Services & Support - Newbury area
The Stroke Association produces a wide range of general leaflets and fact sheets about stroke, stroke care and life after stroke. They are available here
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Stroke clubs & social activities
Family & carer support
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Carer’s assessment– every carer has the right to be assessed by their local council which will then decide what direct support it can offer and advise about other help that may be available. West Berkshire Council website is www.westberks.gov.uk or call 01635 42400 (also see their list of council publications)
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Stroke Care for Newbury and West Berks – local charity providing relief & practical support to stroke survivors & their families in West Berkshire. Email strokecare.newbury@googlemail.com or call Chris Bartlam on 01488 658540.
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Different Strokes – national organisation providing information, advice and some services for younger stroke survivors. Email info@differentstrokes.co.uk or call 0845 130 7172 or 01908 317618.
Regional group in Maidenhead: contact Kevin Johnson on 0787 658 6445 or email maidenhead@differentstrokes.co.uk
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The Princess Royal Trust Carers Service Berkshire, St Giles House 10 Church Street, Reading RG1 2SD. Call 0800 988 5462, or email helpline@prtberks.plus.com
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Crossroads Care Newbury & District, Broadway House, 4-8 The Broadway, Northbrook Street, Newbury RG14 1BA - provides support to carers in their own home. Call 01635 30008.
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Age Concern Berkshire Home from Hospital scheme. Free support from trained volunteers for up to 3 days after discharge from hospital to help people over 60 regain independence and settle back into their routine. It does not deal with personal care, medication, dressings etc. Contact the Home from Hospital Co-ordinator on tel. 0778 643 5122.
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Headway Thames Valley, Brunner Hall, 84B Greys Road. Henley-on-Thames RG9 1TF. Email hwthamesvalley@aol.com or call 01491 411469 (office) or 01491 577449 (outreach service). Headway provides help and rehabilitation to people with a brain injury (including stroke), and support and information to their families, friends and carers.
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Carers UK- provides information and advice for carers, and campaigns on behalf of carers. Call 020 7378 4999 or email info@carersuk.org. Advice line 0808 808 7777, email adviceline@carersuk.org
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Carers Direct – provides free, confidential information and advice to carers. Call 0808 802 0202.
Emotional support
Help with communication
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Speakability (Newbury) - self-help group run by and for people with aphasia. Provides mutual support and social activities, and encourages members to practise communication skills in a safe environment and regain their self-confidence. Details from Speakability, 1 Royal Street, London, SE1 7LL – Email speakability@speakability.org.uk or call 020 7261 9572. Helpline available 10am to 4pm Monday to Friday on 080 8808 9572.
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Aphasia Self Help Group (Berks & Bucks) – self help support group for people with aphasia and their carers. Tel. 01628 416955
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Connect - a national charity for people with aphasia. Provides a range of activities and events and produces a number of publications. Write to Connect, 16-18 Marshalsea Road, London, SE1 1HL or call 0207 367 0840 or email info@ukconnect.org.
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Speech and language therapy team – NHS Berkshire West has a community team that can help with speech, language, voice and swallowing difficulties. You have to be referred to the team by your GP (family doctor) but a number of its leaflets are available (see below).
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Leaflets (from NHS Berkshire West Speech and Language Therapy Department)
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Practical help
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Age Concern Berkshire Home from Hospital scheme. Free support from trained volunteers for up to 3 days after discharge from hospital to help people over 60 regain independence and settle back into their routine. It does not deal with personal care, medication, dressings etc. Contact the Home from Hospital co-ordinator: tel. 0778 643 5122.
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West Berkshire Citizens Advice Bureau, 2nd Floor, Broadway House, 4-8 The Broadway, Northbrook Street, Newbury RG14 1BA - offers advice on a wide range of topics. Call 08444 779980.
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The Princess Royal Trust Carers Service Berkshire, St Giles House 10 Church Street, Reading RG1 2SD. Call 0800 988 5462 or email helpline@prtberks.plus.com
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Remap – charity producing custom made equipment for people with disabilities. Each piece of special equipment is tailor-made by volunteer experts and given free to the person who needs it. Local contacts are Brian Carpenter - 0118 986 3412 and Robert Monk 0118 947 1324.
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Thrive – a small national charity that helps people with a disability take part in, benefit from and enjoy gardening. Also runs a garden project near Reading. See also www.carryongardening.org.uk, information service tel. 0118 988 5688
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Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency – information about driving after a stroke.
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Regional Driving Assessment Centre - for detailed advice about returning to driving. Email info@rdac.co.uk or call 0845 3371540.
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Ricability - part of a national research charity providing independent information for disabled and older consumers. Publishes many useful consumer reports and information guides (e.g. on driving after a stroke) Call 0207 427 2460, textphone 0207 427 2469.
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Aids and home adaptations can help people live independently after a stroke. Your council’s adult social care/community care team can advise you which ones will be most useful, and whether you quality for its equipment loan service or a grant towards the cost of adaptating your home. Useful information on grants can be found at www.disability-grants.org.
The Red Cross offers short-term loans of equipment such as wheelchairs, mobility aids, toilet and bathing aids. You can contact its loan services online or call 01235 552660.
You can get information and advice about aids and equipment from:
There is a directory of disability aids at www.ableize.com. Other sources of information include Disability Information in West Berkshire and AccessPlace.
Healthy living & stroke prevention
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Fit as a fiddle – health and wellbeing programme organised by Age UK for people over 50. Includes the Green Fingers project which has allotments in the Reading area. Details of local activities from Holly Baker at Age Concern Berkshire – tel. 0118 902 3595 or email hollyb@acberk
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Thrive – a small national charity that helps people with a disability take part in, benefit from and enjoy gardening.
See also www.carryongardening.org.uk, information service tel. 0118 988 5688
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NHS Berkshire West, 57 - 59 Bath Road, Reading RG30 2BA. Call 0118 950 3094. Information about healthy living and local NHS services.
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The Information Zone, Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading RG1 5AN –one stop shop for health information for patients, relatives, carers and hospital visitors, open 10am to 4pm weekdays. Enquiries phone 0118 322 6818 or email information.zone@royalberkshire.nhs.uk
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NHS Choices – information from the NHS on conditions, treatments, local services and healthy living.
Health care
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Your GP surgery. Your GP (family doctor) and team can provide help and advice on many aspects of life after a stroke. Your GP can also refer you to other community health services (e.g. home physiotherapy). If you do not have a GP, see www.nhs.uk or call Thames Valley Primary Care Agency on 0118 918 3333.
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NHS Berkshire West, 57 - 59 Bath Road, Reading RG30 2BA. Call 0118 950 3094. Information about healthy living and local NHS services.
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The Information Zone, Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading RG1 5AN –one stop shop for health information for patients, relatives, carers and hospital visitors, open 10am to 4pm weekdays. Enquiries also by phone 0118 322 6818 and by email information.zone@royalberkshire.nhs.uk
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NHS Choices – information from the NHS on conditions, treatments, local services and healthy living.
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Headway Thames Valley,Brunner Hall, 84B Greys Road. Henley-on-Thames RG9 1TF. Email hwthamesvalley@aol.com or call 01491 411469 (office) or 01491 577449 (outreach service). Headway provides help and rehabilitation to people with a brain injury (including stroke), and support and information to their families, friends and carers.
Council services
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Leaflets
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Leaflets about West Berkshire Council community care services are available through its website or call 01635 503050.
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Work & learning
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Newbury Job Centre Plus, 22 Oxford Street, Cromwell House, Newbury RG14 1JB – tel. 01635 648500. Job Centre Plus disability employment advisers (DEAs) can help you find work or gain new skills, even if you have been out of work for a long time or have little or no work experience.
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Shaw Trust, Unit 2, 6 Cholsey House, Moulford Mews, Reading RG30 1AP - one to one confidential support to help people move from benefits to work.
Other advice and support
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http://www.direct.gov.uk/ – national government website with information on public services. Includes sections on help with disability, support for carers, online benefit application service, employment and much more.
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Benefit Enquiry Line – national telephone advice and information service for people who are sick or disabled, or carers acting on their behalf. For advice before making a claim tel. 0800 88 22 00 (textphone 0800 24 33 55) between 8.30 am and 6.30 pm Monday to Friday or between 9.00 am and 1.00 pm on Saturday. For advice once you have made a claim for Disability Living Allowance or Attendance Allowance tel. 08457 123 456 (textphone 08457 22 44 33) between 7.30 am and 6.30 pm, Monday to Friday.
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Turn2us - a charitable service which helps people access welfare benefits, grants and other financial help. Call the free, confidential helpline on 0808 802 2000 (open 8am to 8pm weekdays).
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West Berkshire Citizens Advice Bureau, 2nd Floor, Broadway House, 4-8 The Broadway, Northbrook Street, Newbury RG14 1BA - offers advice on a wide range of topics.Call 08444 779980
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Disability Information in West Berkshire – online and helpline information about a wide range of topics for people with a disability. Helpline 01635 552064 (11am to 1pm weekdays)
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Patient Information Point, West Berkshire Community Hospital – email pip.enquiries@berkshire.nhs.uk or call 01635 273324 for information on health, health services, local support groups.
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The Information Zone, Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading RG1 5AN –one stop shop for health information for patients, relatives, carers and hospital visitors, open 10am to 4pm weekdays. Enquiries by phone 0118 322 6818 or email information.zone@royalberkshire.nhs.uk
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Age Concern Berkshire, Huntley House, 119 London Street, Reading RG1 4QA . Email acb@acberk.org or call 0118 959 4242 (9am-4pm weekdays) for information, support and services for older people.
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Stroke Information Service, The Stroke Association, 240 City Road, London EC1V 2PR – information and advice about all aspects of stroke. Email info@stroke.org.uk, helpline tel. 0303 303 3100 (open 9am to 5pm weekdays). Information and support available in different languages.
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Royal College of Physicians produces a stroke and TIA information bookelet for patients and carers. You can download it here.
Leaflets
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The Stroke Association produces a wide range of leaflets and fact sheets about stroke, stroke care and life after stroke. They are available here
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