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National news

News Archive

This page contains links to news articles from the press which may be of interest to carers and also local news and developments related to carers. Use the links above to access archived news stories. West Sussex Carers Online does not necessarily endorse the views expressed in these links.

Online resource of video and audio clips of carers describing their experiences of looking after someone with a terminal illness (added 27.1.12)
Caring for someone with a terminal illness, a new section of the Healthtalkonline website, includes interviews with 40 carers who describe the combination of hard physical work, exhaustion, conflicting emotions and the rewards of caring for a loved one. Topics covered include: coming to terms with a terminal prognosis; helping with personal care; seeking help with care; the impact of being a carer; and planning for deterioration and death. Watch/listen to the clips at www.healthtalkonline.org

Carers charities to join forces (added 27.1.12)
Crossroads Care and The Princess Royal Trust for Carers are to merge their efforts to provide support, information and advice to unpaid carers, with a new charity, possibly ready by 1st April. However, the charities' networks will continue to provide support to carers under their local brands, and are not expected to merge locally as a result of the national merger.Read the Community Newswire article at: www.mediatrust.org

Independent Living Fund (ILF) petition (added 19.1.12)
Would you like to lose the freedom and control over basic aspects of your life? Think about your day. What have you done? When did you get up, what did you eat, when did you wash? Thousands of people are confronting the terrifying reality of losing such basic freedoms. This is your chance to support the campaign to make the coalition government reconsider its decision to close the Independent Living Fund (ILF) in 2015. Members of the ILF are disabled people who have been deemed 'severely' disabled and receive funding from ILF. This enables them to have choice and control over our lives with an ethic of 'what we want, when we want'. The money can be used to employ people directly, or in many flexible ways that suit each individual. If the ILF funding stream is stopped we risk living in worse conditions and with less freedom than convicted criminals. Please pledge to sign the petition - the ILF want to get 100,000 signatures. http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk

Users to shape new online care ratings system (added 22.12.11)
Users and carers' opinions on care services will be published alongside ratings of their quality on an online "Good Care Guide" designed to replace the star ratings scrapped last year, Paul Burstow has said. Read more at: www.communitycare.co.uk

Information and advice to help you during Winter (added 14.11.11)
Age UK have produced a factsheet to help you save money and stay healthy this winter. Read more on www.ageuk.org.uk

Winter Fuel Payments (added 3.11.11)
This is a tax free payment probided by the government to help older people keep warm during winter. If you were born on or before 5th January 1951 you may qualify. It is not means tested and you can get it if you are still working or claiming a benefit. Many of those who are eligible will receive payments automatically without the need to claim but some may have been missed due to not have claimed any state benefit. Winter Fuel Payments are paid at two rates: Up to £200 (qualifying age to 79 years) and up to £300 (those over 80 years of age) Those who have had a Winter Fuel Payment in the past do not need to claim again. If you feel you may be eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment then you need to find out if you qualify. To find out if you qualify phone the Winter Fuel Helpline on 0845 915 1515. Claims must be received by 30th March 2012.

Universal Credit (added 3.11.11)
Works and Pensions Secretary, Iain Duncan Smith, has announced that benefit claimants will receive their money in monthly payments under the Universal Credit. Universal Credit is one of the main provisions of the Welfare Reform Bill which is due to be introduced in 2013. For carers, Carer's Allowance will continue to be paid outside of the universal credit system, but those on the credit will get a carer's element if they are caring for a person for at least 35 hours a week. This will continue 'even when earnings reach £100 a week'.

Children's and adult services in joint bid to improve support for young carers (added 3.11.11)
Leaders of children's and adult services are being encouraged to work more closely together to ensure young carers are able to enjoy their childhood. In a joint paper, Assocation of Directors of Adult Social Services lead on carers Graeme Betts and Association of Directors of Children’s Services lead on young carers Clair Pyper said continued progress is needed to encourage working with the whole family, to both build resilience with parents and promote the wellbeing of the children. The review comes a year after the two leads met with a group of young carers and pledged to "say more in future about young carers and families affected by enduring parental mental illness and/or substance misuse". Read more at: www.cypnow.co.uk

Beat Panic iPhone app (added 1.11.11)
Beat Panic is an app designed to guide you through a panic attack or raised anxiety. Designed by someone who has lived with panic, it takes you through a series of cards in soothing colours with
text that assists you in overcoming the attack in a gentle calm manner. This app is intended to help you cope with panic whilst you are out or at home. For more information visit http://itunes.apple.com

Paying for Long Term Care Information Booklet (added 4.10.11)
This resource has been developed Age UK and Counsel and Care to help people make better and more informed decisions about paying for care. Download the booklet from: www.thinklocalactpersonal.org.uk

Alzheimer’s Memory Test (added 4.10.11)
A new memory test, which will be available at GP surgeries, has been developed to help the early identification of Alzheimer's disease. This new test is believed to pick up early stage Alzheimer's by examining the hippocampus, the part of the brain which is affected first. For more information on the test and how it works, visit the Guardian website at www.telegraph.co.uk

Health Impacts for Older Carers (added 4.10.11)
A report, Always on Call, Always Concerned, launched by the Princess Royal Trust for Carers, has revealed that 70% of older carers' health suffers due to their caring role. The report highlights the concerns of older carers and demonstrates the importance for supporting local centres that look after older carers' needs. The report found that 65% of older carers have long term health problems or a disability themselves, and 69% say that being a carer has affected their mental health. For more information and to read the report, visit www.carers.org

Personalisation - a guide for carers (added 4.10.11)
The London Joint Improvement Partnership has developed a guide on personalisation for carers, which aims to enable people to make their own decisions about both the funded and self-funded support they may need. The guide includes information on frequently used terms, how to get information and advice, how to stay safe and maintain health and wellbeing, and working out and planning the type of support and services people may need. To see the guide, go to http://thinklocalactpersonal.org.uk

Do you care for someone who receives a personal budget? (added 12.7.11)
Would you like to take part in a research project? The Carers Federation, a Nottingham-based charity, would like to speak to carers who are married to, or living with, a partner who has a physical disability, and whose partner is in receipt of a personal budget to help pay for their social care costs. The aim of the research project is to find out how the lives of carers may be changing as the personalisation agenda progresses. All participants will receive a £10 High Street voucher. For further information, contact Dr Emma Richardson, Research Development Worker at the Carers Federation, Tel: 0115 962 9328, E-mail research@carersfederation.co.uk or visit www.carersfederation.co.uk/researchopportunities

Angela Rippon Interviewed as part of Carer's Week (added 1.7.11)
TV presenter Angela Rippon talks about Carers Week and her experience as a carer for her mother. Watch the video clip on www.youtube.com

Young carers speak out (added 1.7.11)
Young carers have been talking to the Carers Week team about what life is like for them. The youngsters talk about not only the challenges of being a carer, but also what they like about it. Watch the video on http://carersweek.org

Research into social care law and housing for people with learning disabilities (added 1.7.11)
There are many barriers and challenges that people with a learning disability have to overcome in order to find a suitable home to live in, ranging from cuts to social care funding to provide appropriate support for them to live independently to a crisis in grants for housing benefit and the changing landscape of personalisation. Mencap is keen to gain a more detailed understanding of the difficulties people with a learning disability experience when trying to find a place to live, and the legal framework and processes surrounding it. Find out more on the Lobbying and campaigning page.

Give Carers a Break campaign (added 17.6.11)
New campaign from The Princess Royal Trust for Carers and Crossroads Care for carers to have much-needed breaks. Read more on the Lobbying and campaigning page.

Do you care for someone with Multiple Sclerosis? (added 24.5.11)
Health Talk Online is a health charity website which enables users to share their experiences by watching or listening to videos, reading about what has happened to other people and finding information about conditions, treatment choices and support. They want to hear from people who care for someone with MS and how caring affects their life. Their aim is to help others in a similar situation. If you can help contact Francie Smee on 01865 289328 or email francie.smee@phc.ox.ac.uk

Don't give up your job to be an unpaid carer (added 28.2.11)
Moral of the story: probably do what politicians do, not what they say. They may give you a gold star as a carer, but that's about all. Never give up a job to be an unpaid carer. It will be terrible for you when the person you care for dies, unless your job is guaranteed to be held open for you. Read the article at: www.guardian.co.uk

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