Tag Archives: carers

Cup of cocoa a day may help memory in elderly: study

August 14, 2012   Carers, dementia

Drinking a cup of hot chocolate before bed may stave off memory problems in the elderly, research has suggested.

 

A daily cup of hot chocolate was linked to higher scores on thinking tests in elderly people, researchers said.

By , Medical Editor

7:20AM BST 14 Aug 2012

A study has found that people who were given cocoa drinks had better working memories, higher scores in reasoning tests and improved blood sugar control than those who did not have them.

Cocoa contains high levels of flavonols which are also found in tea, grapes, red wine and apples which are thought to protect brain cells from damage.

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Mental health strategy launched in Scotland

August 13, 2012   Carers, mental health, Scotland

A strategy which aims to improve people’s mental health and well-being has been launched in Scotland.

13 August, 2012 | By The Press Association

 

The issue is one of the top public health challenges in Europe, according to public health minister Michael Matheson.

The Scottish government has 36 commitments in its new Mental Health Strategy for Scotland: 2012-2015.

Mr Matheson said: “In Scotland we are proud of what we have already achieved in promoting rights and recovery, addressing stigma and improving outcomes for people who use services and their carers, ensuring people receive more effective quality care and treatment, more quickly than ever before.

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Care home procurement model fails vulnerable children

August 13, 2012   Carers

Parts of the country have a disproportionate numbers of care homes, with local authorities simply accepting what the market offers

The Ridgeway, Mill Hill East, London

Five thousand children and young people are in residential care, costing £1bn a year. Photograph: Sophia Evans for the Guardian

Certain parts of the country, such as Rochdale, have a disproportionate number of care homes – with children coming in from different areas.

The government has promised action on this, saying it will make it harder for councils to send children out of their areas. It has also asked Ofsted, which is responsible for inspecting care homes, to inform the police of care homes in their areas.

The problem has been attributed partly to care homes being situated in cheaper parts of the country because of market forces, as 75% of care homes are run by private companies.

However, this is a symptom of a major failure in procurement of care places by local government. The heart of the problem is that local authorities operate independently, thus preventing any coherent approach to managing the situation and influencing the market.

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