Monthly Archives: February 2012

Ban on age discrimination shelved- shocking blow for the elderly

February 24, 2012   Carers, Older care

Millions of pensioners have been left at risk of inferior hospital treatment, more expensive insurance and a narrower choice of holidays after ministers shelved a ban on age discrimination.

 

2:10PM GMT 24 Feb 2012

Measures to outlaw ageism in the provision of goods and services were due to become law from April this year, but the Home Office has delayed the implementation of any ban until at least October.

Campaigners said they feared the set-back signalled that the Coalition was not committed to tackling age discrimination and that the proposed law could be abandoned altogether.

A series of damning reports from official watchdogs in the last year have uncovered examples of elderly people suffering abuse and neglect at the hands of their nurses and carers.

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Dementia has robbed us of a life together

February 24, 2012   Alzheimer’s, Carers, dementia

Man tells how wife’s dementia has robbed them of their life together


Friday, February 24, 2012

A FORMER helicopter pilot said his wife’s dementia has ‘robbed’ them of their life together.

Mike Keller, aged 66, of Southway, is June’s full-time carer.

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    SUPPORT: Mike Keller and wife June, pictured in front of her artwork

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    SUPPORT: Mike Keller and wife June, pictured in front of her artwork

The cruel disease is progressively destroying her short-term memory and ability to communicate.

Mike’s mother also suffered from dementia, before she died aged 95 last year.

He told their story to raise awareness of the devastating condition.

There are around 3,000 people living with dementia in Plymouth. Numbers are expected to rocket by up to 40 per cent by 2025, partly due to an aging population.

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Carers have problems with tickets for London 2012 Olympics

February 23, 2012   Carers, disability

London 2012 Olympics diary: Danny Boyle promises a cinematic treat for couch spectators

By Olympics Last updated: February 23rd, 2012

 

 

The London 2012 Olympic Games will be an intimate experience for the four billion television viewers, say Olympic insiders.

Creative director Danny Boyle is using his vast film background to present the Games in a different tele-visual fashion so that it won’t just be a faithful recording of what goes on inside the stadium, but rather a cinematic storytelling that those on the couch can enjoy in its own right.

About 20,000 seats will be cordoned off during the ceremony for performers and athletes.

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Locog’s ticket scheme for disabled people and their carers has come under scrutiny – and found wanting – after staff gave out wrong information for more than seven months.

Carers had been told Olympic tickets bought through authorised ticket resellers in European countries would be eligible for the Ticketcare scheme, but, after meeting the required deadlines,  at least one carer has been told, ‘whoops, bad luck’.

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