January 18, 2007
Thursday, 18th January 2007
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
The number of older people is increasing and the vision of The Community Care Act sadly is no longer a reality. Councils are short of money to provide care that many expected to be there when they needed it. A recent report by CSCI confirmed that fewer people are receiving services and those that do qualify have a high level of need.The "level of need", when councils assess people for a care service can be categorised into four levels:
- Critical - When a person's survival and life is at immediate risk, the person is unaware of common dangers such as gas or electricity, or is unable to make their needs known. Many will need constant attention.
- Substantial - Risks may be over a few months rather than immediate. It could be a situation where a current carer relationship is in danger of collapsing and the person has limited awareness of common dangers. They are not efficient with their personal care in areas of washing and dressing.
- Moderate - The assessment shows that they may need help over the next year but the person can ask for help if they need it. The help is likely to be with daily household tasks or personal care but they are able to find and ask other people for help. It is possible that there may be some mental health concerns.
- Low - The person can say what they need and can ask other individuals for help but may have difficulty in performing in common social activities, The person also has a good support network in place.
People within the "Moderate" and "Low" categories now have to look for the private sector to help.
There are 4623 domiciliary care companies throughout the UK and a guide hourly rate is approx. £11.00 per hour.
It has been reported that Choices, a voluntary organisation based in London has gone into administration. Choices helped people to manage their direct payments, helped to write job advertisements and help with the interviewing of personal assistants, helped with CRB checks, insurance, bank accounts and ran a payroll system for their clients.
Many of their clients have personal assistants that do not appear to have been paid and tax and national insurance contributions appear not to have been made for some people.
Choices had a number of contracts with local London boroughs such as Bromley, Islington and Lewisham. The organisation had also expanded into Cambridgeshire and Suffolk.
In-House News
This week, as a result of a visit by an Inspector from the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care Able Community Care has received it's Certification of Registration. This allows us to provide our live-in care services in Scotland to:-
Adults who have Dementia, people who have H.I.V or A.I.D'S, people with a Learning Disability, people with Mental Health Problems, people with Physical Disabilities and Acquired Brain Injury, people with Sensory or Hearing Disability and Young People.
A care review has taken place in Bedford and a Risk Assessment was carried out in Essex.
Three members of staff have attended an external training course "Safeguarding Adults"
A new client post has commenced in Cornwall. An elderly male with a terminal illness. Salary £568.00 pw inc. Care Manager Ruth Divey
Interesting Information
The Attendance Allowance is the biggest, unclaimed benefit in the UK.Only 77% of care homes meet standards for managing medication safely and the standards for staff recruitment. (CSCI)
Between 1975 and 2002 the number of young disabled people rose by 62% (BBC)
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.
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