Category Archives: Carers

We need to address drinking problems in older age

August 7, 2012   Carers, dementia, Depression, mental health

Older people struggle with alcohol problems but despite the growing demographic, there is a big gap in services catering for them

 

Old age psychiatry services in the UK are only able to take on people with dual diagnosis problems, those who have both substance misuse and an accompanying mental disorder.

There is a large gap in service provision for older people with alcohol problems. Old age psychiatry services in the UK are still only able to take on older people with dual diagnosis problems; those who have both substance misuse and an accompanying mental disorder such as depression, dementia or a psychotic disorder.

In theory there is no age limit for substance misuse services, but such services are often ill-equipped to manage the particular problems faced by older people. For example, they are also not generally able to deliver a home-based service, which is very often what is needed to serve the vast majority over 65s with an alcohol problem.

The last few years have seen new developments in alcohol services in the NHS and the voluntary sector. The voluntary sector has developed considerably, with service providers emerging in areas with high rates of alcohol-related morbidity and mortality.

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Alzheimer’s disease drug shelved after trial failure

August 7, 2012   Alzheimer’s, Carers

Two US drug firms say they will stop development of an Alzheimer’s drug because it failed in two late-stage clinical trials.

Bapineuzumab, made by Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson, was designed to halt build-up of plaque in the brain.

But it failed to improve cognitive or functional performance compared with a placebo in certain patients.

Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, as well as the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.

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UK care homes entering into the Olympic spirit

August 6, 2012   Carers, Older care

Older people are often the glue that keeps our communities together

Date of article: 06-Aug-12

Olympic fever has engulfed the whole nation in a wave of pride and happiness, with even the sun making its long-awaited appearance! UK care homes have well and truly embraced the spirit of the Games and are going for gold with inspiring events, fabulous stories from past and current Torch carriers and some care homes have even been holding their own Olympic Games!

An 88-year-old resident from Care UK’s Whitebourne residential home in Frimley enjoyed news of the Olympic Torch’s visit to Surrey. In 1948, Ernest Lowden was one of the torch bearers in the games that were set to unite the world after the horrors of World War II.

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