Welfare reform on the Web (May 2007): Care of the elderly - UK

Dementia advocacy

S. Wells

Working with Older People, vol. 11, Mar. 2007, p. 25-27

This article explores the underlying issues and describes the skills required to advocate for a person with dementia.

The great home care divide

L. Tickle

Community Care, Apr. 19th-25th 2007, p.28-29

Cash-strapped councils are tightening eligibility criteria for home care for older people while significantly increasing charges levied on those who can pay. This policy is short-sighted as frail older people rapidly deteriorate if deprived of essential home care. They then have to be admitted to residential care at the council’s expense. Councils are calling for increased funding from central government to cover rising costs of home care services.

An inspector calls: adult protection in the context of the NSFOP review

J. Manthorpe and others

Journal of Adult Protection, vol. 9, Mar. 2007, p. 4-13

This article reports on the findings of the inspections and consultations undertaken as part of the evaluation of the National Service Framework for Older People. It focuses on what was found out about the implementation of adult protection systems by synthesising inspectors’ findings, drawing on older peoples’ comments in meetings and interviews about care in hospitals, and reporting the results of a survey. These sources revealed that adult protection systems are in place, but older people and their families weigh up the decision on whether to make a complaint carefully for fear of retaliation.

Mind your step! A falls prevention programme designed to reduce falls in those over 75 years

L. Conn

Quality in Ageing, vol. 8, Mar. 2007, p. 10-21

In recent years UK governments have consistently aimed to reduce the frequency of falls and fall-related injuries among older people. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a multi-factorial, multi-disciplinary falls prevention programme for older people at home. The programme was based on a common assessment of risk followed by individualised interventions designed to reduce incidence of falls in a group of people over 75 who had previously fallen. It is estimated that approximately 44 falls were prevented in the course of the nine-month initiative. This study would support the integration of this falls prevention initiative into routine community care practice through the existing over-75 health check and the development of a specialised falls team.

Respect for the person with dementia: fostering greater user involvement in service planning

M. Lorentzon and K. Bryan

Quality in Ageing, vol.8, Mar. 2007, p. 23-29

The need for person centred care is repeatedly stated in government reports and demonstrated in research-based evidence. Research has shown that one way of supporting people with dementia is to involve them in consultations about service planning. This article discusses how research methods can be adjusted to achieve maximum involvement of people with dementia in policy formation.

Supporting independence for people with dementia in extra care housing

S. Evans and others

Dementia, vol.6, 2007, p. 144-150

This three-year longitudinal study aimed to evaluate the contribution that extra care housing can make to the long term support of people with dementia. Tenants and relatives interviewed said that independence was one of the most highly valued aspects of living in extra care housing. The extra care environment offered:

• Freedom to come and go within and beyond the housing scheme
• Maximum opportunities for tenants to 'do things for themselves'
• Choice about how people spent their time.