Coronavirus COVID-19
Hospital discharge changes during Covid-19
In August 2020 the UK government promised a £588 million fund to cover adult social care or the immediate costs of care for people in their own home after discharge from hospital. Here’s a run-down on the latest guidance for those leaving hospital, their family and their carers. (If you click on the links for […]
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Who needs to wear a face mask or covering and who’s exempt
Many of us are now being asked to wear face coverings on public transport, in hospitals, care homes and GP surgeries, and now in retail outlets. It’s a physically and socially odd feeling, but that we, and our family members, must get used to if we want to visit a growing number of facilities. The […]
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How the pandemic is changing the way we manage diabetes
Diabetes is one of the conditions believed to raise the risk level of serious illness for anyone who contracts Covid-19. One in four people who died in hospital in England between March and May 2020 following a diagnosis of the coronavirus also had diabetes. While this sounds alarming, the risk of dying is still very […]
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Keeping track of your relative’s mental health after lockdown
The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the way that the world has been functioning over the past few months. As we try to head out of lockdown and get our lives back to some semblance of ‘normal’, it is just as important that we look out for our older family and friends as much as when […]
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Can our parents now enjoy some safe retail therapy on the High Street?
With lockdown easing, and people being positively encouraged to get back onto the High Street to save ailing businesses, our older family and friends may be tempted back out if they’re not actively shielding. However, older people, especially if they live with a number of health issues, remain at risk of reacting badly if they […]
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Mental capacity and Covid-19
There have been some changes to the way that people lacking mental capacity are cared for during the Covid-19 pandemic. The UK Government has published guidance on the key points of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) and deprivation of liberty safeguards (DoLS) in England and Wales, and what has changed temporarily. The changes centre around […]
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A visit to the dentist in social distancing times
I went to the dentist today. A few months that really wouldn’t have been worthy of a blog, unless I was feeling particularly self-indulgent. But in these bizarre times, it was another bite of unreality. I actually had no idea dentists were open again for normal appointments. And I hadn’t checked my really empty diary […]
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Will the post-virus world be kinder to the old and vulnerable?
Editorial While living with a pandemic has been strange and difficult, it gives us an opportunity to reset attitudes and behaviours towards the older members of society. But there are many questions with unpredictable answers. The first question of course is when will there be a post-covid world? For those going back to work and […]
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Tips on updating wills and LPAs while social distancing
While many people are hoping for the end of lockdown restrictions, for the older and vulnerable, social distancing remains the best option. Yet it continues to be important to keep estate planning, wills and provision for future challenges up to date. That includes putting measures in place to make life easier for all the family […]
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Why and how to exercise at home in later years
Physical activity of any sort is highly recommended for everyone at any age. Even when gym workouts seem far behind us, keeping moving is important. Exercise is cited as an important tool in protecting hearts, joints and our immune systems. It can help diabetics with their blood sugar levels, promote better sleeping patterns and increase […]
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