Community Care Magazine No53 for Elderly and Disabled

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MAY-JUNE 2007

Benefits for Older People

Age Concern is aware that benefits totalling £4.2 billion are unclaimed by older people each year, and is launching a campaign to encourage them to claim money that they have a right to.

They are urging family and friends of older people to tell them to get in touch with their local Age Concern office to see if they are missing out.

Alternatively, their helpline will give advice and the number to call is 0800 00 99 66.

Many people are put off claiming because they feel that the process will be too much of a hassle for them. Age Concern has the following tips for claiming benefits:

• Don't be put off by form filling, Age Concern can help you fill them in.
• Your local Age Concern or Pension Service may be able to visit you at home to provide advice and help with the forms.
• Find out if you are entitled to Pension Credit - this could help you claim other benefits.
• If you are claiming Pension Credit you can also claim help with Housing Benefit and Council Tax benefit in one phone call.
• Even if you own your own home you may be entitled to benefits such as Council Tax Benefit.
• If you have been turned down in the past you could be eligible now - so it is worth putting in another claim.
• To find out whether you can claim just ask your local Age Concern for free, clear and confidential advice.
• If you are entitled, make sure you claim. Benefits are not a hand out - this is your money.

Allana is a clothing company based in Market Harborough. They sell fashion clothing and nightwear for people who are wheelchair dependent.

Their clothing is designed to be fashionable and practical. Incorporated into their designs are magnetic fasteners, trousers which fit higher up the back and have extra wide legs, tops can have split sleeves to aid dressing, back openings and shoulder openings are also present on their garments. All are in easy care fabrics.

To get further information telephone 01536 764267 or visit their website at: http://www.allanasmyth.co.uk

www.DirectEnquiries.com

Direct Enquiries, The Nationwide Access Register, was developed in partnership with RADAR and the Employers' Forum on Disability to provide people with information about disabled access in buildings and premises all across the UK.

Direct Enquiries works with all the organisations registered. These companies provide Direct Enquiries with comprehensive information about their disabled access and facilities.

They receive over 2.4 million hits a month. So if you are seeking details about disabled facilities in Tesco or Mothercare stores, if you want to play bingo in a Gala Bingo Hall or visit a police station, you can check their disabled credentials on the above site.

Are You A Volunteer Driver?

Many communities and individuals depend on voluntary car drivers to help out with tasks such as hospital visiting, visits to health centres, shopping trips, prescription collection, lifts for appointments, meals on wheels, etc. many of which are arranged through voluntary organisations.

Voluntary organisations have a duty of care under Health and Safety law to ensure the safety of their volunteers as well as their staff.

Volunteers also have a duty to give full and relevant facts about their ability to drive, their car, etc. to the organisation they drive for.

ROSPA - The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents has published a 20 page booklet entitled the Volunteer Driver's Handbook. This covers legal matters, journey planning, fitness to drive, driver training, emergency procedures and much more.

You can get a copy either from their website at http://www.rospa.com or by telephoning 0121 248 2000.

Love Caravans?

It is very easy to locate caravan sites throughout the UK, but it is now easier to find caravan sites that have disabled facilities.

http://www.caravanable.co.uk is a site which lists, county by county, caravan sites which have the minimum requirements for a disabled person of a shower, basin and toilet with ramped access.

If you know of sites with good disabled facilities that are not listed on this site, please email the website and let them know so they can make the information available for other people.

A Recipe for Summer - Lemon Tart

Preparation Time: 5 mins. Cooking Time: 20-25 mins. Serves: 6-8.

Ingredients:

1x 20cm/8in ready baked sweet pastry case.
3 large Lion Quality eggs.
75g/3oz caster sugar.
1 (200g) tub crème fraiche.
Zest and juice 2 lemons.
Icing sugar to dust.
Clotted cream to serve.

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 170C/Fan 150C/325F (Gas Mark 3). Place the pastry case on a baking sheet.
2. Beat the eggs, sugar, crème fraiche, lemon zest and juice together until smooth. Pour the mixture into the pastry case.
3. Bake for 25-30mins or until the filling is just set, but still a little wobbly in the centre. Cool. Chill for at least 2 hours. Dust with icing sugar and serve in wedges with clotted cream if liked.

Your Safeguards When Shopping Online

Whenever you shop on UK-based retail sites, there are eight safeguards which protect you:

1. Payment: If your credit or debit card is used fraudulently in the EU, the card company must refund you.
2. Websites: Use ones you know or which are recommended. You can find a list of recommended sites on the TrustUK or the Interactive Media in Retail Group (IMRG) websites.
3. Records: Keep a copy of what you've ordered, plus the supplier's confirmation message.
4. Quality: Your high street consumer rights apply online.
5. Cooling off: In many cases in the EU the law lets you change your mind and get a refund within 7 working days of the delivery.
6. Online protection: Don't forget that you must be given key details before you buy - such as the supplier's postal address.
7. Delivery. Items must be delivered within 30 days unless otherwise agreed. The eShopping page on the Consumer Gateway site contains further details.
8. Technology helps: Look for a closed padlock sign at the bottom of the screen. It shows that your details are protected when you submit them.

Second Hand Store

Able Community Care is offering a new service to people who have disability items they wish to sell and for people who would like to buy such items second hand.

The Second Hand Store is opening on our website over the next few weeks. more details here...

Car Hire for Disabled People

Adapted Car Hire is a company that hire vehicles out which are adapted for disabled people. As part of their service they will deliver and collect from your door.

The vehicles can be hired on a weekly, monthly or daily basis. All their vehicles are obtained from Motability accredited suppliers.

For further details visit their website at http://www.adaptedcarhire.co.uk or call them on 0845 6862 007.

A Useful Book

A newly published book entitled "Promoting Independence and Activity" has been written by one of the readers of our Thursday Newsflash, Julie Swann an independent Occupational Therapist.

The book has 310 pages and for anyone studying for an NVQ in care, Julie says it is appropriate reading.

The book can be obtained from www.quaybooks.com but if you would like a flavour of the chapters go to http://www.julieswann.com/book.htm

Pet Care Advice

The Blue Cross Pet Charity has a national information service All About Pets.

They provide leaflets, which are free, in the following four categories:

1. Cats
2. Dogs
3. Horses
4. Small Pets

By visiting their website at http://www.allaboutpets.org.uk you can download the leaflets of your choice.

You can also find out information about The Blue Cross, how you can help, receive an E-newsletter and if you wish, listen to celebrities talking about their pets.

Mobile Phones

The penalties for using a hand held phone whilst driving are as follows: £60.00 fine and three penalty points.

If the driver chooses to take their case to court the maximum fine is £1000.00 or £2500.00 for drivers of vans, lorries, buses and coaches.

Diabetic Sweets

Many outlets have varieties of sweets suitable for diabetics but sometimes they may be more difficult to buy if you live in a small town or village.

Many of the "old fashioned" varieties have vanished, but there are still some companies selling them and you can even have them delivered to your door by a company called Bag of Sweets.

They can be contacted at http://www.bagofsweets.co.uk or write to Atlantis Sales, 3 Gloucester Street, Bath BA1 2SE, England.

The following list is a selection of some of the sugar free sweets stocked by them that are suitable for diabetics.

Large pear drops, liquorice toffees, mint aniseed, mintoes, pineapple fizz, sugar free polos, rhubarb and custard, cough candy, devon toffee, chocolate limes, barley sugar (to name but a few).

The Card That Helps

A helpcard was launched in April this year specifically for people who are in the early stages of Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia.

The card has the words "I have dementia" with contact details of family, friends or carers.

With this card, people can go out and about within their locality and if there are problems, production of this card will enable muddles to be sorted out and make situation easier for the person who has the illness.

The cards are available from the 260 branches of The Alzheimer's Society across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Marks and Spencer

Between April 2006 and March 2007 Marks and Spencer offered 150 work experience placements to disabled people. Placements took place at stores across the UK and Ireland.

Special Thanks

It is our pleasure to publicly pass on thanks to both Mavis Kavhu and Pauline Table from an appreciative client.

Finally...

Q) Why do cats hate flying saucers?

A) Because they can't reach the milk!

Q) What is the difference between a cat and a comma?

A) One has the paws before the claws and the other has the clause before the pause!

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