Category: COVID-19

There have been so many practical difficulties to sort out during the early days of the lockdown that it’s been easy to forget about our mental health.  Here are some simple things that will help you stay balanced and calm.

• FOOD  Keep to your normal routine for meals and snacks.  Don’t skip meals as this will upset your blood sugar, which in turn can make you feel more anxious.
• SLEEP Keep to your normal bedtime and sleep routine.  Avoid checking the news before you go to bed, it will still be there in the morning.
• EXERCISE If possible keep to your normal exercise routine.  If that’s not possible, think about how you can still exercise in some way.  Try to get a little out of breath each time you exercise.
• CONTACT  Stay in touch with friends, family and the community.  Try to have a friendly phone call or online call at least once every day. Skype, FaceTime, WhatsApp and other apps are free to use.  If you’re not sure how to access them, phone one of us and we’ll try to find someone to help you.
• BE AMUSED Read, watch or listen to something that you know you find entertaining and amusing.  It’s OK to laugh, in fact it’s good for you.
• OUTSIDE Spend as much time as possible outside in the fresh air.  If possible enjoy the long views that we have in Tickenham.  Looking into the distance relaxes your eye muscles which helps you to relax overall.
• RELAX  If you feel yourself becoming anxious, make a conscious effort to relax.  Sit or lie down and mentally check each part of your body for tension.  Allow your breathing to become slower and calmer.
• LET GO If your worries threaten to overwhelm you, write them down.  Put a tick against anything that you can do nothing about.  If you can do nothing, you might as well let go of the worry.
• REMEMBER YOU CAN PHONE ONE OF THE TICKENHAM CONTACTS, THEY WILL PUT YOU IN TOUCH WITH ONE OF THE VOLUNTEERS FOR A CHAT AND SUPPORT.

At the request of residents, a map showing the public rights of way within Tickenham Parish is shown below:

Local independent charity, Age UK Somerset, has a new telephone support service and dedicated website available for older residents, to help them through this difficult time.

Their support line number is 01823 345610. If you are at all lonely or isolated and feel a chat would help, you can call, leave a message with your name and number and someone in the team will call you back. You can also email: info@ageuksomerset.org.uk

If you would like to be put through to the information and advice team, then call the same number and choose option 1. The charity offers free and confidential information and advice for older people, their families and carers. You can also email: infoandadvice@ageuksomerset.org.uk

The new website https://ageuksomersetcoronavirus.org.uk/ has been put together to focus on bringing the latest information and guidance on the Coronavirus, but also brings together useful links and resources for those in self-isolation. It includes information on where to get help in your area, including details of what the charity itself offers, how to stay mentally and physically fit and suggestions of activities to keep people feeling more positive.  If anyone needs printed copies of anything on the website, please contact them and they will arrange for this to be sent out to you by post.

Garden Park, our local garden centre at 100 Clevedon Rd, Tickenham, BS21 6RE can do home deliveries – call 01275 856675. You may have to leave a message but they will ring you back.

Alternatively, they will take your order and payment and leave outside in a trolley for collection by you.

HIT THIS LINK

Dear Volunteer

Thought it was about time, I sent you an update on the Tickenham COVID-19 Voluntary Assistance scheme, so here it is:
1. We have 31 volunteers who came forward to help those who require assistance.
2. We have assisted 14 residents of Tickenham, mainly obtaining prescriptions.
Many thanks again for volunteering.

________________________________________________________

Whilst writing, can I ask you consider downloading an app onto your smartphone to help slow the spread of #COVID19 and identify at risk cases sooner by self-reporting your symptoms daily, even if you feel well 🙏🏼. Download the app https://covid.joinzoe.com/

See message from Professor Tim Spector, below:

Hello,  My name is Professor Tim Spector and I’m one of the lead scientists at King’s College London behind the COVID Symptom Tracker app.  First, thank you for downloading the app: over 2 million people have contributed how they feel. This has already given us valuable data to help us track the disease’s progress, identify new symptoms and risk factors, and most importantly slow its spread. Through Health Data Research UK (the national institute for health data science) we are making the data available to local government and the NHS so they can support your community. The Welsh and Scottish governments have just announced an urgent appeal for the public to download the app and share how they feel. COVID near you Furthermore, teams of data scientists at ZOE and King’s College London have built a model to predict which areas of the country have the most symptomatic COVID.  If you’re curious to see our map, click here to find out how COVID has affected your area. Please help us to include people aged 70+ in these maps by encouraging older friends and family to download the app. Is lockdown working? We think so. The team and I have done our own analysis on isolation – you can read it here. It is more important than ever to stay at home, so we can beat this virus together. How long will this last? Finally, register to join our upcoming webinar this Wednesday at 5pm BST/12pm EST to discuss how long we may need to remain in lockdown.  Stay well,  Tim Spector & the COVID Symptom Tracker team