Esther Rantzen: basic needs of care home residents are not being met

December 2, 2013   Uncategorized

Care homes are failing to meet fundamental needs of residents such as food and water, Esther Rantzen says

 

By , and Ben Riley-Smith

11:53AM GMT 02 Dec 2013

Care homes are failing to meet the basic needs of residents such as making sure they have food and water, Esther Rantzen has said, as she reveals her newly opened helpline has received hundreds of calls reporting abuse in its first week.

It comes after the Daily Telegraph disclosed more than 1,000 care home residents have died of thirst or while suffering dehydration over the past decade.

The television presenter described the figures as “horrifying” and suggested care home staff should be forced to participate in roll plays to understand what it means to be “confined to a bed” and “unheard and ignored”.

SilverLine – a helpline for older people modelled on ChildLine – has had 400 calls from older people reporting abuse since it launched a week ago.

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Surge in numbers of elderly put in care homes after Christmas

December 2, 2013   Carers, Older care

Elderly people are far more likely to be put into a care home after Christmas, research finds

Care home resident

Data held by an online directory of care homes shows a 40 per cent increase in the number of people searching for residential care for the elderly every Januar

By , Health Correspondent

7:00AM GMT 02 Dec 2013

Elderly people are far more likely to be put into a care home after spending times with their families over Christmas, research has found.

Data held by an online directory of care homes shows a 40 per cent increase in the number of people searching for residential care for the elderly every January.

Experts said the findings suggest that the extra contact with older relatives over the festive season meant families were more likely to realise how infirm they were, or to become overwhelmed by the burden of caring for them.

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Depressed Man Hanged Himself After His Sickness Benefits Were Cut, Inquest Hears

December 2, 2013   benefits, Carers, Depression, ukcuts

Neighbour became concerned

by · November 29, 2013

coroners-court2

photo credit: ell brown via photopin cc

59 year-old Victor Cuff from Gravesend in Kent, hung himself because his sickness benefits had been cut, an Inquest has heard.

Mr Cuff’s friend and neighbour, Colleen Gobel (69), told police how she had become concerned for Mr Cuff after not seeing him on 22nd May. Upon further investigation she found her neighbour dead in his bedroom.

Police were called to Mr Cuff’s ground-floor flat at 6:11pm.

Detective Sergeant James Greenidge, told the inquest that upon arrival at the flat he found Mr Cuff’s lying in his bed, and that “it appeared he hanged himself”. Detective Greenidge continued by saying: “there was evidence he was drunk”.

Colleen Gobel told police that Mr Cuff had a history of depression and was “feeling down” as a result of experiencing money troubles after his sickness benefits were reduced.

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