Recently in Older People Category

Road to social care funding reform lined by people with their heads in the sand

By Adam McCulloch on April 6, 2010 3:23 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Humphries,-Richard-2.gifby Richard Humphries

Many hope that White Paper 'Building the National Care Service' published last week will become a key staging post towards a reformed social care system.   
If I had to choose a Beatles' song to describe the journey so far, it would be 'The Long and Winding Road' - and the destination still seems a long way in the distance.

Continue reading Road to social care funding reform lined by people with their heads in the sand.

The care service cuts that so often turn into own goals

By Adam McCulloch on October 23, 2009 11:07 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Etteridge,-Geoff.gifby Geoff Ettridge

Over many years as a local authority manager I often saw examples of savings proposals put forward by other directorates or agencies that had financial consequences for social care. Whether intentional or not, these decisions seldom delivered savings for the public purse because those made in one service often caused pressures in others.

Continue reading The care service cuts that so often turn into own goals.

Old age should be one of autonomy

By Mike McNabb on October 14, 2009 10:11 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
A major reform is needed in the relationship between those who provide care and those who rely on it for ageing with dignity, writes Denise Platt
Continue reading Old age should be one of autonomy.

'Free personal care plan makes a mockery of the adult green paper consultation'

By Adam McCulloch on October 6, 2009 10:48 AM | 6 Comments | No TrackBacks
Peter-Beresford-60.jpgby Peter Beresford

The prime minister's party conference commitment to introduce free home care for people with the highest needs has made a further mockery of the government's green paper consultation. This wasn't even on the menu. The government wanted the green paper to foster a big public debate. It seems only to be increasing controversy.

Continue reading 'Free personal care plan makes a mockery of the adult green paper consultation'.

What is world class commissioning?

By Adam McCulloch on September 18, 2009 2:10 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Long,-Alan60.gifby Alan Long, chief executive of domiciliary care provider Careforce

World class commissioning is an admirable aspiration. But what does it mean in practice?
Excellent commissioning of domiciliary care for older and disabled people will be vital to meet the growing demographic challenge. Most people want to be cared for in their own homes for as long as possible. Keeping people healthy and well cared for at home will be vital to manage health costs too.

Continue reading What is world class commissioning? .

The Biggs effect: Caring for older prisoners

By Mike McNabb on August 15, 2009 8:00 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Older prisoners are growing in number yet there are few services to help them manage chronic illnesses or end of life, writes Sally Wentworth-James

Continue reading The Biggs effect: Caring for older prisoners.

Adult care green paper: split adult services in two

By Adam McCulloch on August 9, 2009 12:07 AM | 3 Comments | No TrackBacks
Simon Stevens for web.jpgby Simon Stevens

The green paper lacks clarity for younger adults. To remedy
this, social care for the over-65s should be run separately

I was quite excited when the Department of Health invited me to one of the "big care debate" events in Birmingham, despite the lack of payment. I was, however, shocked when I arrived to find I was the only wheelchair user, yet alone speech-impaired person.
There were certainly few service users in the crowd of professionals and carers. I was also annoyed no lunch was provided after three hours' solid work without a break and there was no consideration of access issues. Although the contents of the meeting looked forward, its execution was a step backward.

Continue reading Adult care green paper: split adult services in two.

Adult care green paper less than bold and visionary

By Adam McCulloch on July 16, 2009 10:39 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Heng web blog.jpgby Simon Heng

Last year, my 76-year-old mother was failing. She could barely walk; she was having difficulty in looking after herself physically, and was becoming confused. She certainly couldn't drive.

In April of this year, she had a triple heart bypass. For a few weeks, she was extremely ill, and we worried - she worried, most of all - that she would never be independent again. When she left hospital, she went to a rehabilitation unit for older people, a joint venture between the primary care trust and the local authority.
Continue reading Adult care green paper less than bold and visionary.

Old, well before my time!

By Adam McCulloch on July 15, 2009 10:20 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Harvey for blog.jpgby Jennifer Harvey

Been asked to go ballroom dancing recently? Or engage in wartime reminiscences? A tad insulting if you are in your fifties...

Growing older is not so bad when you consider the alternatives; but as a fairly fit, active, working fifty-something I feel a bit patronised by the types of activities aimed at the over-50s.  
Why do we need nifty-fifties at the gym when we'd have no trouble keeping up with the McDonald's generation of young adults? And ballroom dancing for the over-fifties - by my calculation, someone who's 50 would have grown up with punk not quickstep, but then Strictly Come Dancing and its spin-offs have a lot to answer for.  

Continue reading Old, well before my time!.

We mustn't let the adult care green paper become a damp squib

By Adam McCulloch on July 14, 2009 4:49 PM | 1 Comment | No TrackBacks
Peter-Beresford-60.jpgby Peter Beresford


The social care green paper's ambitious title: Shaping The Future Of Care Together sums up the dilemma that has long faced it and which probably explains its greatly delayed arrival. How can it square the ambition of policymakers' desire to effect a transformation of social care that extends its form and funding at a time when the political will, from all parties, to reprioritising social care is lacking, partly because of financial woes?

Continue reading We mustn't let the adult care green paper become a damp squib.
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