Author Archives: Maureen
Anger at ‘scandalous’ rise in charges for mum’s home help
A son who looks after his elderly mum says her care bill is set to triple to more than £18,000 under changes being introduced by the city council.
Widow Vera Hunt, 87, is disabled following a stroke four years ago. She is double incontinent with dementia and requires two carers to attend to her four times a day.
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Her son, Martin, 55, gave up his job and house to help care for Vera at the pensioner’s home in Wintersdale Road, near Uppingham Road, Leicester, but says her life savings will now be drained to pay for increased charges.
He is angry and deeply upset that every penny of savings put away by his parents, who had paid their taxes all their life, would have to be spent on his mum’s elderly care.
“She contributes more than £6,000 a year and because I’m looking after her she isn’t a burden to the local authority,” said Martin.
“I need carers to come in and help hoist her out of bed and change her incontinent pads, but apart from that I’m doing everything else.
The meals-on-wheels postcode lottery
Some councils are spending less than £4 a week on meals-on-wheels for elderly people while others spending almost 30 times that much, a study shows.
By John Bingham, Social Affairs Editor
7:00AM BST 31 May 2012
Campaigners said the figures exposed a “scandalous postcode lottery” in provision for the elderly.
It follows warnings that increasing numbers of older people are arriving in hospital showing signs of malnutrition.
A study based on official statistics by the data analysts, Ssentif, found that councils spend an average of just under £34 per person per week on meals for elderly people including meals on wheels services and luncheon clubs.
Carers told “you are not alone” as help is launched in north Norfolk and Broadland
A new service that will help the unsung army of carers to get the support that they need is being set up at 20 GP surgeries across north Norfolk and Broadland.
By STEVE DOWNES Wednesday, May 30, 2012
3:56 PM
North Norfolk Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is piloting the project to provide support work at surgeries – and it could spread to the rest of Norfolk if the nine-month trial is successful.
Under the scheme, which is being delivered by Norwich and District Carers Forum (NDCF), two part-time support workers will be available on a monthly basis at each surgery to give support to anyone in an unpaid caring role.
