Event Calendar
Dying Matters is a coalition of individual and organisational members across England and Wales, which aims to help people talk more openly about dying, death and bereavement, and to make plans for the end of life. For the last couple of years, Dying Matters Awareness Week has challenged us all to answer a question: What Can You Do? How can we help ourselves, or families and our communities face up to death and bereavement?
- Are We Ready to help others get their affairs in order?
- Are We Ready to help people we know who are caring for someone who is dying?
- Are We Ready to support someone who is grieving?
- Or even something as simple as “Are We Ready to talk about it?”
Dementia Action Week (20 – 26 May 2019) unites people, workplaces, schools and communities to take action and improve the lives of people living with dementia.
Almost all of us know someone affected by dementia. But too many people living with dementia report feeling cut off from their community, losing their friendships and facing dementia alone. Having dementia shouldn’t mean an isolated life. And it doesn’t have to. Simple actions from us all can create supportive communities – where people living with the condition can continue to socialise with others, hop on the bus, go to their favourite shops or take part in local activities for as long as possible.
We have a role to play in making the UK a dementia-friendly place to live and that’s what Dementia Action Week is all about.
Leeds Diocese is officially Dementia Friendly, as a member of the Dementia Action Alliance (Yorkshire & Humberside) and the Diocesan Action Plan is on their website here . Part of the Action Plan is to develop spiritual resources for parishes and individuals to use, which will be available online. Deacon Joe Cortis, Co-ordinator for Caritas Leeds, has led the development of short guidelines for priests, ministers and extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist for offering communion to a person with dementia which are available here.
“Differences are a richness. Because I have something and you have something else, and by putting the two together, we have something more suitable”
Pope Francis
To celebrate Disabilities Week, Caritas Leeds are holding a Mass with people living with disabilities, their carers, families and friends
on Sunday June 16th 2019, 3pm for 3:30pm
at Immaculate Heart of Mary, Harrogate Road, Leeds LS17 6LE
Light refreshments will be served afterwards in the parish hall. You can bring food to share!
For further information, please contact Rev. Dr. Joseph D Cortis (Coordinator for Caritas Leeds) on joseph.cortis@dioceseofleeds.org.uk
Time to Shine is offering an opportunity for staff 55 and older to attend a Transition into Later Life training course. Developed with funding from the Gulbenkian Foundation the two day course is aimed at anyone who is thinking about retirement soon, or in a few years, and wants to prepare positively for the coming changes.
Maybe you have chosen to retire, or are thinking about when you might leave your present job. Maybe you are glad to go, maybe you’re dreading all that freedom or perhaps you are planning a new career in something you love!
This course offers a gentle way to explore, with others going through the same thing, what the years ahead could look like to you and what you can do to make it happen.
Courses during 2019 will be on April 15&16th, and June 14&17th If you would like to know more please email or ring Jessica Duffy 0113 2441697 jessica@opforum.org.uk
The cost of the course is greatly subsidised by Time to Shine Lottery Funding so in 2019 will cost only £40 to those working for NGOs, £60 to those working for Public Bodies and SMEs and £80 to those working for those working for large businesses.
This mass has been organised by Caritas Leeds and all people living with disabilities, their carers and families are welcome.
Anyone coming is welcome to bring some food to share afterwards in the hall where light refreshments will be served.
Inner Wheel Club of Aireborough
60th Anniversary Year
SAVE THE DATE
Inner Wheel Club of Aireborough are hosting a performance of DON’T LEAVE ME NOW by Brian Daniels followed by a discussion about the subject then tea and biscuits.
Inspired by two real stories, the play explores with humour and insight the impact of early onset dementia on two very different families – a journey of love, loss and duty.
‘the play is subtly powerful, sympathetic and sharp, sad and funny……. Where dementia is the villain, words are priceless’ Howard Jacobson, Booker Prize winning author (New Statesman, 2016).
This play has had more than 150 performances throughout the UK.
There is no charge for entry, but donations would be welcomed.
Caritas Leeds members are invited to a Caritas Learning Day on 11 July 2019 in Birmingham, to include:
– New theological reflection on care in an ageing society
– Improving the financial sustainability of provision
– Examples of spiritual care
– Opportunity to discuss how the regulatory landscape should be improved, to inform national advocacy
More information will be circulated soon. Please send indications of interest in attending to Lucy Jordan .
Open to all. Conference fee of £30 (£25 to CCoA Members) includes all preparatory material and all refreshments.
Register your interest to receive early notice of programme and contributors at info@ccoa.org.uk