Community Care Magazine: Magazine for Elderly and Disabled: Issue 34

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Community Care Magazine for Elderly and Disabled: GAZETTE No.34

MARCH-APRIL 2004

Dementia Care

A ruling by The Health Service Ombudsman should result in more people with dementia receiving free NHS care at home.

This followed the case of a wife whose husband suffered with Alzheimer's. She had been told that he qualified for 100% free care but only if he was in NHS care in hospital.

The Primary Care Trust involved took the view that because the care he received at home was not provided by a qualified nurse he was, therefore, not eligible to receive funding from the PCT.

His wife argued, that as he was cared for 24 hours a day and he could not do anything for himself, he was therefore entitled to free NHS care at home. The Ombudsman upheld this view.

This gentleman is now receiving 100% NHS funded care at home costing up to £1000.00 per week.

CRB checks

All our Carers are required to have an Enhanced Disclosure check and these have all been carried out in accordance with current legislation.

New Carers who already have a CRB are required to apply for an update 12 months from the date the original was issued.

This has brought to light an unsettling situation with one particular application. A new Carer gave us her old Disclosure which had a conviction for an offence in the 1990's. (A relatively minor offence but a conviction just the same.)

We applied for her new Enhanced Disclosure which we received 3 weeks later and to her and our surprise there was no mention of this offence.

Upon checking with the CRB, we were advised that this does happen and not to worry about it.

Other agencies have also experienced similar problems.

M.E. Information

The Government has announced that people with M.E. (Myalgic Encephalopathy) will receive better support with the creation of 12 new centres in England.

These centres will provide sufferers with access to specialist assessment and advice. In addition there will be 28 local support teams spread across the country.

The centres will be in Newcastle, Liverpool, Leeds, East Anglia, Manchester, Sheffield, The Midlands, North London, Surrey, Bath/Bristol and Devon/Cornwall.

Holidays

This is the time of year when we think of holidays. There are many holiday firms which offer special holidays for disabled and elderly people but you may wish to contact the charity 'Holiday Care' first.

For more than 20 years they have been helping people access holidays which suit their needs. They offer information for disabled and older travellers, details of accessible accommodation and attractions and respite care information across the UK.

To contact them for information call 0845 124 9971. Or visit: http://www.holidaycare.org.uk

Holiday Care - Holiday & Travel Information for Disabled and Older People

Hospital Discharge

Who decides when someone should leave hospital? Quite simply, the Doctor.

When a Doctor makes this decision they should be confident that the patient is well enough to leave and that if additional help is required it can be provided in the community.

When a patient leaves hospital there are several questions that should be asked by a family member or friend.

These are:

Has the patient's GP been told they are being discharged?
Are they being given sufficient medication to last until their GP sees them?
Has any essential equipment been supplied and is it necessary to train either a paid or informal carer?
Are their any symptoms to watch out for when the patient returns home?

If it looks as though the person being discharged from hospital will need practical help when they arrive home, then a hospital social worker should assess their needs prior to the discharge.

If a family member/advocate is not happy about a patient's discharge arrangements, e.g. you do not think they are well enough; there is a suggestion that a residential /nursing home would be more appropriate; or you are unable to provide the care then discuss your concerns with the Nurse in Charge.

If you still feel that your concerns are unresolved, then contact the hospital's General Manager/Chief Executive and ask for a review of the discharge arrangements.

In the case of a decision being made to send a patient to a residential/nursing home, a patient does have the right to refuse to be discharged, but this is not a right to stay in hospital indefinitely.

Care at home should then be offered. However, if you are not happy with the level of support then talk to the health professionals involved and if this does not provide an acceptable outcome, contact your local Community Health Council.

If Social Services are providing the care support and you are not happy then contact the Complaints Dept. at your local Social Services. If this is unable to provide an answer to the situation you can then write to the Director of Social Services in your area.

Contacting the Police

Recently, there have been reports in the papers that some Police Forces are considering charging for some calls. Such charges are not in place at the moment but how do you know when to dial 999?

The 999 system is there to assist people in the time of an emergency only. A situation where an immediate response is required.

Such situations are:

Where there is danger to life.
Where there is a risk of serious injury.
Where a crime is taking place or you know one is about to happen.
Where an offender is still at the scene or has only just left.

The Police have to attend a 999 call.

If you want to contact the police but it is not an emergency, then look in your local telephone book and call your local police station using that number.

However some local police stations are not manned 24 hours a day, so phone the main central police station for your area.

If you are calling about a local matter then the main switchboard may be able to help you, or if not, pass your message on for the local station to contact you when they open.

Hedge Problems?

Many people have problems with their neighbour's hedges. Some disputes can drag on for a long time and sometimes people take drastic action which results in prison sentences. Currently, there is no acceptable way to deal with a hedge harassment issue.

Now the Government has decided to introduce an amendment to the Anti Social Behaviour Bill. This would give local authorities the power to intervene in such disputes with a fine being payable of up to £1000.00.

Therefore, if you have a dispute with your neighbour about a hedge, talk to them first and if you cannot get a satisfactory resolution contact your Council.

Calling Disabled Women

'an Aurora' is an Internet magazine published quarterly for disabled women. It contains sections on Art, Beauty, Fashion, Fiction, Food, Garden, Home, Health and Well-being.

Their website is: http://www.anaurora.co.uk There is also a message board facility for any comments you may wish to make.

A Little Logic

The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.
The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and also suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.
The Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.
The Italians drink large amounts of red wine and also suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.
The Germans drink a lot of beer and eat lots of sausages and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.

Conclusion - Eat and drink what you like. Speaking ENGLISH is apparently what kills you. (Sent in by a reader - seen in her GP's surgery.)

The British Safety Council

Able Community Care has become a member of The British Safety Council. This will enable us to continue to work towards the best practices in Health, Safety and Environmental matters. By becoming a member we have access to expert health and safety information and internationally recognised health and safety training.

Home Safety Tips

Kitchen - always mop up spills immediately especially on the floor.
Bathroom - A carpet is a safer floor covering than vinyl, tiles or loose mats.
Bedroom - always have at least one light within easy reach.
Stairs - never place a rug near the top of the stairs.
General - always try to wear non-slip shoes indoors and outside.

Do You Remember?

Do you remember the first television advertisement? It was screened on 22nd September 1955 at 21.12.

It was for 'Gibbs SR Toothpaste.' The advert had won its place as the first commercial through a lottery draw with 23 other advertisements including 'Guinness', 'Surf', 'Brown and Polson Custard' and 'National Benzole.'

Other advertisements seen in 1955 which are still known today are:

'Rice Krispies' - Snap, Crackle and Pop.
'Murray Mints' - the too good to hurry mints.

This was quite a week for television as a few days later the first Sunday Night at the London Palladium was screened. It was a one hour show with Tommy Trinder as the compere and starring Gracie Fields.

The middle section of the programme had a game called Beat the Clock.

The Himalayas

One of our Carers has sent us some photographs about her trek around Nepal.

She spent some time working with children and her photos not only show some smiling faces but they also highlight the poverty in the country.

A place to slim? The trek resulted in a weight loss of 20lbs for the Carer.

Springtime Biscuits

Flapjacks are delicious biscuits and so simple to make. Find out for yourself, by trying the following recipe:

6oz. oats
2oz sugar
1oz of golden syrup*
3oz of butter

* put the saucepan on the scale and then measure the syrup in to the extra ounce.

Melt the syrup, sugar and butter together in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Do not leave. When melted remove from the heat and stir in the oats. Mix well. Press the mixture firmly into a shallow, well greased tin and place in the oven at 170 degrees C for about 35 minutes until golden. Leave to cool but cut into portions whilst still warm. Remove from the tin when cold.

Interviews

Interviews have taken place in Wales, Ashford (Kent), Cheltenham, Norwich, Glasgow and the West Midlands.

New Staff Members

We would like to introduce you to two new staff members. Brenda Bennett and Rachael Wilson. Both Brenda and Rachael are working in Care Management.

Brochures

If you know of anyone who would like more information about the service we provide, please let us know and we will send them a brochure.

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Able Community Care
The Old Parish Rooms, Whitlingham Lane, Trowse,
Norwich, Norfolk NR14 8TZ, United Kingdom

Opening Hours: 9:00am - 4:00pm GMT, Monday to Friday
(excepting UK Bank Holidays)

Tel: +44 (0)1603 764567 | Fax: +44 (0)1603 761655 | Email: ablemg@aol.com