Tag Archives: carers

War veteran opens new carers’ facility Wells Hospital

April 26, 2014   Carers, dementia, Norfolk

War veteran who was one of the first British soldiers to meet the Russians after the Battle of Berlin opens new carers’ facility at Wells Community Hospital

The latest feature of an ambitious project to develop a dementia hub in Wells has been officially opened by a World War Two veteran and charity trustee.

John Utting, 91, who served with the Royal Artillery 25th Field Regiment and was one of the first British soldiers to meet the Russians on the day Berlin surrendered to Soviet forces on May 2, 1945, officially opened The Harold Moorhouse Room at the hospital yesterday.

The facility will be used as a social meeting place for anyone involved in care work.

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New alliance pledges joined up health care for West Norfolk

April 25, 2014   Carers, health, hospital, Norfolk

More joined up care for patients is being unveiled today.

More joined up care for patients is being unveiled today. 

Friday, April 25, 2014
9:25 AM

Care Minister Norman Lamb visited officials from the West Norfolk Clinical Commissioning Group, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Norfolk County Council and other bodies this morning.

He attended a summit at the College of West Anglia, King’s Lynn, where NHS and council officials set out plans to join forces to deliver improved care to the elderly and vulnerable.

Mr Lamb said that there were “big shifts” that the alliance would be improving on. It would move the emphasis from repair to prevention, join up parts of the system which had previously worked separately and give patients more control.

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Ageing without children: why is no one talking about it?

April 25, 2014   Carers, Older care, Social care

Without family carers, the health and social care system would collapse yet no one is addressing the growing number of older people without family to care for them

 

A new report from the IPPR predicts that, by 2030, there will be 2 million people over the age of 65 without adult children.

In this country, care for older people rests mostly on the backs of family carers. 70% of carers are supporting someone aged over 65. Half of these will live with the person and the majority are of working age, mostly in their 50s, suggesting that they are the children of those they are caring for.

They are a hugely underappreciated resource.

The way family carers are treated is appalling; their efforts taken for granted, the expectation that they will undertake any and all tasks, from giving injections to changing incontinence pads. And all without the help and training given to paid carers, for the paltry amount of £59.75 a week – if they even qualify for it.

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