Author Archives: Maureen

Free friendship phone service for older people launched

November 25, 2013   Carers, Older care

25 November 2013 Last updated at 07:10

Free friendship phone service for older people launched

Joseph Day, who has been using the service, said that he found losing his wife almost unbearable

A free 24-hour dedicated helpline for older people across the UK has been launched by Esther Rantzen.

‘The Silver Line’ aims to combat loneliness in the over-65s by providing friendship, information and advice through calls to trained volunteers.

Chairwoman Ms Rantzen said she hoped the phone line number, 0800 4 70 80 90, would be remembered by all older people when they needed friendship or advice.

The phone line is funded by a £5m grant from the Big Lottery Fund.

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Nolan sisters sing praises for Trinity Hospice

November 23, 2013   Cancer, Carers, hospice

Nolan sisters sing praises for Trinity

Published on the 22 November 2013 15:19

Trinity Hospice.

And now the rest of the country has heard of it too, thanks to Coleen Nolan singing its praises on Daybreak to around half a million viewers.

The Nolan Sisters’ singer took to the the ITV morning show to talk about how the hospice on Low Moor Road, Bispham, supported her sister, Bernie, and the rest of their family in Bernie’s final days.

And the Loose Women presenter helped to dispel common misconceptions about the palliative care unit.

She said: “You know about hospices but you think it’s depressing, it’s where people go in their final moments. So it was a bit scary when they said Bernie was going into a hospice.

“But I can’t tell you … it was the most amazing place.”

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The kidney patient subject to bedroom tax – even if room is used for dialysis machine

November 19, 2013   Carers, kidney disease

Plight of MP’s brother raises questions about fairness of controversial welfare reform

Emily Dugan Tuesday 19 November 2013

It has been 30 years since Rivers Pound moved into his specially adapted council flat in Earl’s Court, west London. The 55-year-old has been on and off dialysis since his first kidney failure at 19, and his flat was one of three in the block designed with its own dialysis room, part of a council scheme to house residents with renal problems.

Then, in April, the Coalition introduced its welfare reforms and everything changed. Although Rivers’s body was rejecting a third transplanted kidney, he was not on dialysis at that moment and so the room that housed his equipment was deemed surplus to requirements.

According to the inflexible rules of the under-occupancy policy known as the “bedroom tax”, he had to find another £120 a month for this “spare” room – or find a new home.

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