Tag Archives: carers

Angela Rippon: We need to end the dementia crisis now

November 6, 2013   Alzheimer’s, Carers, dementia, hospital

HOSPITALS must be made more dementia-friendly if the NHS is going to cope with a surge in sufferers, TV’s Angela Rippon said yesterday.

By: Jo Willey

Angela Rippon wants to put dementia patients at the heart of hospital design

Even some of the most modern hospitals are wholly unsuitable environments for people affected by this condition

The older people’s champion and dementia ambassador campaigns to improve the lives of patients, their ­families and carers.

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West Sussex carers to have health check-ups at home

November 5, 2013   Carers, Uncategorized

Carers living in West Sussex will now have access to a new service to help them improve their own health.

Published on the 05 November 2013 20:00

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The Sussex Community NHS Trust’s Carers Health Team will visit carers in their own home and check on their general state of health and wellbeing.

Wilma Thomas, Carers Health Team manager at the Trust, said: “Many carers report a decline in health since becoming a carer and some might not even have time to visit their GP for a check-up.

“Our new service means we can support carers in their own home and give them practical advice and support about everything from safe moving and handling techniques to managing medication and eating healthily.

“Long-term we hope that this support will also benefit the person being cared for.”

There are an estimated 84,000 unpaid carers based in West Sussex – which save the county around £1 billion per year, according to the latest figures.

Peter Catchpole, West Sussex County Council’s cabinet member for Adult Social Care and Health, said looking after carers’ needs is a ‘key priority’ for the county council.

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The preventative care revolution depends on closing the digital divide

November 5, 2013   Carers, disability, Independent living, internet

Across the UK, 11 million people have poor digital skills and half those who are offline have a disability. Digital inclusion is now a matter of life and death

 

Over-65s account for half of NHS spending, but more than a third have never been online.

There’s a clear consenus over maintaining the great national treasure that is the NHS and preserving its ethos of providing care free at the point of delivery. But demand for health services is rising fast as society changes, so how on earth do we afford it?

It’s crucial that the NHS makes the best possible use of the funds available. Preventive care is key objective: by encouraging people to take care of their own health, pre-empting and preventing illness before it happens, the NHS can ensure its limited resources are directed towards those who need them most.

Can technology help with a preventive care revolution in healthcare? Many of us now have constant internet access and can find health information easily. I see it every day: patients use wristwatches, GPS devices and apps to track steps, heart rate, calories burned and other personal statistics.

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