Author Archives: Maureen
Support scheme for north Cumbria carers starts today
A support scheme to help carers in north Cumbria begins today.
By Kelly Eve
Last updated at 11:35, Monday, 12 September 2011
The eight-week Sunflower Group led by the Eden Valley Hospice will cover a range of topics to help carers deal with some of the difficulties they will face.
Janet Ferguson, chief executive at the hospice on the outskirts of Carlisle, said: “The Sunflower Group is something we do on a regular basis, a recurrent programme. It has been designed to help people cope with the situations they will come across as they deal with a family member who has a serious illness and so that they are looking after themselves and are able to prioritise their needs too.”
Elderly carers ‘need more support from GPs’
12 September 2011 Last updated at 00:06
There are thought to be six million carers in the UK. Many of them are over retirement age.
By Jane Dreaper Health correspondent, BBC News
The Princess Royal Trust for Carers says family doctors should offer older carers an annual health check, including screening for depression.
The charity says almost 70% of hundreds of older carers questioned in a survey said that their health was suffering because of their responsibilities.
Millions of malnourished ‘go unnoticed’
Action is needed on this important issue.
9 September 2011 Last updated at 08:57
By Katheine Murphy Chief executive, Patients Association
The problems of obesity and overeating in our society receive a lot of attention.
But in this week’s Scrubbing Up, Katherine Murphy of the Patients Association calls for more action to help the millions in the UK whose malnutrition is “unnoticed, unheard and unsupported”.
It is unbelievable that in the UK today there are more than 3m people either malnourished or at risk of malnutrition.
What is alarming is that 93% of these patients are not in hospital but are living in the community.
It is our most vulnerable members of society who are most at risk.
