Tag Archives: carers

“Five minutes is enough.” says Dundee United legend's wife

June 29, 2013   Alzheimer’s, Carers, dementia, Scotland, ukcuts
Dundee United legend’s wife takes dementia campaign to Holyrood
By Jenny Thomson, 28 June 2013 8.03am.
  • Frank and Amanda Kopel.

The woman leading a campaign to get free personal care for people with early onset dementia is to make her case at the Scottish Parliament.

Amanda Kopel, from Kirriemuir, started her campaign after her husband, former Dundee United star Frank Kopel, 64, was diagnosed with the disease in 2009.

As he is under 65 his care is paid for by his family, at a cost of £400 a week, but Amanda wants a change in the law to see all those with the disease receive the same benefits.

She started a petition calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to raise awareness of the daily issues suffered by people with Alzheimer’s and dementia and to ensure that free personal care is made available for all sufferers regardless of age.

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£675,000 will help family carers cope in Renfrewshire

June 28, 2013   Carers, health, Scotland

New strategy put in place to help carers

Jun 27 2013 by Jeff Holmes, Paisley Daily Express

Council chiefs are putting up £675,000 to help carers look after their loved ones without sacrificing their own health.
The generous package has been earmarked for Renfrewshire’s 22,600 carers who themselves need support.
They often give up careers to look after relatives and Renfrewshire Council hopes the £675,000 will help them cope.

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Will people save within a Premium Bond to pay for their long term care

June 27, 2013   Carers, disability, Older care

Care bond pitched as LTC funding solution

Blueprint suggests a model similar to premium bonds to encourage saving for potential long-term care needs

By Aimee Steen | Published Jun 26, 2013 |

Funding for care has crept further on to the agenda in the past few years off the back of the Dilnot commission.
But even with a cap on care costs, many will struggle to pay the cost of care should it become necessary.
A new product pitched by Cass Business School, in conjunction with the International Longevity Centre UK, aims to ease the burden of paying for care in addition to incentivising people to make provision for themselves.

Personal care savings bonds (PCSBs), proposed by Professor Les Mayhew and Dr David Smith of the business school, would work in a similar way to premium bonds in that they would pay monthly prizes, free of tax, which could either be claimed or reinvested.
Unlike premium bonds, however, they would accrue monthly interest and could be purchased by any adult at a nominal value of £1 each.
They could only be cashed when the owner passed a social care assessment or died.

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