Leg Club Podcast

In our eigth episode, we are honoured to have another guest speaker - Dr Anna Galazka - a Lecturer in Management, Employment and Organisation Section, Cardiff Business School. Visit https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/people/view/1432573-galazka-anna for more information.

Anna talks through findings from her post-doctoral research in which she observed the practice of "social values creation" within Leg Clubs. 

This study ran between 1 Oct 2019 and 15 Jan 2020 and included circa 54 hours of observations across 6 UK based Leg Clubs. This work involved obtaining written consent from participants in order to share stories which have subsequently been "para-phrased" in this podcast.

Some themes worth highlighting :-   

1) Leg Club visitors experienced a 'sense of community' - enjoying the social side of human interaction in a community setting. 

2) Leg Clubs are "hubs" of collective learning about wound care and wound management. 

3) Leg Clubs work because of the "informal atmosphere" - unlike what typically is found in most hospitals.

4) Waiting in a "social area" versus a "traditional hospital" waiting area made the overall experience more relaxed and enjoyable. 

5) Transparency of the surroundings alleviated "fear of the unknown" - likened to a restaurant, where you can see what's going on around you.    

The Leg Club model of care is brought to life by our esteemed members, volunteers and nurses. Much respect, love and gratitude!

Join the Leg Club community around the UK (and beyond) and, together, let's help all generations adapt to a society that benefits all.

Checkout our website www.legclub.org for more information.

In our seventh episode, we are honoured to have our first guest speaker - Mark Whiteley - a Professor and Consultant Venous Surgeon and Consultant Phlebologist of The Whiteley Clinic, London. Visit https://thewhiteleyclinic.co.uk/team/prof-mark-whiteley/ for more information. 

Mark talks through the signs and symptoms of Venous Disease. This is the first of a series of three podcasts. So stay tuned for more!

Veins are thin-walled structures inside of which a set of valves keeps blood in the body flowing in one direction. The heart pumps oxygen-rich blood to the body’s tissues through thicker-walled arteries; the veins return that blood to the heart. Veins located close to the surface of the skin are called superficial veins and the veins found in the muscles of the arms and legs are called deep veins.

Damaged vein walls hinder the circulatory system, allowing blood to collect and flow in a retrograde (backward) fashion when the muscles relax. This creates an unusually high pressure buildup in the veins. This buildup causes further stretching and twisting of the veins, increased swelling, more valve incompetence, sluggish blood flow and potential blood clot formation. Eventually, this condition can lead to various disorders known as "Venous Disease".

Join the Leg Club community around the UK (and beyond) and, together, let's help all generations adapt to a society that benefits all.

Checkout our website www.legclub.org for more information.

Living with.. "Charcot Marie Tooth" disease (or CMT) is a deeply moving story of Lynn Bullock -- PA to Ellie Lindsay, Life President of the LLCF (Lindsay Leg Club Foundation) and a member of the Social Media and Communications (SM&C) committee.

In Episode 5, Lynn presents, in her own words, a personal story about her long term condition known as "Charcot Marie Tooth disease" -- one of the most common inherited diseases.  Symptoms can show from childhood, the other extreme is having CMT but not showing any signs or very few. Physical signs are shown in the legs, feet and hands. Walking can be difficult, and you can lose dexterity in your hands.

The mental challenges can include: fear of the future, frustration in not being able to complete everyday tasks, attitude of others.

People with long term conditions wish to be treated as ‘normal people’; a polite request to everyone across society including those in the medical profession who need to acknowledge that a person with CMT is a human being -- not just a person with a physical problem.

For more information, please visit www.cmt.org or take a look at this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2gsY-_JAaE in which three other people with CMT talk about their experiences.

As always, please consider joining the Leg Club community around the UK (and beyond). Let's support all members of our society, today and everyday.

Checkout our website www.legclub.org for more information.

In our fourth episode, Ellie Lindsay, the Founder and President of the Lindsay Leg Club Foundation (LLCF) talks about an ageing society. 

There is an increasing proportion of older people (typically, those over 65 years) living alone leading to higher risks of social isolation.  

Ageing has a significant impact on society. People of different ages and gender experience different challenges that tend to include legal and social responsibilities, outlooks on life, and self-perceptions. 

We need to continue to engage in and encourage inter-generational engagement rather than regress to an "age segregated society".  

Join the Leg Club community around the UK (and beyond) and, together, let's help all generations adapt to a society that benefits all.   

Checkout our website www.legclub.org for more information. 

In our third episode, Ellie Lindsay, the Founder and President of the Lindsay Leg Club Foundation (LLCF) talks about the effects of loneliness and  share some encouraging messages about maintaining a Positive Attitude -- based on the Leg Club model of care.

Communities are made up people with their own unique personalities and problems. Loneliness affects all types of people, especially those living alone. Since the emergence COVID19, social isolation has affected elderly people as well as carers and families often feeling helpless. 

However, despite the pressures of social isolation, people have adapted to new realities and developed positive attitudes towards one another like. There is a growing sense of optimism as we all look forward to restrictions lifting in 2021 and beyond. 

Please do your part in amplifying positivity by looking out for and checking in with neighbours, friends and family. 

Checkout our website www.legclub.org for more advice, guidance and events that may help you develop and maintain a Positive Attitude. 

In our second episode, Cate and Gary share some positive and encouraging messages about Staying Positive -- based on the Leg Club model of care. 

We've all experienced different challenges given the COVID19 pandemic and those people affected by lower leg problems will have had much to deal with. Cate and Gary provide some reassuring advice and guidance that we hope will be well received.     

A key take-away from this show is our forthcoming event featuring "Mr Motivator" scheduled for Wed 30 June at 6.30pm BST - see you there!

For more information about the "Mr Motivator" event, please visit https://bit.ly/3hfPxyd. 

In all cases, please checkout www.legclub.org which contains lots of other useful information and advices. 

The Leg Club model of care was established by Ellie Lindsay in 1993 to support these individuals in a unique partnership between the nursing team and the local community, in a social environment where individuals are treated collectively and the emphasis is on social interaction, participation, empathy and peer support where positive health beliefs are promoted.

This model of care has been very well received with Leg Clubs now set up in many communities within the UK and around the world. As the interest, engagement and expertise around Leg Clubs has grown, Ellie and her supporters created the Lindsay Leg Club Foundation (LLCF) – which is a registered charity.

This episode introduces one arm of the LLCF - the Social Media and Communications Collaboration which is compromised of Ellie Lindsay, Lynn Bullock, Salim Sheikh, Juliette Lobley, Cate Bain and Gary Bain.