Home Care News
3D printed prosthetics revolutionise healthcare
28 Aug 2015
In recent years, there have been a number of technological advancements within the healthcare industry helping to improve medical procedures and patient outcomes, including advanced prosthetics and reconstruction techniques. Innovations.....
iPads can make a big difference to people living with dementia 'if used in the right way'
28 Aug 2015
If used in the right way, iPads can enhance the lives of older people and those living with dementia, according to a new study. Researchers at the Association for Dementia Studies at the University of Worcester.....
People across the world living longer but spending more time in poor health
27 Aug 2015
People globally are living on average six years longer than they did 25 years ago, however they are living longer with illness and disability, according to a new study. The research carried out by an international.....
Memory may decline three years before dementia onset
27 Aug 2015
People who are at risk of dementia could develop memory problems up two or three years before the onset of the disease, a new study published in the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology has revealed. Researchers.....
Nearly half of women in Europe die from heart disease
26 Aug 2015
Cardiovascular disease, which includes heart attacks and strokes, is the cause of death for nearly half of all women in Europe, according to a new study. The research funded by the British Heart Foundation.....
Low levels of vitamin D may cause multiple sclerosis
26 Aug 2015
A lack of vitamin D could increase the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study has found. The research published in the journal, Public Library of Science (PLOS) has found a direct relationship between decreased.....
Five million people in England at risk of Type 2 diabetes
26 Aug 2015
Public Health England (PHE) has today published a report warning of high numbers of people who are living at high risk of Type 2 diabetes. According to the public health body, an estimated five million people living in England.....
Omega-3 fish oil supplements do not slow cognitive decline in older people
26 Aug 2015
Many older people take omega-3 fish oil supplements in the belief it boosts their brain power. However a large clinical trial has now found they are wasting their money as it found no evidence that omega-3 supplements slow cognitive.....
3D printed bionic hand for amputees wins Dyson Award
25 Aug 2015
A Plymouth University graduate has been revealed as the latest winner of the National UK James Dyson Award. Inventor, Joel Gibbard, graduated in 2011 with a first-class degree in BEng (Hons) Robotics and went on to establish his.....
Glasgow students win £6k to launch app to enhance life for people with dementia
25 Aug 2015
Four postgraduate students from Glasgow have won £6,000 in funding so they can launch an interactive app to improve the mental and physical wellbeing of people living with dementia. The students used a number.....
The photographer with Down Syndrome who has 'opened people's minds'
25 Aug 2015
A remarkable young man with Down's Syndrome has exceeded a £10,000 fundraising target and raised £14,500 through crowdfunding, enabling him to create his first ‘coffee table book,’ featuring landscape and wildlife photographs. After.....
Planned changes to sickness benefits to encourage more people to work
25 Aug 2015
Secretary for Work and Pensions Iain Duncan Smith has revealed plans to ‘shake-up’ the current rules for sickness benefits to encourage more people to work where possible. Describing the current system as too ‘binary’, with many.....
Ex-financial advisor jailed for stealing over £350,000 from people with dementia
25 Aug 2015
A former financial advisor has been sentenced to six years for defrauding three people with dementia and one with severe learning disabilities. Preston Crown Court heard how Peter Bottomley, of Hall Drive,.....
Soaring costs of dementia prompt renewed calls for increased investment to tackle 'global epidemic'
25 Aug 2015
The total estimated worldwide cost of dementia has reached $818bn dollars (UK £521bn) and will become a trillion-dollar disease by 2018, finds the World Alzheimer Report 2015. In Europe there has been a 25 per cent increase in the.....
One in five over-65s who drink is consuming an 'unsafe' level of alcohol
24 Aug 2015
Around 20 per cent of older people who drink alcohol are consuming it at unsafe levels – that is, over 21 units of alcohol for men and 14 units for women each week – according to a study by King’s College London. The.....
Thousands of people due to retire soon could face a deprived retirement
24 Aug 2015
More than 60 per cent of pensioners reaching state retirement age in 2016/17 will receive less than the full rate of the new single-tier state pensioner, anticipated to be £151.25 per week, after 6 April 2016. A.....
Patients miss out on targeted cancer drugs
21 Aug 2015
Thousands of cancer patients in England do not receive an annual test to see if they can benefit from personalised treatments, according to a new report compiled by Cancer Research UK. The report reviewed the National Health Service’s.....
Dementia increase could be stabilising, but remains our most consistent health and social care challenge
21 Aug 2015
A study of dementia cases in five Western European countries has found evidence that the numbers of people developing the condition may be stabilising. Despite populations continuing to age, the research, published today in ‘The.....
Older people as likely to refuse cancer treatment as younger people
20 Aug 2015
Cancer support charity Macmillan has called for England’s health system to assess patients on individual need and circumstance, rather than ‘making assumptions around age’. A new study on over 1,500 people, commissioned by the.....
Charity worker 'takes the plunge' for leading volunteer initiative
19 Aug 2015
A staff member from one of Scotland’s housing and care providers has taken a big leap for a charity by embarking on a 164 foot bungee jump. Paul Richoux, social media coordinator at Blackwood, took part in the challenge at Titan.....
Human brain created in laboratory to advance Alzheimer’s research
19 Aug 2015
US researchers have developed an almost complete human brain laboratory dish to test new drugs and to study cognitive disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease. Scientists at The Ohio State University have developed the brain organoid.....
Term 'baby boomer' used to 'inflame divisions' between young and old
18 Aug 2015
The Ready for Ageing Alliance (RAA) has published a new report to dispel the myth that the generation of post-war ‘baby boomers’ aged between 55 and 70, have benefited at the expense of younger age groups. The charities' report,.....
Extra care housing reduces loneliness and social isolation in older people
18 Aug 2015
A new report from the International Longevity Centre (ILC-UK), has found that residential housing with flexible care provision (extra care) could have a major impact on a resident’s quality of life and reduce feelings of loneliness.....
GPs advised against antibiotic overuse
18 Aug 2015
Patients should be prescribed the correct dose at the right time to reduce and avoid antibiotic-resistant infections, according to new guidelines issued by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Overusing.....
Japanese Government delegation visits Penrose Care
17 Aug 2015
Penrose Care, an ethical provider of home care services for adults and older people living with disabilities and dementia, received a five-person research delegation visit from the Japanese Government. Representatives from the.....
Diabetes cases more than double in a decade
17 Aug 2015
The number of people living with diabetes in the UK has soared by almost 60 per cent in a decade, according to a new study by leading charity, Diabetes UK. The charity has warned that the exponential growth in numbers reflects.....
Super-clever mice increase hopes for treatment of cognitive disorders
17 Aug 2015
A team of researchers created a group of unusually clever mice by altering a single gene, resulting in mice being less likely to behave anxiously or experience fear. The study, published in the journal of Neuropsychopharmacology,.....
Charity launches guide to supporting people who have lost both sight and hearing
17 Aug 2015
National deafblind charity, Sense, has launched a new resource for primary healthcare staff on supporting those who have lost their hearing and sight, or are experiencing dual sensory loss as it’s known. The.....
People with Autism are more likely to have unusually creative ideas
17 Aug 2015
Those on the high end of the Autistic Spectrum are more likely to produce creative ideas, research conducted by the University of East Anglia (UEA) and the University of Stirling has revealed. Psychologists from the universities.....
Rise in number of people taking part in dementia research
14 Aug 2015
The chance of finding a cure for dementia by 2025 could be increased due to a dramatic rise in the number of people participating in ground-breaking research studies. Nearly 22,000 people have taken part in dementia research in.....
Over 50,000 sign petition to stop deportations of thousands of NHS nurses
12 Aug 2015
Over 50,000 people have signed a petition calling on the Home Office to make nurses exempt from new immigration laws to stop them being deported. The new law which comes into force in 2016, means workers.....
Faulty pacemakers could have caused 2,000 deaths in the UK
12 Aug 2015
Faulty pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators may be to blame for up to 2,000 deaths in the UK, according to a new study. New research conducted at the University of San Francisco examined.....
Home care agency opens academy giving practical training in hoists, wheelchairs and first aid mannequins
11 Aug 2015
Home care provider, Carefound Home Care, has opened a new training academy to deliver specialist training and professional development to its staff. The Carefound Home Care Training Academy based in the company’s.....
Gap in life expectancy between rich and poor shrinks
11 Aug 2015
The gap in life expectancy between the richest 10 per cent and the poorest 10 per cent in the UK shrank by 2.5 years between 1999 and 2010, according to a new report. The study ‘Inequalities in life expectancy:.....
Many hospitals do not have clear signage and handrails for people with dementia
11 Aug 2015
Many hospitals are failing to provide dementia-friendly facilities such as signage and decor, according to the Health and Social Care Information Centre. In what is the first report into how dementia-friendly hospitals are, the.....
Care regulator announces plans for a new pilot to reveal picture of care across local areas
11 Aug 2015
A new pilot project has been launched by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to obtain a picture of the different range of health and social care services available to families within a local area. The project titled ‘Quality of.....
CQC recruit nine expert advisors to assist with inspections
10 Aug 2015
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has recruited nine new advisors to offer leadership and advice on how mental health and learning disabilities services are inspected throughout England. The new inspectors will join the current.....
Tips and ideas on communicating with people living with dementia
10 Aug 2015
Dementia affects the way people communicate as their ability to process information weakens and their responses become more delayed. However it is crucial to remember that communication isn't just talking.....
First ever NHS trial for cancer-sniffing dogs
10 Aug 2015
The NHS has approved the first ever trial using specially trained dogs to sniff out prostate cancer. Milton Keynes University Hospital is working with the charity Medical Detection Dogs on trials, after an.....
Banker swaps his career for home care after seeing his mum receive 'appalling' care
07 Aug 2015
A banker has left his career in finance and set up a home care company after seeing his mother who had dementia receive ‘appalling’ care. Mark Collier launched Heritage Healthcare at Trinity House in Sale.....
Littlehampton wingwalker raises £2,000 for British Heart Foundation
07 Aug 2015
A Littlehampton lady, who wingwalked on a plane at 81 years old, has been given the title as one of the top ten quirkiest fundraisers for the British Heart Foundation (BHF) as part of the charity’s new ‘Raise Funds Your Way’ campaign.....
Law commission calls Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards 'deeply flawed'
06 Aug 2015
The Law Commission wants to replace the existing Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) with a new scheme that achieves better, more appropriate outcomes for people with care and support needs and reduces unnecessary burdens on.....
Government praises disabled Access to Work scheme just months after capping funding
06 Aug 2015
The Government has praised the Access to Work scheme which helps disabled workers with travel to work, purchase of specialist equipment and support workers, just months after it announced plans to cap the awards it gives out. The.....
MIND diet could slow cognitive decline among older people
06 Aug 2015
A Mediterranean intervention for neurodegenerative delay (MIND) diet rich in green leafy vegetables, beans, berries and wholegrains could slow cognitive decline among older adults, according to researchers at Rush University Medical.....
Age UK launches new care at home service
06 Aug 2015
Age UK North Tyneside has launched EveryDay, an independent care at home service to help people keep their independence and stay at home for longer. The new social enterprise has a unique social purpose –.....
Stroke rehabilitation device launched in the US
05 Aug 2015
A new ArmeoPower exoskeleton device has been launched for integrated arm and hand rehabilitation for patients that have had a stroke. Hocoma, a global leader in robotic and sensor-based devices for functional movement therapy,.....
Autistic Gardener helping to change perceptions of Autism
04 Aug 2015
Channels 4’s Autistic Gardener is the latest in a long line of programmes created by the channel to cause discussion and provide an insight into the lives of different people around the UK. The four-part show follows renowned garden.....
Dangerous weight loss linked to Alzheimer treatment drugs
04 Aug 2015
New research has identified that cholinesterase inhibitor drugs, which are commonly used to treat the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, could result in harmful weight loss, according to a US study. The study has suggested that weight.....
Building a strong home care workforce in challenging times
04 Aug 2015
According to research undertaken by the National Care Forum (NCF), the recruitment and retention of staff within the adult social care sector is becoming a potential crisis, with multiple challenges faced by employers attempting to.....
Over half of care providers in central England rated Good in latest CQC inspections
03 Aug 2015
Over half of the care homes and home care agencies inspected in the latest wave of inspections in central England have been rated Good, according to the latest Care Quality Commission report. The Care Quality.....