Welfare Reform on the Web (July 2006): Care of the elderly - UK

Elder abuse

Working with Older People, vol.10, June 2006, p.9-39

This special issue on elder abuse covers:

1. The background to its rise up the political agenda
2. The Help the Aged I Will campaign, which challenges the public to help stop elder abuse
3. Changes in policy guidance and legislation affecting care homes
4. Prevention of abuse in sheltered housing
5. Moves by the Nursing and Midwifery Council to enhance nursing skills in order to reduce the incidence of elder abuse in the NHS
6. The role of older people’s champions in Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals trust

Improving the provision of information about assistive technology for older people

C. McCreadie, F. Wright and A. Tinker

Quality in Ageing, vol.7, no.2, June 2006, p.13-22

Article reports the results of research consisting of focus groups with assistive technology users, interviews with professionals, and a postal survey of care home managers. Findings suggest that information about assistive technology is available from a wide range of sources including professionals, friends and volunteers, catalogues, leaflets and magazines, telephone, the Internet and TV. However, there are problems assessing needs and accessing all necessary information. The situation is not helped by a split of responsibilities between community equipment services providing portable assistive devices and local authority housing departments which carry out permanent adaptations.

Making the link: ageing and sight loss

C. Smith

Journal of Integrated Care, vol.16, June 2006, p.32-38

This article reports on a national project being developed by the Royal National Institute for the Blind aimed at improving health and social care for older people with sight problems. It will focus on some of the standards of the National Service Framework for Older People and apply them to older people with sight problems. The project will identify, develop and disseminate good practice by establishing two pilot sites and conducting desk research.

Staff perceptions of ageist practice in the clinical setting: practice development project

J. Billings

Quality in Ageing, vol.7, no.2, June 2006, p.33-45

Study aimed to identify and describe the nature of any age discriminatory practice in the clinical setting through the experiences and perceptions of staff working with older people. Areas of concern identified by focus group participants centred upon issues around access to services, communications problems, and inappropriate personal care.