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Heart Failure Support Service
Angus and Jia enjoying a visit together
The Heart Failure Support Service is a partnership initiative between Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland (CHSS), Lothian Heart Failure Network & NHS Lanarkshire.
Aims
People affected by heart failure often experience:
- breathlessness
- distress
- anxiety
- progressive losses
- social isolation
A number of barriers can prevent social integration including
- physical and mental health problems
- transport and accessibility issues
- level of support
- self confidence
The aim of the Heart Failure Support Service is to support patients and carers with the social impact of heart failure who are living in the community.
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Objectives
The main objectives of the service are to:
- provide companionship, support and contact to patient and carers
- meet social, recreational and leisure needs of patients
- provide information on local services and resources
- develop a volunteer support service, including recruitment, induction, training and support of volunteers
- reduce the effects of social isolation and enhancing the quality of life for people affected by heart failure
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Service description
The Heart Failure Support Coordinators, assisted by volunteers, will offer companionship, information and support to enable patients to be socially active.
The service is accessible to individuals throughout Lanarkshire and Lothian, and is linked with local cardiac support groups and voluntary agencies.
Potential services would depend on the interests and skills of the volunteer and may include:
- recreational activities— watching a video, reading a book
- leisure pursuits— art and crafts, sports and hobbies
- social outings— shops, cinema or theatre, community or church groups
- helping with a message or keeping in touch with others
- beauty and grooming— hair and nail care, make-up
- providing informal relief for carers
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Seeking volunteers
We are seeking volunteers to join the Heart Failure Support Service. As part of the team, volunteers will help people affected by heart failure to be socially active through companionship and support.
If you are interested, please email Sandra Brown or Alison Campbell. You can also call the CHSS Volunteering Line on 0800 169 5139.
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Latest news
- The latest newsletters are available to download. See Related Documents (right).
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"Celebrating 110 years of Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland. Our way!!"
Two members of Lothian Heart Failure Support Service decided to mark the 110 years since the establishment of CHSS in a very special way.
During Oct 2009 Eadie Kinghorn and Dorothy McCann took 110 photographs of East Lothian's wonderful scenery on their trips out together.
Here are some examples of their work along with a picture of the photographers themselves!
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