Author Archives: Maureen
Home care fees rise by up to 160pc as rationing takes hold
Elderly and disabled people who need care in their own homes have been hit with rises of up to 160 per cent in their bills in just five years, new research shows.
7:00AM BST 19 Sep 2013
Home care fees rise by up to 160pc as rationing takes hold Photo: IAN JONES
The number of areas in which the state support for care is available to anyone other than the most frail has also halved in the same period, it discloses.
A study by Which?, the consumer rights group, exposes the full extent to which councils are rationing care as they attempt to absorb major cuts to their budgets.
Based on information obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, it discloses that there are now only 12 local authorities in England and Wales still offering care to people whose needs are officially assessed as “moderate”. Five years ago it was able to identify 26 areas where this was still available.
North-south divide in internet use amongst over 65s
North-south divide in internet use amongst over 65s
New data from Age UK reveals a north-south divide amongst older people when it comes to using the internet, with those aged 65 and over in the south of England generally more likely to be online compared to those in the north.
Older people in Tyne and Wear are the least likely in England to be online, where only 28% of people aged 65 and over report using the internet.
Meanwhile older people in Surrey are the most likely to be online, where 63% of people aged 65 and over report using the internet.
ITea & Biscuits Week
The research, which comes at the start of the our annual ITea and Biscuits Week, also reveals that there are only 4 areas in England where the percentage of older people online, outnumber those who are offline.
This week Age UK is running ITea and Biscuits Week to enable people who have never been online to try out technology for themselves.
Personal budgets mooted for mental health
Personal budgets mooted for mental health
Care minister Norman Lamb has said he would like to see mental health patients being given personal budgets to pay for care.
Speaking at the Liberal Democrat conference in Glasgow, Mr Lamb said: “I would like to move to a ‘right to have’ in relation to a personal budget and to extend it to mental health; giving individuals control over their health.
“You hear stories of how people used to go in and out of hospital and care constantly falling down.
“When they take control their wellbeing improves and they can stop the revolving door and improve their whole experience.”
