Tag Archives: Older care
Elderly ‘left hungry as care home tried to cut down on shopping bill
Frail elderly people were routinely left without food after their care home ran out of supplies because of an apparent attempt to “cut down the shopping bill”, an inspection has found.
By John Bingham, Social Affairs Editor
7:00AM BST 07 Jun 2012
Staff at Lyndhurst Lodge in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leics, told inspectors they had resorted to buying snacks for residents out of their own pockets because of shortages, the health watchdog the Care Quality Commission said.
The home was issued with a formal warning after a highly critical inspection report also found that it was so short-staffed that at times there were not even enough on hand to help frail people to the lavatory.
Report from the Hardest Hit North-East Conference
Cuts are costing us our independence, disabled people in Newcastle tell Government
Over 200 disabled people, carers and disability campaigners gathered at Newcastle Civic Centre on Friday 1 June to discuss the impact of government cuts on disabled and older people. The conference comes after a march and rally last October which was the largest of a series across the country with over a 1000 people taking part.
Anger at ‘scandalous’ rise in charges for mum’s home help
A son who looks after his elderly mum says her care bill is set to triple to more than £18,000 under changes being introduced by the city council.
Widow Vera Hunt, 87, is disabled following a stroke four years ago. She is double incontinent with dementia and requires two carers to attend to her four times a day.
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Her son, Martin, 55, gave up his job and house to help care for Vera at the pensioner’s home in Wintersdale Road, near Uppingham Road, Leicester, but says her life savings will now be drained to pay for increased charges.
He is angry and deeply upset that every penny of savings put away by his parents, who had paid their taxes all their life, would have to be spent on his mum’s elderly care.
“She contributes more than £6,000 a year and because I’m looking after her she isn’t a burden to the local authority,” said Martin.
“I need carers to come in and help hoist her out of bed and change her incontinent pads, but apart from that I’m doing everything else.
