care homes
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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Gloria’s Law and the demand for a right to a Care Supporter
Lockdown created a new crisis for the eldercare system, especially in care homes and hospitals. In an effort to protect the vulnerable from COVID-19, establishments instigated strict rules on visiting, often with families and friends being shut out altogether if any cases were detected within the care setting. This became a very long-term issue, as […]
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How can you support a loved one into a care home?
It would be lovely if there was a straightforward path to choosing and getting the best out of a care home for our loved ones. But in reality it’s a complicated business, and often frustrating for all concerned. Those with experience suggest patience, kindness and firmness are important, together with a determination to ask questions […]
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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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Why it’s important to choose a care home that values online security
Collaborative Post Cyber threats are something we associate with retail firms and global brands. But what many don’t realise is that it’s a risk to all industries, including care homes. In recent years, healthcare records have been compromised (with NHS client data accessed), and this worrying trend is expected to increase with the growing level […]
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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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Visiting care homes in England from April 2022
Here’s a summary of the current guidance to care homes on visiting arrangement in England, applicable from 4 April 2022. The full text can be found in the ‘Covid-19 supplement to the infection prevention and control resource for adult social care’ published on 31 March. It’s worth checking this if you have a problem with […]
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Covid and our older population April 2022
While most people are now ‘living with Covid’, the virus itself is still rife within the UK population. What does this mean for our older family and friends? Here’s a roundup of recent news coverage and government guidance. Covid infections are at record levels, according to data from the Office of National Statistics, with only […]
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Visiting care homes and other social care settings
In February 2022 much of the UK has started getting back to ‘normal’, but families of care home residents and people in other care homes settings are experiencing very different attitudes and actions about visiting their relatives. While many families are reportedly delighted to be visiting loved ones again as restrictions ease, others are still […]
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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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