Care Home News
Blue Badge scheme set to help thousands of people with 'hidden disabilities'
30 Jul 2018
People with 'hidden disabilities' such as autism and mental health conditions will be eligible for blue badge parking permits, in the biggest change to the system in 40 years. The Government said the changes.....
Just 10 minutes of interaction a day improves wellbeing in dementia care, study claims
27 Jul 2018
Just 10 minutes of social interaction a day helps improve the wellbeing of people living with dementia in care homes, a new study has found. Research presented at Alzheimer’s Association International Conference.....
Four-year-old befriends 91-year-old resident with dementia
25 Jul 2018
Despite nearly nine decades between them, a four-year-old boy and a 91-year-old man with dementia have struck up an unlikely friendship. Stuart Gulliver is a resident at Acorn House Care Home in Nottingham and.....
'Superfan' care home resident 'left speechless' after finally meeting Michael Ball
25 Jul 2018
Resourceful staff at a care home in Chislehurst, London, arranged for one of its residents to meet her musical idol, Michael Ball. The happy resident received a rose and a kiss from the star, who chatted and posed for photographs,.....
LGBT: Care villages out, loud and proud
25 Jul 2018
In many care homes, people who have been ‘out’ all their lives suddenly feel they have to hide their sexuality and keep it a secret. Belong care villages, however, are part of a small minority of residential.....
Simple eye test could detect early signs of dementia
25 Jul 2018
An eye test conducted by your high street optician could spot early signs of dementia, a new study reveals. A UCL-led study has concluded thinner retinas in the human eye are a clear sign a person is at.....
MP vows to get new law making CCTV in care homes compulsory
23 Jul 2018
Conservative MP Dominic Grieve is pushing for a new law making cameras compulsory in care homes. The MP for Beaconsfield wants a CCTV law to be one of the first issues debated by MPs when Parliament returns.....
Care worker calls ruling not to give back pay for overnight shifts 'big kick in the teeth'
20 Jul 2018
A care worker has criticized the ruling by the Appeal Court that overnight care workers should be paid a flat fee rather than the National Minimum Wage, calling it a ‘big kick in the teeth’. The Appeal Court.....
Bill Gates gifts £23m towards the fight against dementia
20 Jul 2018
Microsoft founder Bill Gates has announced he will invest $30m (£23m) towards a new fund designed to bring improved diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. Diagnostics Accelerator is run by the Alzheimer’s Drug.....
Care group launches #postcardsofkindness campaign to trigger memories in residents
17 Jul 2018
A nursing and residential care home provider has launched a #postcardsofkindness campaign, asking holidaymakers across the UK and oversees to send postcards to their elderly residents. On 13 July, Cedar Court.....
NHS urges care homes to use 'Is my resident well?' guide
16 Jul 2018
Care home staff are being encouraged to think ‘Is my resident well?’ as part of a new training programme to help spot the early warning signs of those they care for becoming unwell. The NHS guide provides.....
Can care worker sleep-in back pay row be put to bed with new court ruling?
13 Jul 2018
The Appeal Court has ruled in favour of Mencap, by overturning a previous employment tribunal which said overnight care workers should be paid the National Minimum Wage (NMW) rather than a flat fee. The.....
New health and social care minister urged to 'grasp social care challenge'
13 Jul 2018
NHS Confederation leaders have called on the new health and social care secretary Matt Hancock to “grasp the social care challenge” saying “we do not need an NHS plan, we need a health and care plan”. NHS.....
Dementia resident with limited speech 'chats for hours' with robotic pony
12 Jul 2018
An 85-year-old dementia resident with limited speech has been ‘brought alive’ by a lifelike children’s 'robotic pony', brought into the care home by the registered manager for a racing-themed open day. The.....
Men in Sheds has become 'social lifeline' for lonely male pensioners
12 Jul 2018
The garden shed is no longer a man's sacred refuge. Retired men across the UK are being encouraged to forge social connections and friendships while woodmaking - all in the welcoming space of a 'shed'. Men.....
Footballers of 1966 'robbed of wonderful memories by dementia' says England legend
11 Jul 2018
Gordon Banks, goalkeeper for the winning England squad in the legendary 1966 World Cup, has asked people to think of his fellow team mates, who have been robbed of their precious World Cup memories by dementia. Mr Banks, who is.....
Outstanding care home: 'It's the place to be if you're a 90-year-old gal like me'
11 Jul 2018
A care home in West Sussex that has never had to use agency staff has been rated 'outstanding' by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The Shelley in Worthing has also been voted a https://www.carehome.co.uk/awards/|Top.....
As Matt Hancock becomes new health secretary, what happens to social care green paper?
10 Jul 2018
After the shock resignation of Boris Johnson, Jeremy Hunt is now the new secretary of state for foreign and commonwealth affairs, with Matt Hancock stepping into Mr Hunt’s previous role as Secretary of State for Health and Social.....
Pets in care homes: 'I couldn't move if I couldn't take Winnie with me'
06 Jul 2018
Patricia Cooper has moved from her home to an extra care scheme after a long and arduous search for a care provider that accepts pets. The 83-year-old moved to in Tonbridge due to Rapport.....
Wellcome Collection to explore world of care
04 Jul 2018
The Wellcome Collection, a museum in London which explores health and what it means to be human, is holding an event on what it means to care, to be cared for, to be caring and to be a carer. The event Handle.....
School class in a care home: 'You don't feel old around children'
04 Jul 2018
A care home in the Isle of Wight has set up a ‘class in a care home’ where young and old spanning ages from four to 94 learn together. Residents from sit with the four and five-year-olds from Dover.....
Third of Brits are leaving future care plans to chance
02 Jul 2018
Around one third of people in the UK have made no provision for old age, whether through a pension, writing a will, saving for retirement, making funeral plans or creating a lasting power of attorney, according to new research. By.....
Exclusive: Care Minister favours social care cap over new tax
02 Jul 2018
Care Minister Caroline Dinenage has confirmed the government is predominantly looking to introduce a cap on the cost of social care 'rather than new taxes' in its green paper, in a bid to tackle the on-going crisis facing the sector......