Tag Archives: Older care

Help older people get out more, say south west residents

October 19, 2012   Carers, Older care

Loneliness is one of the biggest issues facing older people in the south west of Sheffield, according to residents who attended a special meeting on Thursday evening.

  • Members of the Sheffield Irish Association enjoying a tea dance
    Submitted by: Gael Stigant

Support for older people was the topic of debate chosen by locals for the Meet the Cabinet event at the South West Community Assembly meeting in Banner Cross Methodist Church.

During the meeting, local resident Eric Bentley raised concerns that old people are too scared to go out and then get the bus home late in the evening.

He said: “Where I go ballroom dancing, I know a lot of people who have become single after losing their partner and are then too frightened to go out and get the bus at 10pm, so they’re now not going to the dance.”

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Why digital exclusion is a social care issue

October 16, 2012   Carers, disability, mental health, Older care

As our society becomes increasingly digitalised, figures reveal a large proportion of those not online have a disability or are elderly

 

A large proportion of those not online are elderly.

Next year the welfare system will undergo an overhaul as universal credit is introduced. The benefit, replacing six others, includes a new requirement to apply for benefits online. With millions of people having never used the internet, however, it raises the question of how those not online will manage.

Universal credit is just one example of how, as our society becomes increasingly digitalised, those who are not online are at risk of becoming excluded. And it’s not just a case of people opting not to be online.

This year there were 3.91 million disabled adults who had never used the internet, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics. This is just under half of the 7.82 million adults who had never used the internet. Ian Lyons, from the Shaw Trust, which supports disabled and disadvantaged people live more independently, says many websites are not accessible for people with a disability.

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Elderly care: Norman Lamb urges greater family role

October 15, 2012   Carers, Norfolk, Older care

People will need to take greater responsibility for the care of elderly relatives in the future, health minister Norman Lamb said.

Norman Lamb Norman Lamb said the state must continue to provide care where families could not

Mr Lamb said pressure on government budgets meant families would have to play an increased role in care.

He said the government had also taken £7.2bn from health to help local councils provide social care.

Mr Lamb, MP for North Norfolk, where a third of constituents are over 65, was speaking to the BBC’s Inside Out.

“What’s happening in my own constituency makes me acutely aware of the changes we face,” said Mr Lamb.

‘Crazy situation’

“The truth is that the government has an absolute responsibility to ensure that older people get the care that they need so that they can grow old in dignity and respect, and it means that we have to fund the carers that are available to look after those people,” he said.

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