Category Archives: kinship carer
Gransnet created to help old people in Bolton understand modern technology
Helping older people
12:24pm Wednesday 24th July 2013 in News By Charlotte Dobson, Reporter
SOCIAL NETWORK Pam Hayhurst who is editor of Gransnet
FOR most young people, browsing on laptops and smartphones is second nature.
Although for older generations, the world of technology can seem alien, confusing and completely overwhleming.
But now more and more silver surfers in Bolton are logging on thanks to a new online forum and networking site — as well as IT support groups to help pensioners get to grips with technology.
Pam Hayhurst is editor of Gransnet Bolton — a local edition of a social networking site aimed at grandparents and anyone aged 50 and above.
Family Carers need the internet for support and friendship
Why it’s important to get older people and carers confident online
Rates of digital exclusion in social care are higher than in the general population
The government’s digital by default agenda seeks to realise £1.8bn of savings by moving transactions with citizens online and it aims to boost the value of the economy by £63bn by developing better digital skills across the country.
Evidence suggests that being net savvy can save us time, money, make us feel better connected, less lonely and better informed. Conversely, being digitally excluded means having less (and diminishing) access to public and commercial services, to information and advice and to social interaction, all of which adversely impacts on wellbeing.
When depression affects 20% of older people living in the community and 40% living in elder care homes, compared with 10% of the population at large, and when national data shows that informal carers have lower levels of wellbeing than non-carers, being digitally literate is not just desirable, it becomes necessary.
Digital Unite research has shown that of those over 55s who are using the internet, four out of five (86%) said it had improved their lives, 72% said being online had helped reduce their feelings of isolation and 81% said using the internet makes them feel part of modern society. In addition, 20% of older learners in a Digital Unite social housing learning programme felt their understanding of health-related issues had improved as a result of being online.
For families who care for children of friends or relatives
High Court ruling ‘could mean extra money for carers who look after relatives’ children’
Thousands of carers who look after relatives’ children could be paid as much as double the financial support they currently receive after a landmark High Court judgment today.
By Sam Marsden
Mr Justice Males paid tribute to the “unsung heroines of our society” as he ruled that a council was wrong to pay more money to foster parents who were unrelated to the youngsters they cared for than those who brought up the children of family or friends.
The case was brought by a woman who is the registered foster mother of two nephews and a niece, who are aged seven, 14 and 15, and all of whom have serious learning difficulties and emotional problems.
She complained that Tower Hamlets council in East London was paying her less to help look after the children than an unrelated foster parent would have received.
The judge concluded today that the local authority’s payment policies discriminated against people who fostered children to whom they were related.
The solicitor who represented the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said the judgment could also benefit many other families who look after children of friends or relatives.
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