Community Care Magazine for Elderly and Disabled: GAZETTE No.23JULY-AUGUST 2002 What are Direct Payments? People who have disabilities may receive money from Social Services for hiring personal assistants. This money may pay for part of a person’s care needs and is to help them remain at home. Social Services departments in England and Wales must offer to pay these payments to people who meet certain criteria. The money must not be used to hire people who are living with them, as in a relationship, nor relatives as live-in personal assistants. To receive direct payments you must ask for an assessment of your needs and state that you wish to receive direct payments. The following conditions must be met:
If you disagree with the decision of the assessment as to whether you are eligible to receive these payments, you can write to the Director of your local Social Services asking for an appeal of their decision. Another source of possible funding is The Independent Living Fund, which may provide additional money to pay for your home care services or support. Stay Cool In hot weather people with chronic health conditions, disabled people and elderly people can suffer when the temperature climbs higher. As we age our body gradually looses the ability to perspire and regulate our body temperature. Older skin, as it thins offers less protection from the sun. Also, medications taken for a variety of reasons can also interfere with ones ability to manage hot weather. So how to stay cool;
Older readers will remember the "divi" which was closed to new members over 25 years ago. The "divi" was a scheme whereby you became a member and every time you made a purchase at the Co-op you earned a little of the organisation's profits. At regular intervals you could draw this dividend as cash. Other people kept it in the scheme saving up for holidays and even their funerals. The scheme is being relaunched in the coming year so keep an eye out for notices in your local store. Did You Know? In just one day, a dripping hot water tap can waste enough energy and enough water to fill a bath? Wise Shopping The Trading Standards Office have many advice leaflets that are free upon application. They are written to give the consumer information so we can understand our rights. When you buy goods you enter a legally binding contract. If you wish to reject the goods you can only do so under The Sale & Supply of Goods Act 1994. The reasons that you can reject the goods are:
One Day Sales, such as those advertised on telegraph poles or road roundabouts should be treated with caution. The sellers are "here today and gone tomorrow". Tracing them, should you have a problem, may be difficult. Some shops will state, when returning faulty goods, that you have to have a credit note or an exchange. By law, you are however entitled to a refund. You may take faulty goods back to a shop and the shop owner says it is the manufacturer who will refund you. This is not the case. The seller should refund your money. Fight Car Theft Since January 2000 all new cars have been fitted with an immobiliser and this has changed the manner in which many opportunist car thieves work. Now they either target older vehicles or steal keys of vehicles fitted with immobilisers. The majority of stolen cars, and there are approximately 500,000 cars stolen each year, are targeted either for their resale value or to strip and sell as spare parts. There are several actions that you can carry out to minimise the risk of your car being stolen:
This was a common dish during war time and in the 1950’s. It was a dish made as a way of finishing leftovers from a previous meal. Despite the odd description, which comes from the sound it makes during cooking, if cooked properly it is delicious. To make it you need a reasonable amount of cold, left-over potato (mashed), cooked cabbage and, if you have some, cold cooked beef from the Sunday joint. Heat some dripping (fat) in a pan and fry the chopped up meat. Add the cold cooked potato and cabbage and mix it thoroughly. Reduce the heat and thoroughly cook for 15-20 minutes or more without stirring it so that it sets solid and the edges and underside are brown, it is cooked right through but not stuck to the pan! Serve piping hot with salt, pepper and ketchup if you wish. Refrigerators Do you stock your refrigerator in the right order? Check with the following advice given by the Department of Environment.
Last year we advised you that one of our Care Managers, Tracey Harvey was leaving us to begin a new life in Spain. Having second thoughts, she returned to the UK and has now rejoined our staff. Irene Sutton, the lady who for the last four years has sent your Advice Letters to you has gone on to pastures new and Pamela Saunders is taking her place. With effect from the end of July, Clare Hunt will be joining us in the Recruitment Department. Thanks Our thanks go to carers Neil King, Chrissie Heaps-Campbell, Leslie Mayhew and Glen Hallworth who gave much appreciated help over and above the call of duty. Interviews In each Gazette we give you details of where interview sessions have taken place, and this month is no exception. However, we thought it might be of interest to tell you about the actual practical aspect of these "interview sessions". Recruiting suitable carers is much more difficult now than it used to be. This is due to many things e.g. low unemployment, in some cases poor hourly rates compared with other professions and more companies trying to recruit from a diminishing supply of carers. Staff from Able Community Care personally interview all carers. Routinely we travel hundreds of miles to reach an interview session, at times to interview one carer only. (This happened recently in Bath). Many times prospective carers do not turn up for the interview, many not letting us know. Able Community Care interviews somewhere in the UK almost every week. In the last few weeks we have been to Bath, Goole, Torquay, Amersham and Annan. Many carers also come to Norwich. From the first enquiry from a prospective carer to the final acceptance stage as many as five members of Able’s office staff can be involved. With effect from later this year a new check will be available to us, namely the Criminal Records Bureau. In the beginning we will obtain a police check for all new carers progressing over the months to police checking all existing carers on our Register. Deaths It is with regret that we advise you of the deaths of Sir Peter Danniel, Julie Rickwood and Mrs Pressley. Thank you to all their carers. Finally... What is the end of everything?... Don't Forget If you know anyone who would benefit from our services, please contact us and we will send out a brochure to them.
home | about us | contact us | care FAQ | terms & conditions | privacy policy | care links service-user-access-form.pdf | litigation services | second hand store Able Community Care Opening Hours: 9:00am - 4:00pm GMT, Monday to Friday Tel: +44 (0)1603 764567 | Fax: +44 (0)1603 761655 | Email: ablemg@aol.com © Able Community Care | VAT number 552696317 | Proprietor: Angela Gifford |