Author Archives: wendy

University of Sunderland raising the profile of unpaid family carers

March 21, 2013   Carers, disability, family, health, Older care

Exhibition focuses on Sunderland’s carers

Published on Thursday 21 March 2013 10:02

THE precious breaks which carers take from looking after loved ones have been captured on camera.

And the exhibition – Time Well Earned – is now on display at the University of Sunderland’s Showcase Gallery in the Priestman Building, City Campus.

The university has joined forces with the Sunderland Carers’ Centre to raise the profile of unpaid carers – people who look after family members or friends who have a long-term illness, a disability or who are elderly and frail.

Many carers juggle care with employment, and the level of care they give can often exceed a full-time job and for some it can be a 24/7 role.

The photographs show carers taking well-deserved breaks from their caring roles and the idea for the project came from Daniel Dale, who is studying a photography degree at Cleveland College of Art and Design.

Daniel first approached Sunderland Carers’ Centre to sound out his ideas and to put him in contact with carers who now feature in the exhibition.

Read More

Why are the lives of disabled people “valued less” than those of others?

March 20, 2013   Carers, disability, learning difficulties, Older care

Doctors put lower value on lives of the disabled, study finds
NHS doctors are more likely to allow patients to die if they suffer from a mental disability, a damning Government-backed report suggests.
Lives of disabled ‘valued less’ in NHS, claim
By John Bingham, Social Affairs Editor

In some cases doctors may even be making orders not to resuscitate “because” patients have learning difficulties, the three-year study concludes.

In other cases, it found evidence of doctors making more “rapid” and “premature” life-and-death decisions in cases involving the disabled than other people.

People with special needs are also less likely to be diagnosed quickly with conditions such as cancer and “all aspects” of medical care were “significantly” worse for them than for the wider population, it concluded.

Read More

Voluntary scheme offers free time for leisure and training activities

March 19, 2013   Carers, charities, Norfolk

WEST NORFOLK: Time Credits scheme marks first birthday

Helen Gooding holds a giant Time Credit voucher with , Front LtoR - Tracey Spearing (youth worker), Alexandra Lee (KL Community Allotment), Alice Henderson (Bridge for Heroes), Elaine Pottle (Learning Catalyst Whitefriars Primary School), Sharon Marsden (Bridge for Heroes), Jenny Rouse (Project Officer) and Liz Falconbridge (King's Lynn Arts Centre). Back LtoR - Luke Foster (St Edmunds Primary) and Chris Borrmann (Purfleet Trust).Helen Gooding holds a giant Time Credit voucher with , Front LtoR – Tracey Spearing (youth worker), Alexandra Lee (KL Community Allotment), Alice Henderson (Bridge for Heroes), Elaine Pottle (Learning Catalyst Whitefriars Primary School), Sharon Marsden (Bridge for Heroes), Jenny Rouse (Project Officer) and Liz Falconbridge (King’s Lynn Arts Centre). Back LtoR – Luke Foster (St Edmunds Primary) and Chris Borrmann (Purfleet Trust).

A scheme which offers West Norfolk residents free time for leisure and training activities in return for voluntary work has celebrated its first anniversary this week.

According to organisers, more than 600 people have taken part in the West Norfolk Time Credits programme in its first year – giving around 9,000 hours of their time to community projects in the process.

Read More