Tag Archives: Older care

Elderly ‘should be cared for at home on NHS’

March 19, 2012   Carers, Older care

Elderly patients should be looked after at home by NHS-funded carers instead of being kept at hospital, experts said in a criticism of the Government’s health reforms.

By , Science Correspondent

7:30AM GMT 19 Mar 2012

 

Spending more NHS money on community health programmes and social care would reduce the burden placed on hospitals by patients including dementia sufferers, according to a new report.

But the coalition has failed to remove barriers which prevent health and social care from being more closely integrated, the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) said.

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Home care is disgraceful, says consumer group Which?

March 16, 2012   Carers, Older care, ukcuts

Older people are suffering “disgraceful” home care

Josie Clarke    Friday 16 March 2012

Older people are suffering “disgraceful” home care including
missed medication and confinement to soiled beds, an undercover
investigation revealed.

Undercover researchers for the Which? consumer group reported missed visits, food out out of reach and vulnerable people left without a way of getting to the bathroom.

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Childline founder Rantzen plans Silver service for the elderly

March 16, 2012   Carers, disability, Older care
Esther Rantzen is launching a new telephone counselling service for vulnerable elderly people.

Esther Rantzen

Esther Rantzen is launching a new telephone counselling service for vulnerable elderly people.

Writing about her plans in the Daily Mail, the television presenter and one-time parliamentary candidate explained that she wanted the new charity to combat loneliness and the feeling “that if you ceased to exist no one would miss you”.

She said the new telephone befriending service would be called “The Silver Line” and would be a point for older people to gain information, friendship and help with serious problems, as well as advice about organisations to contact as the next step.

It comes a quarter of a century after she established Childline, launched in the wake of a BBC programme about child abuse.

Ms Rantzen, 71, said: “Loneliness particularly strikes older people who are used to having a purpose in life, to being needed.

“Gradually, the community they used to belong to has shrunk away to nothing; children have moved out, bereavement or divorce means their partners have gone ” .

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