care at home
Major questions over performance of the Care Quality Commission
If you’re hoping that the Care Quality Commission in England might help you to achieve better care for your family and friends, you may be disappointed. On the same day that the BBC releases a report showing apparently poor care in many homes across the country, a report from a law firm argues that the […]
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UK care awards 2023 highlight commitment and innovation
Choosing a care provider is a difficult business. We want the best for our loved ones, so we need to know as much as possible about the organisations to whom we might entrust their care. As well as CQC or similar reports, and review sites, the annual verdict of Business Awards UK might be useful. […]
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How can I get my parent home from hospital?
‘Bed blocking’ has become rampant in NHS hospitals. Latest figures suggest that more than 13,000 (13,179) beds a day were taken up on one week in November 2022 by patients who no longer needed one. That is an increase of a quarter compared to the first week of December in 2021. This is worrying for […]
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Not enough people to care
Care homes, care at home, the NHS – it seems that every organisation that could provide care for our older relatives and friends who need support don’t have the staff they need. Social care in the community England’s Care Quality Commission has warned of a ‘tsunami’ of people without the care they need this winter […]
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What next for social care for older people and their families?
It’s finally happened. After many years of pushing the subject to the back burner, the UK government has made an announcement aimed at improving the disastrous state of social care in England. (Other parts of the UK have their own social care systems which don’t receive the same attention.) Naturally there are a great many […]
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Supporting older people: News roundup January 2021
In the first roundup of news for 2021, we look at vaccinations and lockdown, the future of home care, current and future scams, energy saving, and the disappearance of bank branches. The latest on Covid-19 vaccinations and lockdown With the fast-changing nature and spread of Covid-19 and the variety of government reactions, we think the […]
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Latest news and advice for seniors December 2020
Our regular round-up of developments, reports, guidance and advice that affects the health, wealth and lifestyles of our older family and friends. In this issue: Vaccinations for those who can’t make the decision themselves Are banknotes really a virus risk? The value of Vitamin D Does the Spending Review give social care the budget it […]
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Local authorities and paying for care
A recent report has uncovered what the authors call a “postcode lottery” around how local authorities across England, Scotland and Wales fund care. The report has prompted us to take another look at how care is funded by local authorities in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It’s slightly complicated, but here’s what the situation […]
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When and how do we talk with GPs and hospitals about dying choices?
By Kathy Lawrence Talking about the likelihood of a loved one dying in the near future is always going to be difficult. But if we want to give them the good death that we would like, we and their physicians need to know their preferences. But how can we know if anyone has asked, let […]
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