonnaise is unavailable, use standard mayonnaise but add half the amount and top up with more yoghurt
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