Care Home News
Bingo and staying in school could delay Alzheimer's
25 Feb 2016
Bingo and other mind-stimulating activities, when combined with more education, could delay symptoms of Alzheimer’s, but not for most of the population. New research published in the journal Neurology, suggests.....
Care home workers rate their bosses in new Best Employers in Care awards
24 Feb 2016
Care home employers will be rated by their staff in a new awards scheme based on feedback from thousands of care workers. The biggest challenge facing many care home providers is recruiting and retaining.....
Leading doctors claim NHS is 'over medicating' elderly patients with 'more medicine is better' culture
24 Feb 2016
A group of high-profile doctors have called for an independent inquiry into the safety of medicines, after claiming NHS patients are being over medicated resulting in thousands of deaths every year. Older.....
Care home residents use iPads to spy on family and cheat on crosswords
23 Feb 2016
Climb every mountain, check out your family’s house and look up the answers to tricky crossword puzzles, that’s what care home residents are using iPads to do, thanks to technology lessons. 90-year-old great.....
Council tax rises could still leave social care services in crisis
23 Feb 2016
Planned council tax increases will not create enough revenue to alleviate the growing pressure on vital services caring for older people and those with disabilities, the latest information from the Local Government Association (LGA).....
Experts call for pharmacist in every British care home to boost safety
23 Feb 2016
The safety of older people could be improved and NHS savings of £135m a year made by having a pharmacist in every care home across Britain, according to the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS). In its report.....
Above average elderly population sees council facing £17.5m adult care funding gap
22 Feb 2016
Shropshire Council is facing a £17.5m funding gap for adult social care over a three year period with its leader admitting its ‘extreme financial difficulty’ is partly caused by a ‘disproportionate’ population of older people in the.....
Government urged to appoint Learning Disabilities Commissioner to protect rights and champion reform
22 Feb 2016
Sir Stephen Bubb, who wrote the original report into the abuses that took place at Winterbourne View, has called for the Government to appoint a Learning Disabilities Commissioner. In his new report ‘Time.....
CQC launches interactive care home ratings map
18 Feb 2016
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has launched a new interactive care home map which lets people find out how their local care homes are rated. The online tool has been launched at a time when the regulator has completed inspections.....
Colten Care celebrate a year of successful charity fundraisers
18 Feb 2016
Residents and staff at family owned Colten Care, are celebrating after raising £32,000 for good causes in the past year. The total means that the fundraising work Colten Care has done in the past six years, has provided £140,000.....
Staying social in later life could lead to increased longevity
16 Feb 2016
Socialising and attending community groups, such as book clubs and church groups in later life, could boost health as much as regular exercise. In a study carried out by the University of Queensland in Australia and published in.....
Sex linked to brain health in elderly, study reveals
16 Feb 2016
Older people who are sexually active have a higher level of cognitive ability than those who aren't, according to research published in Age and Ageing. In total 6,833 older people aged between 50 and 89.....
Government pledges extra £1bn for mental health care
15 Feb 2016
An extra £1 billion is to be invested by 2020/21 to plug ‘critical gaps in the care’ of mental health patients as highlighted by an independent task force. One million extra people will be provided with support.....
Charity launches website to keep older drivers safe on the roads
12 Feb 2016
A website aimed at helping older people adapt to changes in their driving to stay safe on the road, has been launched by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA). The website offers tips.....
Life expectancy reaches its highest level for over 65s
12 Feb 2016
The length of time people can expect to live once they reach milestones in old age has reached a record high, a new report from Public Health England (PHE) has revealed. Figures show that for those aged 65,.....
'Dynamic' of care home changes after teenagers strike up friendships with people with dementia
11 Feb 2016
Over a hundred teenagers have struck up friendships with people with dementia living in care homes, as part of a pioneering scheme to train young people how to relate to people with the disease. The teenage.....
Increasing activity levels in middle age could prevent brain ageing
11 Feb 2016
A new study has suggested that exercising between the ages of 40 and 50 could help prevent the brain from shrinking, potentially adding years to life expectancy. The research, published in the Neurology medical.....
Age UK and E.ON temporarily suspend energy tariff aimed at older people
10 Feb 2016
Age UK Enterprises Ltd are to temporarily suspend a ‘controversial’ Fixed 2 Year energy tariff aimed at older people. The withdrawal for new and renewing customers was prompted by ‘continued speculation.....
Care homes urged to give residents more time to pay when care costs rise
10 Feb 2016
Care home residents should have at least four weeks’ notice of a price rise, says Citizens Advice, which claims many residents only get a week’s warning that their care costs are going to rise. The charity’s.....
Over one million old people are malnourished, claims Taskforce
10 Feb 2016
New research by the Malnutrition Taskforce reveals that only half of health professionals regard malnutrition as a priority in their organisations. The ‘Experiences of Patient Malnutrition’ survey conducted.....
Graffiti artist spray paints memory wall on London care home
09 Feb 2016
A graffiti artist has spray painted a ‘memory wall’ in a North London care home featuring items from the residents’ past such as a chessboard, a vintage record player and a grandfather clock. Residents from.....
Dog IQ test could provide link between intelligence and dementia
08 Feb 2016
Scientists have developed an IQ test for dogs which could help understand the link between intelligence and human health, according to new research published in the journal, Intelligence. Recent studies have.....
Healthy living 'reduces dementia risk' for older people
08 Feb 2016
According to new research, fewer people are developing dementia as they lead healthier and better educated lifestyles. Researchers at Cambridge University found that the chances of over-65s developing the.....
Loneliness 'is not just a public health epidemic, it is a plague', warns Older People's Commissioner
05 Feb 2016
Sarah Rochira, Older People’s Commissioner for Wales, has added her voice to the growing calls for something to be done to tackle the huge problem of loneliness in the UK. Social isolation and loneliness.....
Mental health stigma leaves nearly 90 per cent of people feeling isolated and ashamed
04 Feb 2016
In a survey of more than 7,000 people living with mental health problems, it has been revealed that nearly 90 per cent of respondents have experienced stigma and discrimination as a result of their mental health problems. The.....
Digital technology helping to revolutionise resident monitoring in care homes
02 Feb 2016
Care homes are under an increasing amount of pressure to offer a range of care and support services to those in their care. Care staff are tasked with attending to the personal wishes and requests of residents, preparing their food.....
carehome.co.uk announces winner of Care Home Idol 2015
02 Feb 2016
Entries were at a record high for carehome.co.uk’s annual talent contest, with the public voting in their hundreds for Maidstone Care Centre in Kent to win the coveted title of Care Home Idol 2015. This.....
CQC experts’ pay dispute threatens to delay care inspections
02 Feb 2016
A pay dispute that risks delaying care inspections has forced the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to negotiate better wages for inspection experts, as part of the £7m a year contract it recently awarded to Remploy. On.....
£1.3m lottery cash helps care homes' dementia gardens grow
01 Feb 2016
Lottery cash totalling £1.3m will be spent on transforming the outdoor spaces of 30 care homes into dementia-friendly gardens. Money from The Big Lottery Fund will be used by charity Learning through Landscapes.....
Care for older people requires 'radical' new approach, Commission says
01 Feb 2016
Care for older people should be driven by the needs of individuals, rather than institutions and structures, The Commission on Improving Care for Older People has said in a new independent report. The Commission has called for.....