Covid Matters

In the latest episode of our Covid Matters podcast, we spoke to Duncan Boak; founder and CEO of the smell and taste disorder charity Fifth Sense. We learned from Duncan how Fifth Sense is helping people whose sense of smell and/or taste has changed since having Covid-19. He also provided insights into the charity’s background and wider work, and explained some of the science of how a virus affects odour detection.Duncan shared his own story of losing his sense of smell following an accident where he sustained a head injury. Although it’s known that physical trauma to the head can damage smell or taste sensation, Duncan found that health professionals lacked knowledge about his condition, or about any treatment options that there were. He also found some people to be dismissive of his loss, downplaying the impact that it had upon various aspects of his life. His journey led to him setting up Fifth Sense in 2012, with the aim to provide support and advice for those affected by an absent – or reduced – sense of smell, and to educate people about the reality of living with those changes.In the podcast, Duncan highlights some of these challenges, learned from his own lived experiences as well as from the Fifth Sense community that he has helped to bring together. For example, losing what is, as Duncan points out, “one of the five ways in which we connect with the world around us” can reduce peoples’ enjoyment of food and drink, resulting in them eating less and consequently losing weight. This, in turn, can lead to inadequate nutrition. A changed relationship with food can impact mental health and social eating, and if a food or drink that brought particular pleasure now tastes unappetising, a grief process may be triggered. The lack of awareness of, and empathy for, the effects of not being able to smell can mean that those affected suffer in silence, feeling isolated and alone. For those with Long Covid, there are typically other symptoms that they are also having to contend with.Find tailored resources from Fifth Sense for this episode and more information here

In the latest Covid Matters podcast, covid:aid discussed the short film These Four Walls, which presented stories around grief and bereavement during the Covid pandemic. We were joined on the podcast by Ellie Harrison, the writer and director of These Four Walls, as well as the film’s principal investigators: Dr Lucy Selman from the University of Bristol, and Dr Emily Harrop from Cardiff University. Both Lucy and Emily are social scientists by background and work in palliative care with a particular interest in grief and bereavement. Lucy is also the founding director of the Good Grief Festival, which hosts free talks, webinars, workshops and other events that provide space for conversations around bereavement and loss, as well as building a supportive grief community. Ellie is an artist and activist whose work includes The Grief Series: a sequence of seven projects that present and explore ideas around grief, each one produced in collaboration with another artist as well as with community engagement. This project, the Good Grief Festival, and These Four Walls all aim to create safe and welcoming spaces for the stories and feelings that people have around loss and bereavement to be heard in. In the podcast, Ellie talks about the need that she feels there is for people to be able to do this in a way that validates, normalises, and offers comfort to peoples’ grief journeys. You can watch These Four Walls here.The Good Grief Festival website has other resources, articles, and news about courses and events on its journal page.Covid:aid has a dedicated grief and bereavement section on its website, as well as a Grief Chat option if you’re needing advice and support.Cruse is a charity that has been providing support and information around bereavement for over 60 years. They also have a free helpline available seven days a week.You may also find these resources from Mind, and this NHS page useful if you, or someone you know, have experienced a bereavement.

Covid Aid spoke to Kerry McLeod, Head of Information Content, and Amy-Louise Murray, Information Officer at Mind, to find out more about the mental health charity, before answering questions from the Covid Aid Support Community around anxiety, loneliness, and coping with the persistent effects of Long Covid. Links from MindAnxiety and panic attacks – Explains anxiety and panic attacks, including possible causes and how you can access treatment and support. Includes tips for helping yourself, and guidance for friends and familyBereavement - Provides information on bereavement, where to go for support, and suggestions for helping yourself and others through griefCoronavirus and mental health - The coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic is affecting all our lives. Many of us are struggling with how it's affecting ourselves and our loved ones. Those of us living with mental health problems are facing extra challenges too. Here you'll find reliable information and tips to help you copeDepression - Information about depression, its symptoms and possible causes, and how you can access treatment and support. Includes tips on caring for yourself, and guidance for friends and familySeeking help for a mental health problem – A guide to taking the first steps, making empowered decisions and getting the right support for youMind's support servicesMind’s Infoline: 0300 123 3393Email: info@mind.org.ukPost: Mind Infoline, PO Box 75225, London, E15 9FSMind's Infoline provides an information and signposting service, and is open 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday (except for bank holidays).You can ask about:mental health problemswhere to get help near youtreatment optionsadvocacy servicesLegal line: 0300 466 6463Email: legal@mind.org.uk ~Post: Mind Legal line, PO Box 75225, London, E15 9FSMind's Legal line provides legal information and general advice on mental health related law. It's open 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday (except for bank holidays)Ask about:being detained under the Mental Health Act (sectioning)mental capacitycommunity carediscrimination and equality.Side by SideSide by Side is a supportive online community

In this episode of Covid Matters, we speak to Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson, Director of the Women's Budget Group. We invited Mary-Ann onto the podcast to discuss how gender-based financial inequalities were exacerbated as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and what that means for Covid recovery in the UK.The Women's Budget Group is an independent, not-for-profit organisation that monitors the impact of government policies on men and women. They comprise a network of leading academic researchers, policy experts and campaigners whose vision is of a caring economy that promotes equality.-----------------Follow Dr Mary-Ann on Twitter @maryanncv8Visit the Women's Budget Group website at https://wbg.org.uk/ or on Twitter @WomensBudgetGrpYou can find us on social media @covidaidcharity or by visiting our website: https://covidaidcharity.org/ where you can also join our free Covid-19 Support Community to take part in Live Q&A events, access our online Courses or connect with others across the UK dealing with the lasting impacts of Covid-19.

In this episode of Covid Matters, we speak to Daniel Tomlinson, a Senior Economist at the Resolution Foundation, currently working on the Economy 2030 Inquiry. We invited Dan onto the podcast to discuss a report published in November 2021 by the Resolution Foundation which looks at the permanent implications of Covid-19 for the UK’s labour market. We talk about changes to our working behaviours observed as a result of the pandemic and how these might affect smaller businesses; how to support people out of work due to Long Covid and; what a successful policy for the job market in the year ahead should look like.The Resolution Foundation is an independent think-tank focused on improving living standards for those on low to middle incomes by looking at a wide range of economic and social policies. As part of an ongoing project - The Economy 2030 Inquiry - they will be examining this current decade of economic change in the UK, brought by the Covid-19 pandemic, Brexit and the transition towards a Net Zero future, and will set out plans to help successfully navigate this change. The Inquiry is a collaboration between the Resolution Foundation and the Centre for Economic Performance at the London School of Economics. It is funded by the Nuffield Foundation.-----------------Follow Dan on Twitter @dan_tomlinson_ or The Resolution Foundation @resfoundation. Visit the Resolution Foundation website at https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/ or find out more about the Economy 2030 Inquiry.The Begin Again? report discussed in this episode can be read here.You can find us on social media @covidaidcharity or by visiting our website: https://covidaidcharity.org/ where you can also join our free Covid-19 Support Community to take part in upcoming Live Q&A events, access our online Courses or connect with others across the UK dealing with the lasting impacts of Covid-19.

In this episode of Covid Matters, we speak to Dee Holmes from Relate – the UK's largest provider of relationship support – about how and why people should speak to loved ones about loss, grief, and bereavement experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic.Dee is a qualified couple, family, children and young person’s counsellor and supervisor, currently working as part of the Clinical Management Team at Relate. We invited Dee onto the podcast as part of a special Q&A event hosted on our free Covid-19 Support Community. -----------------Watch the YouTube video recording of this episode here: https://youtu.be/2N47FNG8LWYFollow Dee on Twitter @deeholme or visit the Relate website at https://www.relate.org.uk/ for more relationship support.Join our free Covid-19 Support Community to take part in upcoming Live Q&A events, access our online Courses or connect with others across the UK dealing with the lasting impact of Covid-19.Find us on social media @covidaidcharity or by visiting our website: https://covidaidcharity.org/

In this episode of Covid Matters, we speak to Dr Bnar Talabani MBE, an Immunology Scientist at Cardiff University and member of #TeamHalo and Muslim Doctors Cymru (MDC). #TeamHalo is United Nations-verified initiative involving a global group of science and healthcare professionals working to address Covid-19 vaccine concerns and misinformation with the ultimate goal to bring an end to the pandemic. Dr Talabani joined the group in April 2020.We invited Dr Talabani onto a live Q&A event, hosted alongside Parents United (a UK campaign group for Covid-safe schools), on our Support Community platform to give our audience the chance to raise their concerns around Covid vaccine safety. -------------------Watch the YouTube video recording of this episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZopMKaKiF4 Follow Dr Bnar Talabani MBE on social media @bnar to stay informed or visit teamhalo.org for more information and explore experts in different countries. Join our free Covid-19 Support Community to take part in upcoming Live Q&A events, access our online Courses or connect with others across the UK dealing with the lasting impact of Covid-19. Find us on social media @covidaidcharity or by visiting our website: https://covidaidcharity.org/

In the latest episode of our podcast Covid Matters we spoke to Jane Murray from Marie Curie about why the National Day of Reflection on Wednesday March 23rd is such an important moment – and got advice on how to deal with bereavement as well as how to support those experiencing grief.With The National Day of Reflection coming up on March 23rd, for our Covid Matters podcast we were delighted to be joined by Jane Murray from Marie Curie, who is Bereavement Services Manager and part of their Family Support Team.Marie Curie have been leading on coordinating the National Day of Reflection, which involves hundreds of organisations – including covid:aid – with events taking place online and across the UK.We spoke to Jane about why the day is important, as well as about how people have experienced grief and loss differently since the Covid-19 pandemic began – the nature of lockdown often leading to paused grief and a delay in process emotions. We also discussed the complexity of grief, with Jane providing advice for those who have experienced bereavement, as well as tips for people who want to help their loved ones who are struggling.The National Day of Reflection takes place On March 23. It provides a time to connect and support the millions of people who are grieving, and remember the family, friends, neighbours and colleagues who have died over the last two years.There are loads of ways to take part in the National Day of Reflection, from joining the minute's silence at 12 noon, to visiting a Wall of Reflection in your community, and reaching out to someone you know who’s grieving. covid:aid is also hosting events online through our Support Community (including a special free drop-in event on the day) – you find our covid:aid National Day of Reflection hub here: covidaidcharity.org/covid-national-day-of-reflection You can also find out more by searching “Day of Reflection” and visiting the Marie Curie website, which provides details of how to get involved and events taking place online and throughout the UK. And If you, or someone you care about is grieving, the Marie Curie Support Line can help. Call them for free on 0800 090 2309 to speak to one of the trained Support Line Officers or get ongoing support from a bereavement volunteer.

In this episode of Covid Matters, we speak to Debbie Lewis who founded bereavement support group, COVID-19 Families UK. Debbie set up the group on Facebook in April 2020 following the loss of her parents to Covid. They now have 42 regional groups with over 4000 users online, connecting people across the country who have been affected by grief.We invited Debbie onto the podcast to tell us more about the support they provide, their involvement in the upcoming National Day of Reflection, and the importance of coming together to connect with others in times of loss. You can find Covid-19 Families UK on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn @covid19familiesukFind out more about the National Day of Reflection on 23 March here or by visiting our website https://covidaidcharity.org/ . You can join our free Support Community for access to Courses, Live Q&As and the chance to connect with others on topics like Long Covid and Grief and Bereavement. Follow us on all social media @covidaidcharity