Kathy Lawrence
How can you complain about or praise care?
Sometimes it can feel like we have no voice in eldercare. Yet there are opportunities to give your opinion to people who will listen and can act on your feedback. If not that, they will at least share your experiences for the benefit of others. Talking about the NHS The NHS appears to be becoming […]
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Can an Admiral Nurse help in dementia care?
Written by Rebecca Lenton With dementia fast-becoming the most talked about condition in the UK, a disease which David Cameron describes as the ‘greatest enemy of humanity’, it’s important to know who can help should your parent or relative receive a diagnosis. Admiral Nurses have long been supporting families affected by dementia and continue to […]
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How to arrange a community care assessment
Written by Rebecca Lenton When it comes to eldercare there’s so much information out there, with so many forms to fill in that it can be hard to find what you’re looking for to help your parent. We share how to arrange a community care assessment, what the process involves and how it can benefit […]
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What to do if you suspect your parent is being abused
When we see images of neglect and abuse in the news we hope and pray that it won’t happen to our parents. We often have to trust their wellbeing to strangers, at home or in a care or nursing home. What do we do if we suspect that our parents are being subjected to physical, […]
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How can I coordinate my parent’s care?
Written by Rebecca Lenton As our parents get older their health issues can become complex. At one level hospital consultants are experts in their field but can be focused on the one issue without reference to anything else your parent is being treated for. At the local level your parent may be seeing a variety […]
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When a heart attack leads to angioplasty
This week’s storyteller has chosen to be anonymous. An angioplasty unblocks arteries and puts a stent in place to keep the artery open. It can be a swift solution to a heart attack. But what exactly happens? Here’s one experience. I had a heart attack. The strange thing is that I wasn’t absolutely sure that […]
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What happens during a cataract operation?
Operations to remove cataracts and improve eyesight are carried out every day across the country. Knowing that doesn’t necessarily lessen the fear of what exactly is going to happen. John Harrison, owner of the Allotment Garden, describes his experience to help others about to go through the same procedure. I was sitting in the car […]
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What can a pharmacist do for your parent?
Written by Rebecca Lenton Pharmacists can do more for our parents now than ever. Whilst they don’t offer the same expertise as a doctor they can certainly ensure that our parents are living well and managing their medication successfully. We explore the ways in which pharmacists can help our parents with their pills and prescriptions. […]
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Will the “Friends and Family Test” make a difference to hospital care?
Written by Kathy Lawrence Patients now have the opportunity to rate their hospital experience. Kathy explains how the survey works and wonders if it will give the right answers to improve our parents’ experiences. At the beginning of 2013 the UK Government announced that it would be making more use of a “Friends and Family” […]
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In praise of district nurses
This week’s storyteller has chosen to be anonymous.When the chips are down, district nurses can be relied upon to take the time and effort to care for our elderly and ill parents at home. At 25 minutes to 1 on Monday we received a phone call from a district nurse to say that dad was […]
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