At breaking point - Learning Disability Today

A recent survey found that many family carers of people with learning disabilities feel at breaking point, and a lack of respite care is often central to this. Editor Dan Parton reports.


For Hayley Goleniowska, it was only  when her body gave out and she ended up with a facial palsy that she realised she needed a break from constantly caring for her young daughter, Natty, who has Down’s syndrome.

The facial palsy was caused by stress and exhaustion; Goleniowska hadn’t had a break of any sort since Natty had been born.

Full Article on Learning Disability Today

Disabled can now dive in Melksham

People with disabilities could now try a whole new experience, thanks to a diving course run by a Melksham-based firm.

Alex Slade, recently qualified as an instructor for the disabled and has set up the not-for-profit 3D Diving Services in the town to offer scuba classes to the mentally and physically disabled.

She said: “I have been teaching diving for over 20 years, but recently qualified as a disabled diving instructor.

Full Article on Wiltshire Times

Support working carers to help business and boost the economy

Better support for working carers would give businesses and the UK economy a much needed boost and would save taxpayers £1.3 billion a year, according to a new joint report published today by the Government, Employers for Carers and Carers UK.

The Supporting Working Carers Report is warning that as well as losing money, businesses risk losing valuable, experienced employees if action is not urgently taken to enable people with caring responsibilities to remain in work.

Full Article on CarersUK

Universal credit: Flagship welfare reform 'poor value' says watchdog

The government's flagship welfare reform has been badly managed, is "overambitious" and poor value for money, the spending watchdog has said.

The National Audit Office said risks were taken with the universal credit to hit targets, IT systems had "limited functionality" and an unfamiliar project management approach was used.

A national rollout of the new benefit has been delayed following IT glitches.

Full Article on BBC News

Elderly care crisis claims a million family homes

The estimate, based on polling measuring families’ individual experiences, is far higher than Government projections have previously suggested.

But charities and pensions experts said it represented one of the first realistic attempts to quantify the scale of the hidden care funding crisis in the UK.

And they claimed that it showed that the Government’s long-awaited overhaul of the social care system in England – including the introduction of a cap on bills – does not go far or fast enough to address the crisis thousands of families are facing.

Full Article on Telegraph

EVENT: Do you want to know more about Dementia?

Thursday 5th September 2013

BAWA Health & Leisure Club, 589 Southmead Road, Filton, Bristol, BS34 7RG

7pm start
7.00pm (tea and coffee will be available from 6.45pm)

7.00 pm Introduction from Alzheimer’s Research UK

7.15pm Biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease
Dr Myra Conway
Associate Professor in Neurochemistry and dementia, University of the West of England

7.30 pm The hippocampus in dementia
Dr Elizabeth Coulthard
Consultant Senior Lecturer in Dementia Neurology, University of Bristol

7.45 pm Take the bitter and the sweet
Dr Jean Van Del Elsen
Reader in Biochemistry & Immunology, University of Bath

8.00 pm The LIVDEM group therapy project for people recently diagnosed with dementia
Professor Rik Cheston
Professor of Mental Health Research (Dementia), University of the West of England

8.15 pm Primary Care Led Dementia Services
Professor Richard Gray
Professor of Mental Health, University of the West of England

Attendance is free of charge but space is limited. Please reserve your place in advance by contacting Jo McTiernan on 0117 3402385 or email: uob-aruk-event@bristol.ac.uk

Free parking is available. For Location map of the BAWA Club see website:
www.bawa.biz/bristol-entertainment-sports/driving-directions

Loneliness of dementia revealed

Communities need to look after people with dementia because too often they feel trapped and cut off from everyday local life, a charity says. 

One in three people over the age of 65 develop the disease, but the Alzheimer's Society says this large group is neglected by society.

It sought the views of 510 dementia patients and their carers.

Full Article on BBC News