Community Care Magazine for Elderly and Disabled: GAZETTE No.59

MAY-JUNE 2008

Bus Passes

From April 1st the new National Concessionary Bus Pass Scheme will entitle pass holders to free local bus travel anywhere in England. To qualify you must be 60 years of age or have a disability as defined in The Transport Act 2000. You will be able to travel between the hours of 9.30am and 11.00pm throughout the country but local concessions may start earlier. At weekends and on bank holidays free travel is available all day.

The Pass is issued free of charge and you apply to your local Council.

The Polyclinic

A Polyclinic is where patients can see a range of specialists under one roof e.g. GP’s, gynaecologists, ear, nose and throat specialist, urologist, dentist, optician, etc.

The idea, which is common, for example, in Germany, is now seriously being considered by the government as the place where diabetes treatment and minor surgery and other tests can be carried out leaving the hospitals to concentrate on more serious and complicated care.

It is the intention to set up 150 polyclinics, which will run form 8.00am – 8.00pm, seven days a week.

Nail Varnish

Humans have painted their finger nails since around 3000BC when in China they used gum Arabic, egg whites, gelatine and beeswax to make the varnish. It was mainly gold and silver in colour but in the first century AD black and red became popular.

In Egypt the colour of the varnish represented social class.

Modern nail varnish comes in scores of colours and is actually a variation of car paint.

Useful Tips

Wasp Stings - Treat a wasp sting by rubbing with a slice of onion. This will reduce the swelling and pain and speed up the recovery time. There are enzymes in fresh-cut onion that help break down the compounds in a sting that cause inflammation.

Baking Soda - Baking soda can be used to ward off black spot, a terrible fungus that usually hits roses by late Spring.

Mix 1Tblsp. of baking soda with 1 tsp. of dishwashing detergent to 1 gallon of water. Mix together and spray on roses early in the morning once a week until disease has disappeared.Beer - Beer is an old time favourite for getting rid of slugs and snails. This is how you do it. Place the beer (it doesn’t matter what brand) in either shallow pans or a cut down some paper cups to about 1inch tall. The pests will crawl into the pans or cups and drown themselves.

One Cup Fruit Loaf

Measuring the quantities for this cake is easy. All you need is a cup or mug, but you must use the same cup throughout. Using an Imperial half-pint mug gives enough mixture for a 1lb loaf tin.

Ingredients

• 1 Cup mixed fruit
• 1 Cup self-raising flour
• 1 Cup milk
• 1 Cup All-Bran (or similar bran cereal)
• 1 Cup Demerara sugar
• 1tsp Mixed spices

1. Put all the ingredients except the flour into a large bowl and mix well. Cover and leave to stand overnight - or all day if you've mixed the ingredients in the morning. This allows the fruit and cereal to absorb the milk.
2. In the morning (or evening, as the case may be) add the flour and mix well. Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4, 180°C, 350°F.
3. Grease and line a 1lb loaf tin. Pour in the mixture and bake for 1 to 1.5 hours.
4. When cooked, remove from the oven and cover with a clean cloth. Leave to cool in the loaf tin - this keeps the cake moist.
5. When cold, remove from the tin and serve in slices. This loaf may be eaten with or without butter.

There are up to two million people in the UK who have a visual impairment. Most use the public transport system, roads and paths the same way as sighted people do.Sometimes people with poor sight are faced with obstacles that sighted people would not consider as such. These can often cause injury or distress.

Such hazards can include:

1. A car parked on the pavement.
2. An overhanging tree from a garden.
3. “A boards” outside a shop.
4. Cycles left on the pavements and partially obstructing shop doorways.
5. Bin bags and wheelie bins carelessly placed.
6. Dog mess.
7. Equipment left on the paths by workmen.

When a person dies the death usually has to be registered within five days. (Scotland is eight days).

If a person dies in a house or a hospital the death can be registered by:

• A relative
• Someone present at the death
• An occupant of the house/official from the hospital
• The person making the arrangements with the funeral directors

• The person who found the body
• The person in charge of the body

The documents you will need to take to register the death are:

• Medical certificate of the cause of death, signed by a doctor.
• And if available an NHS Medical card, birth or marriage or civil partnership certificates.

• The deceased person’s full name at the time of death
• Any names previously used including maiden surname
• The deceased’s date and place of birth
• Their last address
• Their occupation
• The full name, occupation and date of birth of a surviving spouse or civil partner.
• Whether the deceased was receiving a state pension or any other state benefits.

Distraction Burglaries is the name given to crimes which are carried out by criminals who pose as someone such as a council official, water board official, gas and electricity worker and even a police officer.

In some cases it is even possible that children are involved as part of the distraction ploy saying that they do not feel well, could you give them a glass of water, etc.

Their ploy is to take your attention whilst your home is burgled. It is usually money that this type of crime is committed for.

What can you do to prevent yourself from becoming a victim?

1. Don’t keep a lot of cash in your home
2. Have a chain on your door and use it. Use your spy hole in the door if you have one.
3. Let no one in until you know they are genuine.
4. It is reasonable for you to make a phone call to check a person’s ID if they give you one. Don’t use the name on their card, go direct to the company themselves via Directory Enquiries.
5. If you feel threatened or uncomfortable call the police or a neighbour.
6. Make sure any other doors in your home are kept locked.

The first TB sanatorium opened in Poland in 1859.

Alzheimer’s Disease was named after Alois Alzheimer who worked as a doctor in a state asylum in Frankfurt where in 1901 he studied the behaviour of a 51 year old woman with cognitive problems.

The first outbreak of Cholera occurred in Sunderland in 1831.

Eat your Home Grown Produce.

You may live in a flat with just a balcony or the idea of digging to “grow your own” is not an attractive proposition.

However, you quite fancy the idea of fresh food that is not packed in a supermarket pack.

So if this is how you feel, there is a way in which you could pick your own crops for very little effort and expenditure and thoroughly enjoy the process.

“Grow bags” are the answer.

You can pick them up at a garden centre or your local supermarket, bring two or three home and you are ready to start.First you need to give the bag a good shake kneading it as you would a pillow or cushion. Put it into a low bolster shape.

Then pierce the bottom, of the bag for drainage and cut out the pre marked squares on the top to reveal the compost.

Then scoop out the compost and put in your plant making sure that the hole is big enough for the root ball of the plant. In a grow bag you should be able to grow two or three tomatoes plants.

In another bag you could grow your own cucumbers from plants purchased locally.

If you are thinking about planting lettuces or another crop that needs to be planted in rows such as spring onions, then don’t cut the squares but cut your own long rectangle and plant the seeds.

Tomatoes will need the support of canes pushed in. All will need regular watering to ensure the soil will not dry out.

Come the early summer you should be able to pick your “own” salad for tea!

All Called Mary

Mary Cooper published the first book of English nursery rhymes in 1774. The book was called Tommy Thumb’s Song book and one of the nursery rhymes in the book was Baa Baa Black Sheep.

Mary Ann Aaron was the first name entered on the register of births at Somerset House after the Registration of Births Act came in during 1837.

Mary Bailey was the first English airwoman to fly across the Irish Sea in 1927.

Mary Ann Britland was the first woman to be executed at Strangeways prison in Manchester.

Mary Joy Langdon was the first woman fire fighter in Britain when she joined the East Sussex brigade in 1976.

Thanks

We would like to publicly pass on thanks to the following carers as a result of our clients or their advocates requesting us to do so: to - Glynis Hickling, Sue Vincett, Alex Bampton and Margaret Wood.

Equipment and Aids

Being older or having a disability means that you are usually on the lookout for aids and equipment which will make life a little easier. However, it is very tempting to come across such an item in a shop and decide to buy it there and then without knowing if there is a similar product on the market which, just because it is a little different, may be a better purchase for you.

Assist UK leads a national network of over 50 Disabled Living Centres which can give carers, older people and people with a disability impartial advice and the opportunity to try out the equipment before buying. You can find where your nearest centre is by calling 0870 770 2866.

Similarly, there are other private, independent centres offering similar facilities and you can find out if there is one in your area by looking in your Yellow Pages under Disability.

Criminal Record Bureau

The CRB can now access information held by the Ministry of Defence Police including both military and civilian. The CRB is now able to search over 55 million pieces of non-conviction information held by various data sources

Finally...

“It’s not the temptations you succumb to in life you regret, but the ones you don’t.”
Somerset Maugham.

“My net income does not keep up with my gross desires.”
Errol Flynn

If you are reading this and do not already receive a free bi-monthly copy please give us a ring 01603 764567 with your details or email us at Ablemg@aol.com and we will be happy to send them through to you.

Please follow the same procedure if you would like our current brochure.

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
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

© Able Community Care | VAT number 552696317 | Proprietor: Angela Gifford

	Enter your search termsSubmit search form
	Web www.uk-care.com