Newry, Mourne And Armagh Ms Society

ATTENTION CARERS ...........
The link below is a list of places were carers can get in for free if they are with a person who has a disability, just click on the link.
https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/…/service s-discounts-disabled…

VIRTUAL NEWLY DIAGNOSED WELLBEING SESSION
Were you diagnosed with MS in the last five years? Would you like to connect online with other people who've recently been diagnosed too?
Wherever you live in the UK, our virtual wellbeing sessions are a chance to chat, reflect on and share experiences. We'll also look at different ways to support you to live well with MS.
... The sessions will be on Wednesdays, 4, 11, 18 and 25 March from 7pm - 8.30pm
What happens in the sessions?
Your four sessions will take place over 4 weeks, one a week. Each week we'll send you some reflective materials to consider and work through. You'll then log into in a 1.5 hour online session with a small group of people newly diagnosed with MS to have a chat around the topics.
The sessions work best if you attend all 4. They're designed to help you:
•share your experience of MS with others
•feel more confident to set and achieve your daily goals
•understand self-management
•learn new skills to help support you live well with MS
After each session you’ll be able to stay in touch with your group online.
What do I need to take part?
All you need to join in is
•a laptop, tablet, smart phone or computer with inbuilt, or access to a, microphone and camera. That's so we can see and hear each other in the meetings!
•a stable internet connection for the video meeting software we use.
What should I do if I can't come any more?
If you need more information, or you've signed up but can't make a session, please get in touch.
The Self Management Team on 0131 335 4050 or email receptionratho@mssociety.org.uk
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You are never alone - the MS Helpline is always a listening ear. If you feel you would like to talk to someone please call 0808 800 8000 - Monday - Friday 9am - 7pm

WORK, MS AND YOU
If you've been diagnosed with MS, you're the same person the day after diagnosis as you were the day before. You still have your skills and experience.
If your MS is making it harder for you to do your job, there is support available.
... In order to access this support, you need to have told your employer about your MS.
What kinds of reasonable adjustment can I ask for?
This depends on what you do, and how your MS affects you. Some examples of reasonable adjustments that other people with MS have asked for include:
- more breaks - somewhere to rest for short periods during the working day - a chair or stool to sit on - flexible or reduced working hours - working from home Our decision sheet, Understanding your work situation, can help you to think about the different aspects of your job, and where you might need reasonable adjustments. This can be found on the MS Society website under care snd support.
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HELPING YOU WRITE YOUR WILL
The MS Society have teamed up with two will-writing services to help make writing or updating a will as easy as possible.
The Goodwill Partnership takes the trouble out of writing a will by arranging an appointment for you to get a solicitor-written will in the comfort of your own home.
... The MS Society membership of the National Free Wills Network means you can make or update your will free of charge.
For more information on either of these services please contact Adam in the MS Legacy Team on 020 8827 0374
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QUOTE OF THE DAY .....................

MINDFULNESS ...........
Life can be stressful, and MS doesn’t help. It’s easy to get caught up in our thoughts and worries. Mindfulness is one way people take back control.
We all need to slow down our minds at times and be reminded of the present.
... Is mindfulness for me? It’s a technique you can learn – and keep practising.
Some people download an app, or read a book to get started. But you can also learn through group classes – like you might for physical exercise.
You can find a mindfulness coach on the UK Mindfulness Network website.
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More people are being diagnosed with MS The estimated number of new cases of MS identified each year has also increased from 5,000 to 6,700.
This means one in every 500 people in the UK is living with MS, with about 130 people diagnosed every week on average. Where do these figures come from?... We worked with Public Health England (PHE) to produce the new figures. Using 2018 patient information taken from a GP database, PHE applied the number of people identified as having MS to the population of England as a whole. We used the same research method to estimate UK-wide figures.
But the new figures don’t mean the risk of developing MS has increased. The rise is likely to be due to a number of factors. These include improvements in the way MS is diagnosed, better recording of medical data, and the fact that people are living longer with MS.
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CARERS - LOOKING AFTER YOUR HEALTH!
Expert Patients Programme course for carers
There may be an Expert Patients Programme course for carers running near you. The course is called 'Looking After Me' and is a self management course for adults who care for someone with a long-term condition. It's designed to help carers look after their own health needs. Check the EPP website for details of local courses, or call them on freephone 0800 988 5560 (from a mobile phone call 01925 320 000).

Thinking about taking a break and need some help on how to arrange this? The MS Short Breaks Service is here for you. They can help you to plan a break in the UK or abroad, or to look for residential or respite care.
Have a look at their hints and tips to help you organise your break on the MS Society website.
... Please call the Helpline on 0808 800 8000 and ask to speak to our Information Officer – Short Breaks.
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We won't stop campaigning to make PIP make sense
The MS Society were at Downing Street on Thursday handing in an open letter signed by more than 21,000 people, to demand the Government change unfair PIP assessments.
Too often, PIP assessors make inaccurate decisions based on ‘informal observations’ (the way people look or act during their assessment). 67% of people with MS whose assessment included these said they didn’t reflect how MS affects them.
... If you would like to add your voice, go to the MS Society Website and click on What we do, then on News.
WE ARE STRONGER WHEN WE SPEAK UP TOGETHER!
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What is the MS hug? The ‘MS hug’ is an uncomfortable, sometimes painful feeling of tightness. It can stretch all around the chest or stomach, or just one side.
It usually lasts for several minutes, but it can last longer, or pass even quicker. An MS hug can be unpredictable, tiring and stressful.
... The MS hug can be one of the first symptoms of MS, or it can happen years after diagnosis. Not everyone with MS gets the MS hug.
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A healthy lifestyle and MS We know a healthy lifestyle is an important tool to help people manage their MS. Right now there's little evidence lifestyle changes alone can stop disability progression. But studies show that staying healthy and active can help with symptoms and mental wellbeing.
5 ways to bust stress and feel happy: - Singing... - Colouring In - Writing - Stress balls - Making lists
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TIRED OF FATIGUE? The MS Society know the feeling, but are here to help. They want you to enter the new year with a new perspective. Easier said than done? Well, that's why they have developed an online course designed to help you manage and better understand fatigue. It’s based on a programme developed by MS Society-funded researchers.
Visit www.mssociety.org.uk - About MS - Signs and Symptoms - invisible symptoms - fatigue to take this course!

A massive thank you to Kieran Fegan, owner of the First and Last bar in Warrenpoint, who took part in the Belfast marathon and raised a staggering £2915 for people affected by MS. Well done Kieran!

It's #BlueMonday. If you're struggling with your mental and emotional well-being today or any other day, it can sometimes help to talk things through. We're here for you:
☎️call our MS Helpline: 0808 800 8000 📧 email our MS Helpline: helpline@mssociety.org.uk
... Our Group office is open Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 2pm to anyone affected by MS. We offer lots of services and support.
If you're living with #MS or supporting someone with MS and would be interested in counselling, call the office on 028 30835657.
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THE IMPORTANCE OF EXERCISE
However multiple sclerosis affects you, exercise will help you stay as healthy as possible. Exercising can also improve your mood and some MS symptoms. All kinds of movement can be good for you. You might enjoy sports, while someone else may prefer Tai Chi or yoga. Gentler activities like gardening and cleaning use your muscles too.
... The important thing is to find exercises to suit you.
The MS Society Website have a number of short videos showing different exercises for different symptoms - click on their website, Care and Support section and Everyday living to view these.
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