Fighting Monsters

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• Delayed Discharges

  Since moving from a generic Community Care team into a specialist Mental Health team a few years ago, I haven’t had as much contact with the vagaries of the delayed discharge system as I did back then. Yesterday was a rude (in every sense of the... Posted Aug 27 2008, 06:25 AM by Fighting Monsters Filed under: social care, social work, social issues, older people, work, mental health, old age, elderly, long-term care, uk, health care, health, social services, nurse, hospital, robert burns, delayed discharge, section 5, section 2, community care (delayed discharge) act 2003, bed blocking, to a mouse, discharge

• Thatcher and Dementia

  I grew up in a household in which Thatcher was something of a dirty word. We were living in Yorkshire in a period of my childhood that coincided with The Miners Strike (83/84). As my father collected us from school, we had to drive through police checks... Posted Aug 24 2008, 06:50 AM by Fighting Monsters Filed under: older people, dementia, mental health, old age, politics, health, vascular dementia, thatcher, miners strike, margaret thatcher, uk politics

• Some things for the (long) weekend..

  By the time this is published, I’ll be sitting on a train on my way to beautiful Northumbria - ready to sun myself over the weekend - ok, maybe ’sunning myself’ is a bit hopeful…. I had a positive response to my last round-up post... Posted Aug 22 2008, 07:41 AM by Fighting Monsters Filed under: social care, social work, social issues, older people, work, socialcare, mental health, old age, links, Social Work Blogs, collection, weblinks

• Care Management for Pets

  There is much research about the positive impact that domestic animals can have to general mental health and well-being. Something about the non-judgemental nature of interactions, I presume - although I’m sure that more extensive scientifc research... Posted Aug 20 2008, 06:35 AM by Fighting Monsters Filed under: social care, social work, older people, work, local authority, london, uk, social services, animals, pet, care management, kennels, national assistance act, cinnamon trust, dog, pet care

• Picking up the pieces

  As I hope is evident, my work is very varied - and that’s one of the main reasons I enjoy it. But I was reminded by an article in The Guardian about what I, personally, find to be one of the saddest tasks that I undertake. And that is when I pack... Posted Aug 19 2008, 05:34 AM by Fighting Monsters Filed under: social care, social work, older people, work, socialcare, local authority, old age, health, social services, social worker, lonely, copd, house, assistance, loneliness, home

• Active Care? Another tale of Southern Cross

  I write a few months ago about the difficulties faced by Southern Cross Healthcare but a quick recap a) They are the largest private operator of residential and nursing care in the UK b) Big financial problems c) Some disparate concerns about quality... Posted Aug 16 2008, 06:42 AM by Fighting Monsters Filed under: residential care, social care, social work, social issues, older people, work, socialcare, nursing care, learning disability, local authority, old age, elderly, long-term care, uk, health, care home, csci, southern cross healthcare, physical disabilities, active care, the alton centre, northamptonshire, business, northants evening telegraph

• Social Inclusion online?

  This morning, I came across this interview in The Guardian with Tim Hunt, Mental Health Lead on the Patient Opinion site which is from a couple of weeks back now. I had never heard of Patient Opinion, but it is a site which, unsurprisingly, given the... Posted Aug 11 2008, 06:34 AM by Fighting Monsters Filed under: social care, social work, social issues, older people, work, mental health, old age, health care, health, nhs, United Kingdom, patient opinion, Internet access, social inclusion, tim hunt

• .. I shall wear purple

  The BBC reported yesterday about a Care Home, Woodland House in St Austell, Cornwall that has a wonderful sounding ‘Make a Wish’ initiative. Residents of the home are asked about dreams and goals for the future and in a worthy endeavour the... Posted Aug 09 2008, 06:22 AM by Fighting Monsters Filed under: residential care, social care, social work, older people, work, old age, elderly, long-term care, health, care home, residential home, nursing home, Jenny Joseph, st austell, cornwall, woodland house, Fish and chips, jenny joseph warning, Cornwall Care, make a wish

• Hypochondria

  Currently a couple of people that I am working with who have anxiety and depression are suffering from a form of hypochondria. And truly, it is as painful as a mental disorder as any physical manifestation of an illness could be. The word that is over... Posted Aug 05 2008, 06:20 AM by Fighting Monsters Filed under: social work, older people, work, mental health, old age, elderly, health, depression, hospital, Cognitive behavioral therapy, anxiety, hypochondria, CBT, Mental disorder

• Second Sight in Risk Assessment

  I came across this story yesterday which was published in the Rye and Battle Observer about a 92 year old man who hanged himself because he was unable to cope at home and had been told he might not be placed in a residential home although he had asked... Posted Aug 01 2008, 06:25 AM by Fighting Monsters Filed under: social care, social work, older people, work, old age, long-term care, health, carer, csci, United Kingdom, respite care, Commission for Social Care Inspection, risk assessment, risk

• Alzheimer’s Wonder Drug?

  The BBC reported yesterday that a new drug treatment is being trialled through research at Aberdeen University that seems to be having a significant impact on the root causes of Alzheimer’s. The link between clumps or “tangles” of protein... Posted Jul 30 2008, 07:00 AM by Fighting Monsters Filed under: older people, dementia, medication, old age, health, United Kingdom, Alzheimer's disease, new drugs, Alzheimer's Research Trust, Aberdeen University, BBC, Alzheimer

• New Models of Dementia Care

  The Daily Telegraph published the first in a two-part interview with Oliver James today - a clinical psychologist who, with his mother-in-law, Penny Garner, have developed a system of working with people who have dementia which they call: SPECAL (Specialised... Posted Jul 28 2008, 05:41 AM by Fighting Monsters Filed under: older people, dementia, work, elderly, health, Alzheimer's disease, dementia care, specal, medical, Dundee University, trevor harley, Oliver James

• Pet Therapy

  A couple of years back, I visited a residential home with a woman (that I’ll call A) who needed to move into residential care. She didn’t particularly want to, but she had accepted the need with a heavy heart. She didn’t have any other... Posted Jul 26 2008, 06:23 AM by Fighting Monsters Filed under: social care, social work, older people, work, health, care home, residential home, kitten, cat, photo, pet therapy, pets as therapy

• Reviewing IMCAs

  Yesterday the First Annual Report of the Independent Mental Capacity Advocate (IMCA)  was published. I have had some experiences of using IMCAs over the last 18 months but with increasing frequency and it’s probably the same for most of my... Posted Jul 25 2008, 04:58 AM by Fighting Monsters Filed under: social care, social work, older people, work, mental health, MCA, mental capacity, old age, elderly, long-term care, health, decision-making, imca, independent mental capacity advocate, mental capacity act

• Looking at gift horses

  There’s one couple that I’ve been seeing quite a lot of over the past few weeks. He has dementia and his wife has depression. They have been co-dependent for many years - and probably would have continued to be until she became physically... Posted Jul 23 2008, 06:42 AM by Fighting Monsters Filed under: social work, older people, work, elderly, family, present, gift

• Getting to know you

  Often, in the course of assessments, discussions, anything really, I try to use a conversational approach with the people that I work with - a part of building a therapeutic relationship - especially if there has been a lack of acceptance of assistance... Posted Jul 22 2008, 06:30 AM by Fighting Monsters Filed under: social work, older people, work, self-reflection, talk

• Coincidence

  Earlier in the week, I popped in to see someone that I hadn’t seen for a couple of weeks. I had intended it to be a fairly quick visit. Things had been stable and I was in the area so just wanted to check and show my face - just in case. I’d... Posted Jul 18 2008, 04:17 AM by Fighting Monsters Filed under: social care, social work, older people, work, carers, elderly, carer, television, older person

• Little Steps

  Yesterday, I had another run-in with the Housing Department but at least it was resolved. It tends to  happen every so often and its usually over the same issues. This time it was about access - which is probably the most common reason that we have... Posted Jul 08 2008, 04:39 AM by Fighting Monsters Filed under: social care, social work, older people, work, carers, socialcare, local authority, old age, elderly, housing, access, care

• Direct Payments - Chapter Two

  So, a week from the start of my journey into a Direct Payments referral and I have sent the appropriate forms, documents and paperwork to the appropriate people.  The figures are being checked and the amount that has been requested matched up against ... Posted Jul 03 2008, 05:34 AM by Fighting Monsters Filed under: social care, social work, older people, work, carers, socialcare, old age, elderly, uk, fair access to care, carer, direct payments, social services, family, opening direct payments bank accounts, personal assistants, gscc., carer direct payments

• Trouble at Southern Cross

  Both The Times and The Guardian reported that Southern Cross Healthcare Group have been launched into some kind of financial crisis following the failure to repay a loan of some £46 million. Times are getting harder and a lot of firms are failing - but... Posted Jul 02 2008, 02:43 AM by Fighting Monsters Filed under: residential care, social care, social work, social issues, older people, work, old age, elderly, long-term care, uk, housing, health, care home, csci, Southern Cross, Southern Cross Healthcare Group, nursing home

• Assumptions

  I work in the inner city and have since I did my first practice placement in the first year of my social work course almost 10 years ago now.  For as long as I have been working as a social worker , I have only ever worked in the inner city - different... Posted Jul 01 2008, 05:27 AM by Fighting Monsters Filed under: social care, social work, social issues, older people, dementia, work, carers, socialcare, mental health, old age, elderly, health, caregivers, carer, alzheimers, social services, United Kingdom, respite care, family, residential respite, assumptions, options for care, respite, domiciliary respite

• Legislating for Equality

  Details regarding the new Equality Bill were announced last Thursday. The Bill seems to be an attempt to consolidate existing legislation related to discrimination - a seemingly uncontenious issue - however combined with this are some new proposals which... Posted Jun 28 2008, 05:59 AM by Fighting Monsters Filed under: social issues, older people, work, discrimination, old age, uk, health care, health, Age Discrimination, Elderly care, equality bill, Home Care

• Direct Payments - Chapter One

  Direct Payments is the system of, basically, rather than giving a direct service, providing money to the user of the service to ‘buy’ the care that they need directly. ‘Direct Payments were introduced in the UK - for adults with a disability... Posted Jun 26 2008, 05:10 AM by Fighting Monsters Filed under: social care, social work, older people, work, carers, old age, uk, caregivers, carer, alzheimers, direct payments, care services, carers direct payments, carers assessment, choice

• A Golden Touch

  I like talking to people. One of the things I enjoy most in my job and the area that I work in is that I find that the stories people have to tell about their lives fascinating and a part of getting to know someone, their needs, hopes and aspirations... Posted Jun 25 2008, 03:27 AM by Fighting Monsters Filed under: social issues, older people, work, old age, elderly, elders, ww2, elderly people, evacuation, talking

• The Death of the Giro

  Image via Wikipedia I was minding my own business, listening to Moneybox on the Radio at the weekend - when I heard that Benefits Cheques are to be phased out. The Giro is on its last legs. I don’t want to be pessimistic at all, in the face of the... Posted Jun 24 2008, 04:51 AM by Fighting Monsters Filed under: social issues, older people, work, benefits, elderly, uk, direct payment, United Kingdom, Pension, James Plaskitt, pensioners, dwp, National Pensioners Convention, Royal Mail, Department for Work and Pensions

• Inside Alzheimer’s

  There is an interesting article published by Geriatrics entitled Does Alzheimer’s really exist?. It consists of an interview with two authors of a book called The Myth of Alzheimer’s. I thought it raised some crucial points. Of course, biologically... Posted Jun 12 2008, 06:49 AM by Fighting Monsters Filed under: older people, dementia, work, medication, mental health, old age,