January 31, 2008
Thursday, 31st January 2008
Greetings from Angela Gifford, Proprietor of Able Community Care, and welcome to the Able Newsflash, published by email every Thursday morning.
If you enjoy reading it please forward it to any other person who may also find it of interest.
Alternatively, they can subscribe directly for their own copy each week from our website: http://www.uk-care.com
Care News
Nestor Healthcare is possibly in talks with reference to the company being sold. A media story have suggested that possible buyers could be Allied Healthcare, Care UK or the Mears Group. Last November the company issued a profit warning which saw its shares fall by 42%.
Compensation boost for accident victims
The Court of Appeal has ruled that payments towards the hiring of carers should rise in line with care workers salaries. This was the heading of an article in Times Online on January 17th. For the rest of the article please visit the site at: http://business.timesonline.co.uk
Scotland
Free personal and nursing care payments to older people in care homes will rise in line with inflation from April.
Payments for free personal and nursing care to eligible residents in care homes have remained static at £145 per week for personal care and £65 per week for nursing care since the policy was introduced in 2002. The announcement today will see totals rise to £147 and £67 per week respectively.
Some Councils in England are starting to pay by the minute for care that elderly people receive in their own homes. Harrow Council has introduced a pay- by -minute system rather than payment for ten minute blocks of care. With electronic monitoring systems this is easy to do. Another 35 councils will bring in electronic monitoring before March 2008, though this does not necessarily mean that they will embrace the pay-by-minute method. (Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk)
In-House News
Potential New clients have been assessed in Bedfordshire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and Buckinghamshire.Risk assessments and client reviews have taken place in Kent, Berkshire and S.E. London.
Judith Tye has attended a Disability Discrimination Act training day in Suffolk.
We have commenced care for an elderly, frail lady in Cornwall. Sal. £576.00pw inc. Care Manager Sue Lamb.
Potential carers have been interviewed in Carlisle and Norwich.
Interesting Information
The number of older Britons living abroad is expected to hit 3,325,000 - or one in five - by 2020, a new study reveals. Figures from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) claims that currently one million pensioners, or one in 12 of Britons over 65, already live overseas.
During each working day 2005-06 the average number of claims cleared each working day for:
- The Disability Living Allowance was 1,728
- The Attendance Allowance was 1,652
- The Carers Allowance was 998
Question asked of Able Community Care March 2006
"I wish to purchase some elastic shoe laces for my Father who has difficulty tying ordinary shoe laces. Where can I get them?"
Answer : Elastic shoe laces are ideal for people who find it difficult to bend down to tie laces yet prefer a more formal shoe. Once the elastic laces have been firmly tied they make the shoe into a "slip on" which can make life easier.
They can be purchased from Help the Aged in either black, brown or white. They come in packs of three pairs and are priced at £8 including VAT.
You can order a pack by telephoning 0870 770 0441 or by going on line and emailing to: homeshopping@helptheaged.org.uk
We hope you have enjoyed reading this and "see you next week".
Best Wishes,
Angela Gifford, Proprietor
Able Community Care.
Able Community Care is a nationwide provider of Live-in Care services.
Second Hand Disability Equipment - Buy it and sell it here.
Able Litigation Service is an Expert Witness Service provided to both the insurance industry and personal accident litigation solicitors.