Category Archives: Older care

Christmas is a normal working day for us

December 22, 2013   Carers, health, hospice, hospital, Older care

Real people – whose time with their family is often postponed.

5:00pm Saturday 21st December 2013 in Local News By Ian Weinfass

Echo: Christmas is a normal working day for us Christmas is a normal working day for us

 

WHILE most of us are watching the Queen’s Speech, the Doctor Who Christmas special or tucking into our turkey but for some, it is a normal working day.

We all take it for granted that help is available for us 24 hours a days seven days a week, even on December 25.

But behind the uniform of these dedicated people, there are real people – whose time with their family is often postponed.

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Will you be lonely this Christmas?

December 18, 2013   Carers, Older care, ukcuts
17 December 2013 Last updated at 10:06

 

For most people this is probably the busiest time of year.Nights spent at parties and catching up with friends, culminating with a Christmas surrounded by family.

But the festive period is not like that for everyone.

Age UK estimates about 450,000 will be spending this Christmas alone.

A combination of the ageing population and the fact families are dispersed across the country – and abroad for that matter – means it is not always easy to get together.

Caroline Abrahams, of Age UK, says it is a “chilling” thought, which combined with the shorter days and poorer weather, results in the festive period being one of the most vulnerable times of year for the frailest in society.

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Home care for elderly cut by 25% in five years

December 18, 2013   Carers, Older care, ukcuts

Charities say thousands are being denied dignity and peace of mind because of council spending cuts

  • Cash-strapped authorities limiting provision with tougher rules
  • Number of elderly having meals on wheels almost halved in last two years
  • Number of pensioners receiving home care dropped 12% to 385,000
  • Age UK say figures show ‘how increasingly desperate the care crisis is’

By Sophie Borland

PUBLISHED: 00:18, 18 December 2013 | UPDATED: 00:18, 18 December 2013

 

Charities said thousands of elderly and other vulnerable adults are being denied dignity and peace of mind because of council spending cuts

The number of elderly people being given state-funded care in their homes has dropped by a quarter in just five years, according to official figures.

Charities said thousands of elderly and other vulnerable adults are being denied dignity and peace of mind because of council spending cuts.

Cash-strapped authorities nationwide are limiting their provision with tougher rules on who is entitled to receive help, despite the need growing as the population ages.

A total of 1.3million people receive state-funded home help, a place in a care home or hot meals – down from 1.7million in 2007-08.

In the last two years, the number of elderly having meals on wheels has almost halved from 45,000 to 23,000.

Meanwhile there has been a 12 per cent fall in those receiving home care, from 437,000 to 385,000.

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