The need to cut costs is real. Regardless of who is to blame for the current squeeze on local government resources, in the real world there is going to be less money to spend on all local government services for some time to come. It is therefore essential to focus resources on things which will do most good.
Tag Archives: social care
Carers are unsung heroes
CHRISTMAS is traditionally a time of joy and happiness for families
CHRISTMAS is traditionally a time of joy and happiness for families, but Christmas doesn’t mean it gets any easier for those who need support to live an independent and fulfilling life.
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A range of social services are currently being delivered to more than 150,000 people across Wales. These include older people, people with learning disabilities, mental health issues or people with a terminal illness.
At some point in life, it’s likely we’ll all come into contact with some form of social services. It’s therefore important that the Welsh Government does everything it can to make sure the right support reaches those who need it most. Over the past year and half, we’ve seen much progress in this field.
We’ve also seen the continued roll-out of the highly innovative integrated family support services to bring specialist care for vulnerable children and parents. Some £4.5million has already been made available to local authorities to implement better services for vulnerable looked-after children, including £1.5million for breaks for carers of disabled children.
There are around 340,000 unpaid carers in Wales, usually family members or friends. These people really are the unsung heroes and at times like Christmas, we need to remember and recognise all the unseen work that they do. I’d therefore like to thank all carers across Swansea and wish them a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Mike Hedges AM
Assembly Member, Swansea East
http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/
Learning disabled and carers must be to the fore in reforms
December 22, 2012
Carers, cerebral palsy, disability, learning difficulties, ukcuts
Cuts to these services do not work.
The proposal to shut three day centres in Glasgow and provide other services “in the community” is billed as a reform, but in fact it is only a step in a process which has been going on for years, of trying to cut the cost of learning disability (LD) services and at the same time introduce “personalisation” as the means of meeting needs and allocating scarce resources (“Kelman condemns closure of centres”, The Herald, December 17, and Letters, December 17, 18 & 19).
How the internet and digital technology can combat isolation
December 20, 2012
Carers, internet, Older care
There is no need for family carers to feel alone!
Posted on 24/11/2012 by shirleyayres |
In a week that Jeremy Hunt announced a new initiative to combat the isolation and loneliness experienced by millions of people it does seem extraordinary that so few local authorities and Health and Wellbeing Boards are exploring how digital technology can connect people and communities. With an increasing number of web and mobile based applications from simple information to more complex care management tools digital technology has the potential to transform the delivery of care and support in communities. It is fair to comment that access to high speed broadband will be an essential element to realising the full potential of digital technology for providing.
An impressive amount of research has been undertaken and reports produced to explore the challenges, barriers and opportunities of encouraging older people to use the internet and digital technology to live more independent and fulfilling lives. The internet and digital technology has a very valuable role to play in providing access to services and support to those who have difficulty accessing them in the offline world.
