Boost your health and well-being
There’s never a bad time to find out all about what’s going on in Derbyshire to help you boost your well-being.
Perhaps you want to quit smoking, and you’d like to know how to get started (for free) now. You might be keen know what you can do to get involved in volunteering locally.
We’ve so much information in this section, so why not get a cup of tea and give yourself a bit of time to look through.
Ways to boost your health and wellbeing
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If you are a Derbyshire resident then we offer FREE health and wellbeing support including help to:
Stop Smoking – Are you a smoker and want help to quit? We offer free local support, advice and information for people who want to stop smoking.
We give one-to-one support as well as access to free NRT (nicotine replacement therapy). Did you know that you are four times more likely to succeed with our help?
Lose Weight – We offer free support sessions and guidance to help you to lose weight by changing your eating habits and becoming more active. We also offer one-to-one and drop-in clinics to help you monitor your weight along with a range of information and resources to help you succeed. This service is available to people aged 16 and over with a BMI of 25+. (conditions apply).
Get Active – Do you have high blood pressure, heart disease, joint or mobility problems or are you feeling low? Regular exercise can help.
There are lots of free opportunities and activities in your local community to help you to be more active and manage your health better – just get in touch and we can point you in the right direction.
Also find advice about: at www.livelifebetterderbyshire.org.uk
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The Derby and Derbyshire Mental Health Pathway is a useful guide for those who work with CYP and gives useful information regarding mental health for CYP. It also allows for your own additions so the guidance is bespoke to your area and locality. It is primarily aimed at education settings, but no doubt all who work with CYP will find the information useful.
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Stopping smoking is the best thing you will ever do and here’s why:
Improve your health – half of all long-term smokers die early from smoking-related diseases, including heart disease, lung cancer and chronic bronchitis.
By quitting smoking your breathing and general fitness will improve, the appearance of your skin and teeth will improve and your sense of taste will improve. You will notice the benefits of quitting quickly, after 48hrs carbon monoxide will be eliminated from the body with the lungs starting to clear out mucus and other smoking debris, and after 72 hrs breathing becomes easier and energy levels increase.
Save money – on average most people that quit can save £150 per month, to find out how much you can save enter your details into the cost calculator.
Protect your family – stopping smoking is the best way to protect your family from the dangerous effects of second-hand smoke. Over 80% of second-hand smoke is invisible and odourless and it contains over 4000 chemicals. People who breathe in second-hand smoke are at risk of the same diseases as smokers, including cancers and heart disease.
Quit with help from your local stop smoking service
Expert advisors will provide you with advice, support and encouragement.
- Stop smoking medicines such as nicotine patches can help you quit, your stop smoking advisor will be able to help you chose the right product for you.
- 9 out of 10 smokers who have used their local NHS stop smoking service would recommend them.
- You are up to four times more likely to quit with help than if you go it alone.
If you’re interested quitting and would like to find out more about the free stop smoking service contact:
Live Life Better Derbyshire Tel: 01629 538 200 or 0800 0852299, email: llbd.info@derbyshire.gov.uk
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Jog Derbyshire is a county wide project which aims to encourage people to become fitter and be more active, by starting to jog on a regular basis, with people of similar fitness levels.
Jog Derbyshire has established a network of community based jogging groups through which anyone who is new to jogging, or has not run for a long time, can be guided through a series of gentle walking and jogging programmes led by a qualified Jog Derbyshire Leader. We also have buggy jog groups and are working with Sight Support to develop a group for people with visual impairments.
Jog Derbyshire is part of the Active Derbyshire Campaign. The Active Derbyshire website has lots of ideas and advice on how you can become more active. You can also keep a record of your activity to show your progress.
If you have not signed up already, log onto www.activederbyshire.org.uk to sign upstart logging your activity now.
Friendly. Fitness. Fun.
Get involved with your local Jog Derbyshire group today.
Find us on: Facebook , Twitter , or visit our website.
Jog Derbyshire Team – Jog Derbyshire Co-ordinators:
Lucy Bartles, tel: 07971 808783 or email: hello@shift-together.co.uk
Don’t worry about not having jogged before. We’re here to help you start from the very beginning.
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We all have mental health. We all need to look after it.
The Five Ways to Wellbeing are an evidence-based way to boost your mood, they are simple actions, that cost nothing – and you can start right now!
These steps are:
Connect – Connecting with others can lift our mood. Can you send a text? Make a call? Chat over a fence to a neighbour?
Be active – Being a bit more active helps to reduce stress, sleep better and make us feel better. What small ways can you get a bit more active day-to-day?
Take notice – If we take small moments to notice what’s around us it can really improve how we feel. Can you take a daily pause and notice what’s around you? What can you hear? Smell? Taste? See?
Keep learning – Learning is a great way to give your mood a boost. It doesn’t have to mean getting the school books out! Perhaps you can watch a documentary, or listen to an interesting show on the radio. Or do a puzzle.
Giving – We know giving often helps
us feel better. It doesn’t need to cost money. We can give a smile or say thanks to someone. We also can give our time through volunteering, or even just speaking to someone who is lonely.
There is help there, if you need it
If you feel like you need more support to manage how you are feeling you can talk about this with your GP.
You can also ring the Derbyshire Mental Health support line (24/7) on 0800 028 0077, to speak directly with a mental health professional.
You can also make a self-referral for free talking therapy, like counselling and cognitive behavioural therapy, through Improving Access to Psychological Therapies.
There are a few providers to choose from:
Trent PTS – Tel: 01332 265 659
Vita Minds – Tel: 0333 0153 496
Everyturn Mental Health – Tel: 0300 555 5580
Talking Mental Health Derbyshire – Tel: 0300 123 0542.
Useful contacts & Information:
Community Directory Derbyshire
Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) for Derby and Derbyshire patients
Derbyshire County Council – Mental health and wellbeing
Call Derbyshire tel: 01629 533190
Patient Advice & Liaison Service tel: 0800 032 3235
For contact information for CVS and volunteer bureau Call Derbyshire on tel: 01629 533190.
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Strictly No Falling provide activity sessions to help older people reduce the risking of falling by improving their strength, mobility and balance.
Strictly No Falling classes are held at venues across the county. The classes teach specific strength and balance exercises and are run in a way that supports individual progress and improvement.
If you would like to know more about what sessions are available in your area, please contact Age UK Derby and Derbyshire: Tel: 01773 768240, email: administration@ageukdd.org.uk.
What to do if you fall
Try not to panic, get help if you can. Don’t move if you feel pain. Try to attract attention by banging on the floor or wall, use a personal community alarm if you have one, or call 999 if you can reach a phone.
If you can’t get help and you are not hurt, try to get up – a lot of people have problems after falling, even if they don’t hurt themselves. This is because they lie on the floor for a long time and get cold.
- First, check that you are not hurt
- Then roll on to your hands and knees and crawl to a sturdy piece of furniture: for example, a chair or bed
- Put your hands on the chair or bed and bring one leg up, bending your knee and placing your foot flat on the floor
- Lean forwards, pushing with your hands and foot and bring your other foot up so that it is also flat on the floor and you are crouching
- Turn and sit on the furniture
- Make sure you rest for a while before you try to stand up.
If you are hurt or cannot get up, keep yourself warm – cover yourself with anything warm within reach. Keep tensing your arm and leg muscles and roll from side to side if you can to keep moving.
If you have fallen on a hard floor, try to crawl to a softer carpeted area if possible.
There are many things you can do yourself to keep you mobile and steady on your feet:
- Have your eyesight and glasses checked regularly by an optician
- Make sure you take your medication in accordance with the advice from the GP and pharmacist
- Ask your GP to review your medication regularly to ensure that it is still the most appropriate for you
- Check your home environment and remove items which could cause you to trip
- Keep your feet healthy and visit a chiropodist, wear well-fitting comfortable shoes
- Keep yourself physically active and try to maintain and improve your strength and balance by carrying out exercises which work on these things.
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Untrimmed toenails can affect your mobility, balance, confidence and lead to long-term implications. Keeping your toe nails trimmed and managing your foot hygiene can be a real problem if you have difficulty with your eyesight, mobility, and grip or if you have thickened toe nails. Caring for someone else can also mean you start to manage another person’s personal care but feel anxious and lack confidence to tackle new skills.
Age UK Derby and Derbyshire provide the Tootsies Service as an affordable footcare solution for people over 50. The service is delivered by a small team of paid staff and volunteers. The team are fully trained by Derbyshire Community Health Service Podiatry Department.
Tootsies Treatment:
- Each appointment takes approximately 30 minutes although
- your first treatment will take longer.
- A footcare treatment includes a foot soak, nail trim and file, filing of hard skin and application of moisture lotion.
- Tootsies will visit venues across the County every 4-8 weeks allowing you to make regular bookings to manage toe nail growth.
The first appointment costs £18 and includes provision of your own clipper and file set.
Each subsequent appointment costs £13. At your first appointment a footcare worker will assess your foot health and decide if Tootsies can help or whether you need a referral to a Podiatrist. If everything is alright you can start your first treatment.
Call 01773 766922 to book or visit the website.
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Time Swap is an initiative that encourages local communities to help each other by sharing time and talents.
As a Time Swap member you can earn ‘time’ by doing things in your community that you enjoy, or are good at, to help other people. You can then spend the time you earn on getting help from other people with something that you find difficult, or someone in your community could teach you a new skill.
You can swap time by doing or receiving help with things like gardening, basic DIY, sewing, knitting, help with paperwork, ironing, dog walking, reading, cooking, computer skills, hairdressing, decorating, time for a cuppa and chat, plus lots more – it really can be anything.
To make sure everyone is safe we check everyone wishing to become a member to give peace of mind. We’ll do all the hard work by organising the Time Swaps which allows you to enjoy being a member and being part of your community.
Tel: 01629 532049 Visit the website Email: timeswap@derbyshire.gov.uk
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Giving Derbyshire’s 50+ community a voice
- Are you concerned about your quality of life?
- Are you concerned about your community?
- Would you like to influence what is going on around you?
- Do you find it difficult getting the information and services you need?
- Do you have ideas that you would like to be heard?
Your local 50+ Forum could be the answer… 50+ Forums are about:
- creating a powerful voice for people aged 50 and over
- being involved
- taking action
- influencing services
- enhancing your life and the lives of others.
There are a number of forums across Derbyshire with more than 3,400 members. Your local forum is independently run by local people for local people.
They meet regularly to discuss important issues, work with organisations to make improvements to services and facilities and have lots of fun too.
Currently due to Covid-19 the 50+ forums aren’t operating but if you would like further information please contact the service.
Find out more at: www.derbyshire.gov.uk/50plusforums
Tel: 01629 532466
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What we eat and drink has a major impact on our health. The body needs a regular source of energy from food and drink in order to work properly, to keep warm, and to repair our bodies and for general health and wellbeing.
Your food choices can reduce your risk of illnesses such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes. A balanced healthy diet should contain a variety of different foods from each of the groups on the plate, including lots of fruit, vegetables and starchy foods such as wholemeal bread, potatoes, wholegrain rice and pasta, some protein foods such as meat, fish, eggs, beans and lentils and some dairy foods.
Staying hydrated is important too so ensure you have 6-8 drinks per day. Water, low fat milk, sugar free drinks, tea and coffee all count.
Eating Well for Older People
Sometimes when people get older they find that they may lose their appetite and start to lose weight. This can lead to tiredness, low mood and lack of energy. This may make you more likely to suffer from infections such as colds and flu as well as finding it harder to stay warm. If you notice that your clothes or shoes are looser, or your rings seem bigger on your fingers, contact your GP for advice.
There is guide with top tips on how to increase your food or calorie intake available at: www.derbyshire.gov.uk/eatwell
If you would like support to lose weight, contact Live life Better Derbyshire: 01629 538 200 or 0800 0852299.
Eat well by following these eight top tips:
- Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables. Base your meals on bread, rice, potatoes, pasta and other starchy goods – choose wholegrain varieties when you can.
- Have some milk and dairy products.
- Eat lean meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy sources of protein.
- Drink plenty of water and just a small amount of drinks high in fat and or sugar.
- Cut down on saturated fat and sugar, and less than 6g salt per day.
- Do not skip breakfast.
- Get active, and try to be a healthy weight.
- The key to a healthy diet is eating the right amount of food for how active you are and making sure that you eat a range of foods to give a balanced diet, and following the five a day fruit and vegetables portions.
You can also get help and advice on healthy eating, portion control and more at: www.derbyshire.gov.uk/portionsizewise
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Useful telephone numbers
Giving Derbyshire’s 50+ community a voice
- Age UK Advice Line 0800 678 1602 (365 days a year 8am – 7pm)
- Age UK Derby and Derbyshire: 01332 343232 / 01773 768240
- Benefits Helpline/Welfare Rights: 01629 531535
Borough / District Councils
- Amber Valley Borough Council: 01773 570222
- Bolsover District Council: 01246 242424
- Chesterfield Borough Council: 01246 345345
- Derbyshire Dales District Council: 01629 761100
- Erewash Borough Council: 0115 9072244
- High Peak Borough Council: 0845 129 7777
- North East Derbyshire District: Council: 01246 231111
- South Derbyshire District Council: 01283 595795
Other useful contacts
- Call Derbyshire (First Contact): 01629 533190
- Citizens Advice Derbyshire Districts: 0300 456 8390
- Citizens Advice Chesterfield: 0300 456 8437
- Energy Helpline: 0800 0740745
- Gas Safe Register: 0800 408 5500
- Handy Van: 0203 535 4999
- Health Watch England: 0300 068 3000
- Live Life Better Derbyshire: 01629 538 200
- Money Advice: 0800 138 7777
- NHS Direct: 111
- Oil Buying Scheme (Derbyshire Rural Action): 01629 592970
- Poppy Calls: 0800 032 0306
- Warmer Derby & Derbyshire: 0800 677 1332
- Winter Fuel Payment Centre: 0800 731 0160
Credit Unions
- High Peak: 0161 231 5222 (Manchester Credit Union) Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire: 01246 278833
- Bolsover: 01909 500575 (2 Shires Community Bank)
- Derbyshire Community Bank (trading name for Erewash Credit Union): 01332 348144
Volunteer Services
- Amber Valley Centre for Voluntary Service: 01773 512076
- Derbyshire Voluntary Action: 01246 555908
- Derbyshire Dales CVS: 01629 812154
- South Derbyshire CVS: 01283 219761 / 01283 550163
- High Peak Centre for Voluntary Services: 01663 735350
- Erewash Voluntary Action: 0115 946 6740
- Bolsover Together: 01909 476118
