The Amazing Benefits of Bingo

BINGO isn't all about the creative number calls and the prizes; what many don't realise is that playing the game can have significant cognitive and social benefits for the elderly. This infographic showcases the different ways that bingo can test brain power, expand social circles and aid physical health.

Taking part in something enjoyable on a regular basis has been proven to create a more positive mindset, boost self-esteem and promote socialisation with like-minded people. With this in mind, care home staff offer their residents meaningful activities to promote their physical and mental wellbeing. As shown in this infographic, something as simple as bingo can boast a fruitful list of benefits, showing the health perks of having some fun!

Bingo is a staple in the care home community and its accessibility means that seasoned pros and beginners alike can pick up a dabber and engage with the game. Adding music to the mix helps memory recall, giving residents a chance to share their stories and reminisce. This infographic shows how bingo can captivate the minds of care home residents and give them a sense of purpose in a bid to combat loneliness.

With dedicated activities coordinators and vibrant teams at each of their care homes across the UK, Bondcare understands the positive impact bingo can have on their residents, helping to inspire, stimulate and entertain.

Construction bosses urged to take employee mental health more seriously

AS part of its Building Minds campaign, North West based health and safety expert Citation, is urging bosses in the construction industry to take employee mental health more seriously as the mental health crisis in the sector continues to worsen.

The construction sector has some of the worst rates of mental health than any other sector in the UK, with men in the industry 3 times more likely to die from suicide than the average male.

In an industry notorious for its poor mental health rates, research carried out by Citation has found that 72% of firms in the sector admitted to having no dedicated policy for providing mental health support.

Despite manager mental health training being 1 of the most effective ways of reducing employee mental health struggles, the research also highlighted more than 70% of managers in the sector are unsure of what support they can offer struggling staff members.

Whilst having trained managers can help to manage existing mental health problems in the industry, a statement that more than 80% of construction bosses agree with, Citation also believes more needs to be done to change the culture around mental health in construction.

The health and safety expert's research found that employers believe the reasons for these high rates of mental health problems are due to the perceived stigma around talking about mental health. The research shows that 78% of construction employers believe staff are uncomfortable speaking about mental health, with 77% stating their staff avoid talking about it as they think it shows 'weakness.'

These shocking figures show that employers need to work harder to foster a more empathetic culture and create an environment where employees feel comfortable speaking up if they're struggling.

As well as the perceived stigma around mental health, industry bosses agree that there are other contributing factors to the poor rates including stress from general life (64%) and from working long hours (52%).

It's the employer's responsibility to create an environment where staff can speak about their mental struggles, and although the majority of bosses don't currently provide mental health training, more than 82% agree that more training and support is needed.

Lee Mills, Service Director, at Citation said:- "There is a lot of work that needs to be done by employers in the construction industry. The dire rates of mental health issues in the sector can't continue, and the most effective way of tackling these is through training. Not only does training equip managers with the tools to support struggling employees, it also gives them more confidence in talking about the topic, which in turn, filters down to the wider workforce, helping to lessen the perceived stigma around it. Our research really highlights how serious the perceived stigma in the industry is, and it's time that bosses step up to try and do something about it."

As part of the Building Minds campaign, Citation has teamed up with the construction industry's longest established trade body, The National Federation of Builders (NFB) to find a solution on how to address the perceived stigma around mental health.

Danny Clake, commercial director at The NFB, said:- "The gendered nature of construction presents a key concern when attempting to tackle the high suicide rates. Males who are employed in male dominated occupations have been found to be less likely to seek help from a mental health professional. Primarily, men tend to be in full time employment, with greater job strain and demands, and lower job control. Long working hours, high psychological demands, and work family imbalance have all presented as significant factors for mental health concerns in men, which are combined with a culture of silence between men around discussing mental health. Promoting mental health initiatives in the workplace gets a conversation going, opening the floor for men to feel validated, which may be the difference between them seeking help versus staying silent."

To support bosses looking to provide more mental health support in their workplace, Citation, alongside the NFB, will be hosting a webinar, on Thursday, 16 June 2022.

Backed by industry bodies the webinar will highlight the current state of mental health in the industry, while looking at how employers can support mental health at work.

To sign up to the webinar, visit Building Minds on the Citation website.

CLA endorses new roadmap for environmental markets to finance UK's nature recovery

RECOMMENDATIONS from over 300 experts outline roadmap to scale up environmental markets and catalyse private investment to help fill annual £5.6 billion financing gap for UK nature recovery.

Today sees the launch of the Financing UK Nature Recovery Coalition's: Recommendations and Roadmap Report, developed with input from over 300 experts from across Government, business, finance, the environmental and land management sectors, and endorsed by the CLA. The report sets out how to make the UK a highly attractive market for nature-based investment to help drive nature recovery.

Led by the Broadway Initiative, Finance Earth and Green Finance Institute, the 'GFI/eftec report' has been informed by the views and contributions from more than 50 organisations, in addition to UK and devolved Governments. David Young, Senior Fellow at the Broadway Initiative, said:- "We need to put nature recovery onto a sustainable financial footing. Well designed and regulated markets can provide farmers and landowners with the incentives to integrate nature with agriculture and other land uses."

There is an estimated annual £5.6 billion finance gap for the UK's key nature goals that public and philanthropic funding alone will not be able to meet. Yet significant barriers to private investment in nature exist in the UK. The systemic undervaluation of nature, a lack of tested revenue streams and standards, mis-aligned and complex environmental regulation, and expertise and capacity gaps are among the barriers making it difficult for the private sector to price and manage the risk of investing in nature over the long term. As a result, the risks of investment at scale currently outweigh the returns.

The recommended delivery plan for UK and devolved Governments focuses on 3 critical areas:-

► Market Design to include the need for new drivers for investment in nature recovery, such as nature based targets, reform of existing regulations to remove barriers to private investment, and new institutional arrangements to regulate and provide independent market oversight.

► Market Governance to establish consistent and rigorous standards for measuring and accrediting the environmental service nature based solutions provide, and the improvement of data needed to ensure private investment delivers real environmental improvements.

► Market Operation to provide the market infrastructure needed for efficient trade in environmental services, the provision of concessionary and de-risking capital, and mechanisms for local market delivery that provide opportunities for local businesses and benefits for local communities.

Commenting on the publication of the new Roadmap contained in the report, CLA Director General, Sarah Hendry, said:- "There is great potential for high integrity environment markets to unlock private finance for nature recovery across the UK. We are confident that implementing this roadmap and recommendations will provide the right incentives for farmers and other landholders to integrate nature recovery with agriculture and other land uses and provide on-going benefits for communities across the country."

* The GFI/eftec report, Finance Gap for UK Nature, revealed a minimum of £44 billion to £97 billion in investment above current public sector commitments is required for the UK to meet nature-related outcomes in the next 10 years with a central estimate of £56 billion.

"Both Covid19 and Brexit:- 'caused sharp rise in copycat ecstasy' " study suggests

A new study has highlighted the apparent effect of Brexit and the Pandemic on the trade in the illegal party drug ecstasy (MDMA). Researchers from The Loop, a UK drug checking charity, found almost ½. (45%) of substances sold as MDMA at English festivals last year contained none; and instead contained other drugs such as caffeine or cathinones. In 2019, the comparable figure was just 7%. They believe a combination of Brexit and Covid19 lockdowns may have contributed to a sharp rise in:- "copycat " ecstasy last summer; and warn of the unknown health risks to drug users ahead of this year's festival season. The study, led by The Loop, including researchers from:- Cardiff University and the University of Liverpool, is published in the journal Drug Science, Policy and Law.

"This study illustrates how cathinones are mis sold as MDMA during periods of scarcity in the MDMA market. Covid19 lockdowns and the shutdown of UK nightlife led to a slump in demand for 'party drugs' and suppliers scaled back production. Then, as UK nightlife re-opened ahead of other European countries, demand outpaced supply. This was compounded by Brexit related supply chain disruptions affecting distribution. During this unprecedented turbulence in the drug market, substances that look like MDMA were mis sold to unknowing customers." said Dr Michael Pascoe, a Cardiff University research associate and co-lead author of the study.

The study was based on the researchers' test results from nearly 800 substances analysed at 3 summer festivals in England before and after the Pandemic.

The Loop operates a pop up laboratory which analyses substances of concern. Monitoring changing drug trends allows The Loop to provide information and rapid alerts, including to festival paramedics and the general public, for the purposes of harm reduction.

They found the presence of MDMA in samples sold as MDMA fell from 93% in 2019 to 55% in 2021. Yet, while virtually absent in 2019, synthetic cathinones and caffeine each constituted approximately a fifth of 2021 MDMA samples.

Synthetic cathinones are chemical cousins of amphetamines (eg. speed) that rose to prominence from the late 2000s onward. In the UK, cathinones such as mephedrone (MCAT) were once sold as:- "legal highs."

Professor Fiona Measham, Co-Author from the University of Liverpool and Director of The Loop, said:- "The sharp rise in synthetic cathinone prevalence in the UK in the summer of 2021 coincided with a unique combination of events including Brexit and the reopening of nightlife after 16 months of lockdowns, months ahead of other European nations. This isn't the 1st time we have seen cathinones being sold as ecstasy at UK events. In 2014, shortly after the banning of mephedrone, methylone made its debut on the UK drugs scene. After methylone was also banned, N-ethylpentylone emerged in 2017. In the latest festival season, 3 other cathinones reared their heads."

Two of the 3 most common cathinones identified by The Loop in this study were legal in the Netherlands during the 2021 festival season, though have since been banned.

Dr Pascoe told us that:- "Without laboratory tests, it's impossible to tell what's really in the drugs people purchase, and the Pandemic and Brexit appears to have exacerbated this issue. Rapid onsite testing, dissemination of alerts, harm reduction information and associated risk communications through media and social media channels provide vital ways to inform drug users, practitioners and policy makers to help reduce drug related harms at festivals and beyond."

Professor Measham added:- "The Loop's testing service facilitates more informed decision making. We do not encourage or assist drug use and always highlight that no test can tell whether a substance is 'safe' to take."