Home Care News
Charity celebrates 50 years of transforming the lives of people with disabilities
30 Jul 2014
National charity Remap has transformed the lives of more than 100,000 disabled people – from athletes and ex-service personnel to children and older people – with the help of its hard-working volunteers who have built equipment to.....
Number of patients diagnosed with dementia increases by 62 per cent
30 Jul 2014
Provisional figures from the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) show 344,000 patients had a recorded diagnosis of dementia in 2013/14. This is a rise from 319,000 in 2012/13 and from 213,000.....
Anti-inflammatory drug could halt progression of Parkinson's disease
30 Jul 2014
A new drug has been found which could halt the progression of Parkinson’s disease in people by researchers in America. The drug, which could be injected under the skin, can enter the brain to protect nerve cells from dying due.....
CQC will prosecute care home bosses if they fail to meet 'fundamental standards' of care
29 Jul 2014
The Care Quality Commission will prosecute owners and managers of care homes if they fail to adhere to the new ‘fundamental standards’ of care, according to new draft guidance. Currently, the CQC has to.....
Inquiry into extra living costs facing disabled people launches
29 Jul 2014
A year long independent inquiry has been launched to understand the scale of regular extra costs which are faced by disabled people and families of children with disabilities in England and Wales. The Scope Extra Costs Commission.....
Home care company sets up heatwave neighbourhood watch
28 Jul 2014
A national home care company, Home Instead Senior Care, is urging people in communities across the UK to pop in on their older neighbours to check they are keeping safe and well during the prolonged heatwave......
Dementia Friendly Communities programme exceeds Prime Minister's expectations
28 Jul 2014
Over 60 towns and cities have pledged to become Dementia Friendly Communities, more than triple the expectation first set out in the Prime Minister's Challenge on Dementia. Exceeding expectations David.....
Older people can boost their health by doing short bursts of intense exercise
28 Jul 2014
Pensioners can dramatically improve their health by doing one minute of intense exercise just twice a week, according to a new study. Research carried out by Abertay University in Scotland found that in just.....
Government urged to build more disabled-friendly homes
24 Jul 2014
A charity is calling on all the political parties to make a pledge to build more disabled-friendly homes, after a survey found it is “often impossible” for disabled people to find homes they can live in with dignity. The.....
Mencap Sport makes a smash with badminton scheme
24 Jul 2014
Sport can be used in many ways to help adults with a learning disability live a more fulfilling lifestyle. For charity Mencap Sport, one fine example is that of badminton, a sport that has now been embraced by volunteers in Haringey. Achieved.....
Government called to back programme to make dying in hospital last resort
23 Jul 2014
The Government is being called on to back a new programme aimed at reducing the number of people dying in hospitals by utilising alternative care options in hospices, care homes or at home. According to Help the Hospices, the.....
Horticultural project for vulnerable adults raises money from its own produce
23 Jul 2014
After months of planting, growing and harvesting, a range of fruit and vegetables home grown by adults with learning disabilities has gone on sale in Bomersund, Northumberland. Money raised will be invested back into the project.....
Castleford RUFC hosts first ever disability sports day with Care UK
22 Jul 2014
Around 150 people attended a sports day which gave disabled people, their families and carers the opportunity to learn sports skills and take part in a range of activities organised by Care UK. Care UK provides both care in the.....
'Special measures' inspections for care homes risk becoming a fruitless exercise
21 Jul 2014
Queries have been raised about the fairness of the new expert led hospital style inspection for all care homes and home care services announced last week by Health Secretary Jeremey Hunt. The Registered Nursing.....
Woodwork and IT classes offered to older people at new retirement village
17 Jul 2014
Plans for a retirement village in Longbridge near Birmingham have been announced as part of the town’s £1bn regeneration scheme. The village will provide the local community with over 50 permanent jobs and up to 200 jobs during.....
New regime to tackle failing care announced by the Government
16 Jul 2014
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) will create a new expert led inspection regime to tackle failing care homes and home care services, following the success of the CQC’s new style of inspection of 11 hospitals placed in special measures.....
Thousands of older people forced to skip meals due to lack of money
16 Jul 2014
Over 155,000 older people skip meals because they haven’t got enough money to buy food, according to the charity Age UK. New research from the charity has revealed that nearly a million people aged 65 or.....
Government's 'dismal failure' to get people with learning disabilities out of Treatment and Assessment Units
15 Jul 2014
Labour has called on the Government to commit to a two-year deadline to end the practice of placing people with learning disabilities in Treatment and Assessment Units, such as the former Winterbourne View, for long periods of time. During.....
Hidden army of male carers receive little support and are socially isolated
15 Jul 2014
The Carers Trust is calling for male carers to be given more support after it found they are often unrecognised and unsupported. The report ‘Husband, Dad, Son, Boyfriend, Carer?’ was commissioned by the.....
Cataract surgery slows decline in cognition for dementia patients
15 Jul 2014
People with Alzheimer’s disease who have surgery to remove cataracts benefit from an improved quality of life as well as better vision, a clinical trial has shown. Preliminary results have been published at the Alzheimer’s Association.....
Woman with Multiple Sclerosis trains home care staff how to care for people with MS
14 Jul 2014
A woman who has the debilitating neurological condition Multiple Sclerosis (MS) has been training up home care staff on how to care for people with the long-term illness. Sue Rushby has been giving training.....
Improved lifestyle choices could cut Alzheimer's by third
14 Jul 2014
A third of cases of Alzheimer’s disease could be prevented if people start taking steps to improve their lifestyles, a study published in the journal Lancet Neurology has claimed. Research was carried out.....
CQC's chief inspector of adult social care wins 'inspirational woman' award
14 Jul 2014
Andrea Sutcliffe, chief inspector of adult social care for the Care Quality Commission, has been named as one of the top 50 inspirational women in healthcare. The awards run by the Health Service Journal.....
Care workers' low pay jeopardising quality of care with abuse complaints on the rise
10 Jul 2014
The quality of care in both care homes and domiciliary care is being put at risk by the low pay and working conditions of care workers, with abuse and neglect complaints on the rise, according to MPs. The.....
Torchwood star John Barrowman says being deaf made him feel 'invisible'
09 Jul 2014
TV star John Barrowman, best known for his role as Captain Jack Harkness in Torchwood, agreed to go ‘deaf’ for the day as part of a filmed experiment so he could understand more the difficulties that deaf people face. Gel.....
Think tank upbraids politicians for sidelining hearing loss
09 Jul 2014
A report launched today presents new data to show not only the predicted growth in the number of people with hearing loss, which is set to account for almost 20 per cent of the UK’s total population by 2031,.....
New blood test to predict onset of dementia could be 'devastating' for sufferers
09 Jul 2014
An academic has warned that a new blood test which identifies people who will go to develop Alzheimer’s disease could be ‘devastating’ to sufferers. Professor Mike Jackson of Birmingham City University said:.....
Quality care training is essential if the care sector is to overcome negative stereotypes
08 Jul 2014
Home care providers should be required to demonstrate their quality when registered to practice, advises the co-founder of family-run Radfield Home Care, Dr Hannah MacKechnie, who calls for a new industry accreditation to be introduced. Reflecting.....
Profile: FitzRoy founder changed the way Britain cares for people with learning disabilities
07 Jul 2014
Fifty years ago, it was the norm for people with learning disabilities to be locked away in large institutions for the duration of their lives. Now they are very much part of the community, and it is largely thanks to two people.....
Barriers like inadequate parking and uneven floors still preventing disabled people from getting out in the community
07 Jul 2014
An infographic has been produced by holiday rental company Campaya on the ways people can adapt their holiday property to become more accessible to people with extra needs due to disability. Home care providers.....
New invention uses the power of smell to boost appetite in people with dementia
07 Jul 2014
Designed to tackle the problem of malnutrition in people with dementia, Ode is a device which creates food fragrances to entice eating and promote appetite in a subtle but powerful way. The small and stylish.....
NHS chief executive out of touch with reality over future of care homes
04 Jul 2014
Care sector professionals have criticised NHS chief executive Simon Stevens for saying he would be ‘disappointed’ if nursing homes still existed in 50 years’ time. Chair of the Independent Care Group (York.....
Think tank calls for 'swings at bus stops' for older people
03 Jul 2014
Local and national policy-makers are failing to ensure that our communities meet the needs of all ages according to a new report that strongly recommends that local authorities should encourage a sense of fun for all ages - such as.....
Future of adult social services unsustainable despite 'Herculean success' of staff
02 Jul 2014
Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) annual budget survey released today has revealed a 1.9 per cent reduction in spending in social care services in 2014/15. ADASS president David Pearson commended the continuing.....
Handyman scheme preventing accidents for older people around the home
01 Jul 2014
The Local Government Association (LGA) is helping people to remain in their own home by offering free or low cost handy man schemes to vulnerable older adults. Home improvement grants and initiatives to make people’s homes more.....