Care Providers’ Press Releases

Coordinated approach needed to tackle consequences of ageing population
29-Sep-10
Internationally-renowned economist George Magnus will call for a more coordinated approach to tackling the serious economic and social consequences of an ageing population. Speaking at the UK Age Research Forum read full article

Information day: health and social care service improvement in Blaenavon
29-Sep-10
Aneurin Bevan Health Board (Torfaen Locality) and Torfaen Council have been working together for several years, with partners, to deliver safe, sustainable services in the community and in people’s own homes, rather read full article

Support World Mental Health Day with a trip to the gallery
29-Sep-10
Rotherham is set to mark World Mental Health Day by hosting an exciting exhibition of artwork by local people with mental health issues. ARTiculate is a two week long event, running from Monday 4 to Saturday read full article

Improving the lives of older people in Hull
28-Sep-10
Hull City Council is celebrating the older generation in Hull this week as it marks National Older People's Day on Friday (1 October). Queen Victoria Square will be a hive of activity as the council and its read full article

Londoners take a forward step for Memory Walk
28-Sep-10
Up to 400 walkers stepped out to help raise vital funds at the London Memory Walk yesterday. The event was held at the Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park in Lambeth. The London event is part of Memory Walk, which read full article

Where can older people get health tips with a side order of chess and chunky chips? At the pub of course?
28-Sep-10
The 'Pub Clubs' project is a joint initiative between Gloucestershire County Council, Gloucestershire Rural Community Council (GRCC) and NHS Gloucestershire. It has been shortlisted as a finalist in the 'Support read full article

Calderdale Forum 50plus celebrating UK older people's day
28-Sep-10
Calderdale Forum 50+, a new group which will give people over 50 the chance to make their voices heard, is holding a launch event at Halifax Town Hall on UK Older People's Day, Friday, 1 October (12.00 noon - 3.00pm). People read full article

Norfolk libraries set to celebrate Older People's Day
28-Sep-10
This Friday (1 October) is national Older People's Day and several Norfolk County Council-run libraries will mark it with free events and activities designed to appeal to their older visitors. At King's Lynn read full article

World Mental Health Day 2010
28-Sep-10
You are invited to attend the 4th Merthyr Tydfil World Mental Health Day Event 2010, which is being held on Friday, 8th October 2010 at the Merthyr Tydfil Leisure Centre commencing at 10.30 am and finishing after read full article

Pension gap marked between classes
27-Sep-10
The biggest gap between the pension people hope for and what they are realistically likely to receive is among people on low incomes, research has suggested. Consultancy firm Hymans Robertson said the average read full article

Bupa sells Guardian Homecare
27-Sep-10
Bupa today announced it has sold its domiciliary care business Guardian Homecare to City & County Healthcare. Guardian Homecare provides personal care and support in their own homes to frail and disabled older read full article

Fewer community care complaints
27-Sep-10
Councillors will consider a report at Moray Council’s health and social care committee meeting on Wednesday which shows a marked decrease in the number of complaints about community care services during the year read full article

'Best Health for Older People in Warwickshire' - NHS Warwickshire report
27-Sep-10
NHS Warwickshire has now published its Joint Director of Public Health Annual Report. The report, entitled Best Health for Older People in Warwickshire, includes information on services, priority areas and detailed read full article

Get active and celebrate UK Older People's Day
27-Sep-10
This year it falls on Friday 1 October with the theme: ‘getting and staying active in later life' Throughout the county there are a series of events organised by seniors' forums and other voluntary organisations read full article

Promoting older people's independence in Gwynedd
27-Sep-10
National Older People’s Day will be celebrated in Gwynedd with the Gwynedd Older People’s Council annual conference on Tuesday, 5 October 2010. The conference has been organised by Gwynedd Council and the emphasis read full article

Carers hit by struggling finances
24-Sep-10
Financial problems are making 37% of carers not want to wake up in the morning, new research has revealed. The survey carried out by the Princess Royal Trust for Carers showed that around 59% of carers gave read full article

Angus Council reshapes care for older people
24-Sep-10
Angus Council is well advanced in reshaping care to address the challenges of an ageing population, Social Work and Health committee members heard at their meeting today, Thursday 23 September. A joint policy read full article

Older People's Day
24-Sep-10
Older People’s Day is just a week away and there is a wide range of special offers for people aged over 50. Carmarthenshire 50+ Forum has teamed up with Leisure Services to provide a number of exclusive offers read full article

Celebrating older people's day
24-Sep-10
Visitors to the Concord Market, Brierley Hill, will be able to take part in free fun workshops to help celebrate older people’s day. On Saturday 2 October the Concord Market is holding taster workshops from read full article

Gene discovery could increase understanding of Alzheimer's disease
24-Sep-10
Scientists have discovered a gene with a link to Alzheimer’s disease according to a new study published in the journal PLoS Genetics. The genome-wide association study looked at the role of different genes in read full article

Carewatch celebrate highest possible quality care rating
24-Sep-10
Carewatch prides itself on the quality of its services to people across the UK and never has this been better demonstrated than in the Carewatch office in South East Essex. The Care Quality Commission has recognised read full article

Social work praised
23-Sep-10
Services provided by Dundee City Council's social work department have been praised following an official inspection. A report to the social work and health committee on Monday (September 27) highlights the read full article

New catering partnership launched
23-Sep-10
Meal times will never be the same again at Handyside Court in Derby after YMCA Derbyshire teamed up with Housing 21 to provide the tenants with full-time catering services. In a brand new venture, YMCA Derbyshire read full article

Care system still confusing to some
23-Sep-10
Many people in the UK are still confused about how the adult care system works, according to new research released this month. A survey of 1,300 people conducted by older people’s charity Council and Care revealed read full article

Staffordshire 'well-placed' to cope with rise in dementia
23-Sep-10
Staffordshire is well placed to cope with a effects of dementia, which a new report estimates will cost one per cent of the world's gross domestic product. The World Alzheimer Report, published this week to read full article

Partnership with British Gas will address energy efficiency challenges
22-Sep-10
Mears has announced that it has entered into a Strategic Partnership with British Gas to jointly address the challenges of energy efficiency within the social housing sector. Mears in partnership with British read full article

Long-term care - where to start?
22-Sep-10
If you’re considering long-term care as an option for your parent or grandparent, or you require care yourself and you’re just at the start of the process, you may be feeling overwhelmed. There is so much information read full article

Seeking your views on the NHS
22-Sep-10
A leading city councillor wants to open the debate with the wider local community about the future shape of the National Health Service and how services will be delivered. A range of organisations including read full article

People living independently take centre stage at council house
21-Sep-10
Sandwell's Supporting People Programme holds its annual showcase event on Friday (24 September) in the Council Chamber at Sandwell Council House, Oldbury. The audience will hear from a wide range of people who read full article

New day care charge
21-Sep-10
From Monday 4 October, The Highland Council is bringing itself in line with most local councils in Scotland by introducing a flat rate weekly charge for day care services. The £5 per week charge incorporates read full article

World Alzheimer's Day - report highlights scale of world dementia crisis
21-Sep-10
A report released today on World Alzheimer’s Day by the Alzheimer’s Disease International highlights the soaring cost of dementia that affects every health and social care system in the world. Currently dementia read full article

Celebrate older people's day - October 1
21-Sep-10
‘Older People’s Day’ on October 1 will be a chance to celebrate the huge contribution to families and communities made by older people in Kirklees. Kirklees Council is working in partnership with health and read full article

Nell McAndrew leads 4,000 strong Alzheimer's Society team in the 30th Bupa Great North Run
20-Sep-10
Model and TV presenter Nell McAndrew clocked up an impressive time of 1:26:30 in the 30th Bupa Great North Run yesterday. Nell lead the way for the 4,000 people running for Alzheimer's Society, Bupa's nominated read full article

Keeping older people healthy and social active
20-Sep-10
The Highland Council is seeking to invest in new locally-based supports to help more older people to be healthy and socially active in their own communities. The Council is planning for a future with many more read full article

Events to mark RCT Mental Health Week
20-Sep-10
A week of events to raise awareness and understanding of mental health issues will be held in Rhondda Cynon Taf from October 9-15 2010. Mental ill health can affect people of all ages and from all backgrounds. read full article

Arthritis supplements 'ineffective'
18-Sep-10
Many of Britain's arthritis sufferers are taking supplements that are ineffective, researchers have claimed. Patients hoping to alleviate the cripplingly painful symptoms of osteoarthritis are able to receive read full article

Presenter makes sign up request to Londoners
17-Sep-10
TV presenter and Alzheimer’s Society supporter Richard McCourt is calling all Londoners to sign up to the London Memory Walk team and help raise vital funds for dementia services. Memory Walk is Alzheimer's read full article

Inverurie Memory Fayre to mark World Alzheimer's Day
17-Sep-10
A Memory Fayre to mark World Alzheimer’s Day will be held in Inverurie later this month to offer information and support to residents. The event will be held at Inverurie Town Hall on Wednesday, September 29, read full article

Older people have chance to learn new technology at Sandwell libraries
17-Sep-10
Sandwell's libraries will be welcoming people to learn about the internet and other technology later in life next week. Age UK’s national iTea and Biscuits Week runs from September 20-24 and offers IT sessions read full article

Gene discovery could predict rate of Alzheimer's
16-Sep-10
An international team of Alzheimer’s experts have identified a gene variation which could determine how quickly the disease develops after diagnosis. The study of 846 people focused on detecting a form of the read full article

Inspection praises support for adults
16-Sep-10
The support East Lothian Council provides to adults with disabilities and the people who care for them in the community has been praised by inspectors from the Care Commission. The Adult Placement Scheme (APS) read full article

Looking after older people
15-Sep-10
A three-year plan to improve health and social care services for older people in County Durham has been drawn up. Durham County Council’s Cabinet was today (Wednesday, 15 September) presented with the Joint read full article

Franchise honour for Home Instead Wirral
14-Sep-10
Mike and Cath Chalton, franchise owners of the Wirral operation of at home care provider, Home Instead Senior Care, have been nominated as regional finalists in the prestigious British Franchise Association (BFA) read full article

Support Brian's half-marathon for Milton Keynes' second village
14-Sep-10
Milton Keynes runner Brian Hobbs will take part in his eighth BUPA Great North Run, this time to raise money for health and leisure facilities at ExtraCare’s second MK Village which opens in winter 2011/12. A read full article

CQC publishes the views of 17,000 people using community mental health services
14-Sep-10
Some people who use community mental health services in England are still not getting the care and support that fully meets their needs, according to a survey published by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) today read full article

Protein-based biomarkers in blood could help accurately diagnose Alzheimer's disease, report claims
13-Sep-10
New research published in the September issue of Archives of Neurology journal suggests that testing for biomarkers in blood could help more accurately diagnose people with Alzheimer's disease. New research read full article

Grant to help vulnerable and homeless
13-Sep-10
Hampshire County Council has awarded the charity Trinity Winchester a grant of £90,000 over the next three years to help in the running of its drop in centres in Winchester and Basingstoke. Trinity Winchester read full article

Final consultation on disability strategy
13-Sep-10
A new strategy to meet the health, social care and housing needs of people with a physical or sensory disability is in the final stages of consultation in Moray. A multi-agency steering group within the Moray read full article

Firm fined for conning pensioner
10-Sep-10
THE owner of a company who conned a pensioner out of £1,500 has been prosecuted by Liverpool's Trading Standards. In June 2009, James Robinson, trading as Easycare Mobility, supplied a scooter to 79 year old read full article

Fitness linked to longer life
10-Sep-10
People who walk quickly and have strong handshakes are likely to live longer than those who do not, the Medical Research Council claims. Researchers looked at 33 other studies that investigated how the ability read full article

Lifeways completes Highbourne Care acquisition
10-Sep-10
Lifeways is pleased to announce that has completed the acquisition of Highbourne Care Limited (“Highbourne”). Highbourne provides supported living for individuals with severe learning disabilities, complex read full article

Scottish mental health arts and film festival
10-Sep-10
The annual Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival will be staging more than 200 events across the country during October. Now a regular on the arts scene, this, the 4th festival, has grown to become one read full article

New web resource could end 'paucity of financial advice' available to disabled and older people
09-Sep-10
A guide for older and disabled people that signposts them to independent financial information and advice if they are considering accessing long term care has been produced by a number of key organisations. These read full article

Social work schemes nominated for national awards
09-Sep-10
The Isle of Wight Council has been short listed for two national awards recognising excellence in social work. The awards are organised by the Department for Health and Skills for Care and winners will be announced read full article

Hope at last for thousands living with dementia
09-Sep-10
A mere vitamin supplement could give hope to the thousands of people living with dementia according to researchers from the University of Oxford. Leading media titles this morning are reporting on the study that read full article

'I'll take up Gran's baton to raise funds for Alzheimer's Society in the Bupa Great North'
09-Sep-10
Newcastle actor Tony Scott George is running in the Bupa Great North Run on 19 September to raise funds for Alzheimer's Society in honour of his grandfather. Twenty-three year old Tony, from Fenham, Newcastle read full article

Art exhibition by mental health sufferers pays tribute to its founder
09-Sep-10
An art exhibition by people with mental illness will now also be a tribute to its founder, after he sadly died earlier this year. Steve Finnimore set up Art Uniting People in 2008 and in 2009, the first exhibition read full article

Modernisation of older people's services
08-Sep-10
Sandwell Council is set to consult over further modernisation proposals for older people's services. Proposals involve the closure of four of the five council-run residential care homes over a phased two year read full article

Young carers urged to get involved in scrutiny review
07-Sep-10
Scrutiny watchdogs are turning their attention to services for young carers in Sandwell. The council's children and young people scrutiny panel - a cross-party watchdog body of councillors - is embarking on read full article

Council's safeguarding service exceeds performance
07-Sep-10
Significant improvements in the way Shropshire Council protects vulnerable adults are being highlighted in a report this week which details the considerable progress made by Shropshire’s Safeguarding Partnership, read full article

Social care consultation
07-Sep-10
Consultation on the transformation of social care in Liverpool is moving forward with the creation of an independent group to make sure the plans reflect the views of people who receive services. In June, the read full article

Council to consult on major budget decisions
07-Sep-10
A RANGE of measures that could help the Isle of Wight Council make millions of pounds worth of savings to its budget will be discussed by leading councillors next week. Papers released in advance of next Tuesday's read full article

Adult social care charges under the spotlight
06-Sep-10
Proposals to change charging policies for adult social care services are set to be discussed by Northamptonshire County Council’s cabinet next week (14th September). If agreed, the proposals will see an increase read full article

Older people fear spending cuts
06-Sep-10
New research has shown that almost three quarters (70%) of older people fear they will suffer because of the impending austerity measures. According to the charity Anchor, many older people think they will be read full article

Local man gets greater independence thanks to a new way of funding his care
06-Sep-10
West Berkshire Council's new approach to offering residents a more individual way of paying for their care is going from strength to strength and now one man is speaking out about the positive impact of the scheme. Eighty read full article

Tell us what mental health services you want
03-Sep-10
Hampshire County Council and NHS Hampshire are working together to gather peoples views about what mental health services should be commissioned in the future. At her decision day on Friday July 23, Councillor read full article

Barefoot marathoner runs new in-home care business
03-Sep-10
Barefoot runner Reece Howe, who raised £1,600 for Age UK in the London Marathon this year, has set up a new in-home care business in Guildford called Kirkwood Care to meet the needs of local elderly and disabled read full article

New surgery for carers
03-Sep-10
A surgery for carers across the borough will be held in Brierley Hill next week. The surgery for people who care for a relative or friend with a disability or along-term illness or for will take place at the read full article

Dementia research receives 1.5 million boost
03-Sep-10
Research that could take scientists a step closer to discovering the cause of Alzheimer’s and a study on how to improve care for people with dementia in hospitals are two of nine projects announced. The nine read full article

The biggest ever careers fair held for young disabled people takes Bangalore by storm
02-Sep-10
Over 3,000 disabled people, aged 16-34, were given the life-changing opportunity to showcase their skills to employers at the first ever careers fair to take place in Bangalore. On the day nearly 500 hundred read full article

Plans for health and social care developments revised
01-Sep-10
Pressure on public sector finances and planned national changes to the NHS have led to Wolverhampton City Council and Wolverhampton City Primary Care Trust revising plans for the development of new health and social read full article

Young people benefit from positive mental health curriculum
01-Sep-10
In a bid to breakdown the barriers and stigmas associated with mental health, a specially developed Positive Mental Attitudes curriculum pack has now been rolled-out to all secondary schools in Glasgow. The read full article