Category Archives: internet

Bournville College seeks to increase employer participation in online training

July 12, 2013   Carers, internet

July 11, 2013 | By | Reply

BOURNVILLE COLLEGE SEEKS TO INCREASE EMPLOYER PARTICIPATION IN ONLINE TRAINING TO IMPROVE STANDARDS WITHIN THE CARE SECTOR

  • Care Quality Commission report calls for improvements across a number of areas
  • Bournville College looking at new ways to utilise technology to increase participation in training and skills development across the care sector
  • CPD certified Marshall ACM has designed a range of flexible e-learning modules to engage people working in the care sector and support their CPD

In response to the Care Quality Commission report, Bournville College is looking at ways to utilise learning technology to support necessary improvements in UK care. The technology includes online communication and a new partnership with e-learning experts, Marshall ACM.

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More needs to be done to tackle social isolation

July 11, 2013   Carers, dementia, internet

How to reduce social isolation in an age of declining social care budgets

More needs to be done to tackle social isolation, which affects many more people and puts them at greater risk of dementia

 

It is wrong to assume older people do not crave the benefits of technology which can help with reducing social isolation.

According to Age UK, the number of 55 to 64-year-olds living alone has increased by 50% since 1998. Social isolation is now thought to affect more than 1 million people in the UK, and the evidence that social isolation is a risk factor for dementia and shortens lifespan is becoming irrefutable.

While the causes of social isolation are multiple, if we are to stem the accelerating burden on social care and NHS, more needs to be done earlier to intervene for people at risk. But what are the alternatives, when local authorities face unprecedented funding cuts and have tightened their eligibility criteria for people with milder needs?

At a policy level, little is being done to extend independence in high risk groups in coming generations. Many commissioners are petrified at the projections five to 10 years from now as insufficient budgets will be there to provide care to this population. In my view, the government’s dementia strategy is inadequate as it provides limited focus on encouraging positive behaviours around cognitive health in a much larger at risk group. Yet the flipside is the public’s belief that any service, innovation or tool to enable independence should be provided by the state. This has to change.

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Robots to help people with dementia in Western Isles

July 5, 2013   Alzheimer’s, Carers, dementia, health, Independent living, internet, Scotland, Social care

NHS Western Isles is putting robots into the homes of people with dementia as part of a pilot scheme

 

Members of the Remodem project team with the Giraff robot
Backers of the plan believe robots can replace the human touch

NHS Western Isles is putting robots into the homes of people with dementia as part of a pilot scheme to help them to continue to live independently.
A relative or carer – potentially hundreds of miles away – can drive the machine around the house to check that everything is all right.
The pair can also have a chat through a two-way video call system.
The Giraff robots are 1.5m (4ft 11in) tall with wheels, and a TV screen instead of a head.
A relative or carer can call up the Giraff with a computer from any location. Their face will appear on the screen allowing them to chat to the other person.

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