Senior SGQSW. Powered by caffeine and Aretha Franklin.
Joined May 2009
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tostaygold retweeted
This is what white supremacy has done for so long. Excused murder, rape, and violence against minority groups. This will no longer be tolerated.
tostaygold retweeted
Owning a pet is linked to a brain that looks up to 15 years younger. A University of Alabama study scanned 95 adults and found that pet owners had better memory, faster thinking, and bigger brain structures, especially dog owners.
Fifty-six pet owners and 39 people without pets, aged 20 to 74, took thinking tests and got brain scans. Ian McDonough's team published the study in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience in 2022.
Pet owners thought faster, shifted their attention more easily, and remembered stories better. Their brains looked up to 15 years younger compared with typical scans for their age, and the effects were largest in dog owners. The researchers expected pets to help through better mood, social life, or physical health, but those things didn't explain the results.
Older adults who owned more than one pet showed even more benefit than those with one or none. The researchers suspect each animal adds its own needs and habits to keep track of, which could give an aging brain extra daily work. With 95 people tested once, the study can't rule out that people with healthier brains are simply more likely to own pets. In this group, the pet owners had the younger-looking brains, and the dog owners stood out most. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3633…
Housing insecurity, financial hardship, poor mental health and unemployment do not exist in isolation — they compound one another.
At what point do our systems intervene early enough to prevent people reaching crisis, rather than responding once the damage has already been done?
We are living through significant geopolitical, digital and economic uncertainty, and none of us exists in isolation - we are all vulnerable to life challenges.
We need multi-agency systems that are accessible, coordinated and responsive, designed to support people when they need help, rather than compound the difficulties they already face.
@AndyBurnhamGM @10DowningStreet @FloEshalomi @patmcfaddenmp @Rethink_ @sojanuk @nmcnews @SocialWorkEng @CollegeofPolice
If I become homeless, how can I work? And if the strain of navigating these circumstances further affects my mental health, how much harder does returning to employment become?
@stephenfry @Rubywax @AndrewHWestern
But in the UK in 2026, I am facing an impossible choice. Prime Minister: do I pay to maintain the professional registration that enables me to return to work and support others, or do I meet basic living costs such as food?
@AndyBurnhamGM @10DowningStreet
Public service is in my blood. My ancestors helped establish trade unions in Liverpool. My nana canvassed tirelessly for the Labour Party. My grandfather and his twin brother served in the Royal Navy during the war to defend our freedom and make sure we were all safe.
I grew up understanding that people look after one another. My own lived experiences strengthened my determination that others should not face their darkest moments alone. I want nothing more than to help people. @Ms_Alex_Baker
And I am not alone. Across the UK, tens of thousands of households are trapped in temporary accommodation and thousands are homeless.
I am writing this cold due to broken heating and windows that do not close, forced to calculate whether I can afford food or heating. My glasses are broken and I am utterly exhausted. My rescue dog depends on me and homelessness means losing her.
@Shelter @MindCharity @crisis_uk
My landlord can no longer pay their mortgage and I cannot afford to pay rent anymore. To avoid relying on already stretched public services I have sold my furniture, parted with my belongings, and gone without food.
@AngelaRayner @mtpennycook @FloEshalomi
but after repeatedly trying to navigate these systemic hurdles to secure basic housing and afford current living costs while managing a disability, my physical and mental energy is overwhelmed. @stephenfry
tostaygold retweeted
If you want to talk, but aren’t sure where to turn, our charity partners are here for you – today and every day.
#WorldMentalHealthDay #WMHD2019
tostaygold retweeted
Sometimes we say we're fine when we're not. But if your friend's acting differently, they might be experiencing a mental health problem.
Today is #WorldMentalHealthDay: check in with your friends - and then, check again.
tostaygold retweeted
Two-thirds of young people with mental health problems can't get the support they need, when they need it. That's unacceptable. Every young person should have a place to turn to when they're struggling. Sign our petition. #ActEarly #WorldMentalHealthDay act.youngminds.org.uk/tell-g…
‘At least 440 homeless people died in UK in the past year..’ via @SocietyGuardian Outrageous. @Tell_StreetLink streetlink.org.uk/ theguardian.com/society/2018…
Useful resource
Today, we are launching #MentalHealthAtWork, an exciting new project with @MindCharity to change the way we approach workplace wellbeing in the UK.
You can now visit mentalhealthatwork.org.uk for access to information & guidance to help you make mental health at work a priority.
