While improvements to adult social care have been on the political agenda for many years now, the current state of the British economy has meant that the funding available to bolster an increasingly elderly population has been put into jeopardy.

The new legislation has taken into account economic obstacles and developed a plan to revise the way in which care and support is funded. Through the introduction of a £75,000 cap the government has drawn a strict line for people paying for their own care. This marks a clear step forward in advancing the empowerment of the elderly, as it creates for the first time a universal legal right to personal care.

Although, the Department of Communities and Local Government, the body responsible for the delivery of most social care services has budget allotted for care and support this has not been safeguarded. One of these services is preventative care, a way to help older people avoid reliance on the NHS.

There is a strong case for the Department of Communities and Local Government prioritising preventative care. It has the potential to show the strength of taking proactive action in remedying the social care problem. Ring-fencing budget for preventative care services like in-home adaption solutions that focus on upgrading the accessibility of homes can help people both physically and financially.

In fact, independent research carried out in 2012 by the London School of Economics’ Personal Social Services Research Unit in conjunction with Stannah helped identify the savings that could be made if the government were to choose spending money on adaptive technologies rather than placing people into care homes.

For every £1 spent on adaptive technologies there could be a net saving to the taxpayer of £1.10, which compares to a potential annual saving of £1,100 per person. Such examples demonstrate the strong case for personal and more independent care for Britain’s ageing population is getting stronger.

This was given the royal seal of approval last week when the Queen announced the government’s pledge to help the elderly. Hopefully, through strategic budget allocation, the government will chose to help them retain their independence and enjoy the comforts of home for a little while longer.

Residential care can be costly and much of the recent discussion around the health and social care bill has been around the topic of funding. Stannah’s Silver Census, a recently conducted research study among 1000 British seniors, revealed that 73% of over 65s think that they will have to fund any long term care out of their own pockets. To build up the necessary funds to pay for their care costs, 24% put aside some savings over the years whereas 23% see selling their home as a sad necessity to secure their future.

Improving access around the home though can delay the need for residential care or even remove the need altogether. Some people decide to improve the accessibility of their houses by installing stairlifts, steplifts or other mobility aids so they can keep their independence and ultimately continue living in their homes. The costs involved in these installations seem high to some people but they are only marginal compared to the £75,000 care bill cap set by the government.

In fact, huge savings could be made if more focus went on financing home adaptions. Independent research conducted by the London School of Economics (LSE) in conjunction with Stannah showed that for every £1 spent on adaptive technologies there could be a net benefit to the taxpayer of £1.10 in comparison to the expenses related to treating falls, covering hospitalisation and funding operations.

Given the results of both these studies, it is clear that the most sustainable, long term and happy solutions are where people are empowered, socially and financially, to keep living in the home they love, for as long as possible.

But while they might have been spared the worst, British seniors still feel deeply disconnected from the government and do not believe that it has their best interest at heart, as Stannah’s latest Silver Census reveals.
The survey paints the picture of a generation that is disenfranchised with government policies – and very conscious of the need for bolstered State support in the latter years of their retirement.

68% of those aged 65+ questioned by Stannah think that the government doesn’t have their best interests at heart or is disconnected from their generation, but when questioned, a majority of them expect the State to be their chief source of funding for future elderly care, far ahead of family, pensions or savings.
Respondents were dubious about government measures already introduced to ease the financial strain, with one in ten going so far as to say existing government policies are irrelevant to them.

The new flat rate pension scheme, due to be introduced in 2017, represents the biggest overhaul of the pension system for decades, but almost half questioned by Stannah believe it will have no impact, with one in five claiming this move will actually leave them worse off.

Overall, almost 40% of the over 65s fear they will not have enough money to live on in the latter years of their retirement, despite widespread efforts to make retirement planning easier. The recent Budget does not scratch the surface of managing these fundamental issues.

It becomes clear that even though the elderly might not have been hit as hard in the Budget as they may have expected, a lot more needs to be done to get this growing demographic engaged and more reassured about their future.

However, the latest research now puts this question into the spotlight and suggests that concentrating in poor light might very well accelerate the onset of myopia (nearsightedness).

Irrespective of whether this proves to be right or wrong, it is the case that as you get older the amount of light reaching your retina diminishes considerably and more light is needed to help you see things as clearly as you used to do.

Even if your eyes are completely healthy, due to the natural ageing process, at the age of 60 you will require around 3-4 times as much light compared to a 20-year-old to achieve a comparable level of vision. Whilst at age 40 you will already be likely to need twice the light you did when you were 20.

In poor lighting your visual system has to work harder, which often means you will get tired quicker, thereby curtailing your reading enjoyment. This is especially true if you have an eye condition such as cataracts or AMD (age-related macular degeneration).

In a recent article published on Time.com,

Scientists say an epidemic of myopia, or nearsightedness, is sweeping through Asian children, and is likely due to students’ spending too much time indoors studying and not enough time outside in the sunlight.

It has long been thought that nearsightedness is mostly a hereditary problem, but researchers led by Ian Morgan of Australian National University say the data suggests that environment has a lot more to do with it.

Reporting in the journal Lancet, the authors note that up to 90% of young adults in major East Asian countries, including China, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore and South Korea, are nearsighted. The overall rate of myopia in the UK, by contrast, is about 20% to 30%.

Can the progression to myopia be prevented, or at least stopped? So far, no effective prevention methods or therapies for nearsightedness exist, other than corrective lenses like glasses or contacts lenses.

Everything we see is light so it makes sense to think the quality of that light would make a big difference… and this is definitely true. The right light will take the strain away from your visionary system and will seriously improve your ability to see detail more clearly, plus read and concentrate in comfort for longer. So, even if your eyes are not damaged by reading in poor light why would you do so?

So why are 40% of disabled people left to fend for themselves?

Why are elderly people encouraged to wear incontinence pads before they actually need to do so when what they really need is a person to assist them to the toilet?

Why are the wards filled with people with urinary infections and complications (including accelerated confusion leading to dementia) because no one visited them at home? No one proactively gave the clinical care to avoid this undignified, distressing and expensive situation.

We are told it’s all about the recession but surely even basic economic common sense shows that it is obviously more expensive to cut back on daily community care and support than it is to take preventative action.

The Dignity Action Day on February 1^st 2013 must act as a wake-up call for us all including those in authority of whatever political persuasion. With the right respect and provision of aids for daily living, practical support, time and clinical care, our elderly and disabled neighbours will manage their daily tasks. This will conserve their health and wellbeing and our economic resources. Dignity is the most basic of human rights. It is also economic logic.

Getting a good night’s sleep is vital. Many studies show that the lack of quality sleep can have a very negative affect on our health and wellbeing. Would you agree that just one restless night means you do not function or feel as well the following day?

The Sleep Council’s top sleep tips include keeping a regular sleeping routine, exercising more, taking care of our diet and perhaps most importantly of all, creating a restful sleeping environment with a comfortable bed.

Having the right bed can be the foundation of a good night’s sleep. The mattress is just as important as it needs to provide you with the correct amount of support to keep good sleeping posture.

Your body and spine are curved, not flat, and so if you sleep on a flat mattress gaps are created between your body and the mattress leaving you unsupported in those areas. Not only does this mean that you may not get a restful night, but it could also cause muscle ache or even lead to worsening pain. An adjustable bed could help as it allows you to achieve a sleeping position that gives you the correct support and maximum comfort.

The Sleep Council, funded by the National Bed Federation, raises awareness of the importance of a good night’s sleep to health and wellbeing and provides helpful advice on how to improve your quality of sleep. See below their top tips to consider when buying a new bed:

• Decide your priorities and concerns in advance – whether it’s storage, size, health issues etc
• If possible, try a selection of beds for comparison
• Buy for correct support and comfort for your weight and build
• Wear comfortable clothing and lie on the bed for at least 10 minutes in your usual sleeping positions
• If the bed is for two – try it together
• Don’t forget a bed is a mattress and a base working together – don’t consider them in isolation
• Think big – larger beds are more comfortable and you are less likely to be disturbed by your partner (one of the most common complaints)
• You get what you pay for – so spend as much as you can afford

However, over the last few years more people have begun to realise they can help them stay in their homes longer, relieve the pain of moving around and dedicate more time to the things they enjoy.

At the same time, product innovation is having a huge impact on what mobility products can do and how they are perceived.

Indeed, a number of revolutionary products have been launched this year which are more functional, smaller, better looking and fit more easily into the home. This shift towards more consumer friendly and less utilitarian products is helping improve the image of mobility solutions.

These include saddle style stairlifts designed for people who have stiffness in their leg joints, as well as totally new concept home lifts that actually aren’t mobility products at all but can be used to overcome mobility issues.

Innovative new products such as these are making solutions better suited to people with a wider range of requirements and changing perceptions by making them more relevant to a younger audience.

In particular, vertical home lifts don’t require any major structural alterations to be installed so can be fitted practically anywhere in the home.

Home lifts are not just mobility aids but are a lifestyle choice for anyone wishing to future proof their home.

This is important because it is now government policy to help people stay in their homes for longer.

The Draft Care and Support Bill, published in July 2012, is centred around intervening earlier so as to reduce demand on intensive hospital services and empower individuals with more information so they can select their own care.

Part of this solution involves making aids and adaptions more available so that the elderly do not need to go into care homes, move in with relatives or downsize.

The reasoning for this approach is simple: it’s not only more affordable from the government’s perspective to keep people in their homes, but individuals prefer to keep their homes and retain their independence.

With 2013 almost here, we can look forward to a year of continued product innovation and changing attitudes to mobility solutions that will hopefully continue to help change out-dated perceptions and assist more people to live life to the full in their homes.

Dr Rekha shares her thoughts about the importance of hydration for older people:

“Last week I attended the meeting of the National Hydration Forum at the House of Lords. The forum is chaired by Baroness Sally Greengross, a crossbench peer and member of many national organisations and charities which promote the importance of hydration for older people.

The forum was set up to discuss and promote hydration issues for older people in all care settings. At the recent meeting we discussed the findings of a report into care homes, which found serious short comings in the care of elderly regarding their hydration needs.

The consensus of the meeting was that there needed to be a national action plan to cover hydration.  The plan would cover aspects such as: awareness, appropriate screening and management of care plan, training staff on hydration issues, access to good practice guidance and focus on hydration in regulation and inspection are addressed. Lack of hydration for older people is a very serious issue and often leads to consequences such as urinary tract infections, confusion, skin problems and may in serious cases affect the kidneys.

Attention to hydration and early intervention can avoid resulting problems and avoidable hospital admissions. The group urged the members to promote hydration in their respective fields and ensure that older people in any care settings, including in their own homes, are encouraged to drink sufficiently.

Some older people may need help with drinking due to their other physical conditions such as arthritis or swallowing difficulties in which cases a little extra attention is needed.  Live-in carers can play an important role in facilitating hydration for older people they care for and pick up early signs of dehydration thus avoiding serious and lasting consequences of dehydration.

I will be reporting more on this as the plan develops so watch this space.”

As the only event of its kind in London, Naidex provides an unmissable opportunity for the estimated 1.4m disabled people living in and around the capital to get first hand advice and guidance on the products and services available to them.

New features have been added to Naidex South 2012, all of which are designed to ensure that each and every visitor is catered for. The show is also capturing the excitement of 2012 and continuing the Paralympic legacy with Paralympians opening the show and the Sports Showcase. This interactive feature will showcase the talents of disabled athletes via a range of sports, all in the actual venue where the Paralympics have taken place! It is also your chance to find out how you can get involved in new and exciting sports in your area.

Also back by popular demand, Meet the Expert provides a unique service designed to answer your questions and give you invaluable advice via a drop in facility, offering free 30 minute meetings with top industry experts covering a host of topics ranging from career options, advice on the psychological effects of disability and up-to-date information regarding the disability allowance.

Many of the Silver Marque partners will be at Naidex, whether exhibiting or attending. How about you? Tickets are free when you register on the website

To respect, celebrate and be guided by the senior ‘elders’ of the community is an essential and inevitable wisdom in the communities of most ethnic cultures. But the value inherent in this behaviour has become somewhat disregarded in the race and pace of modern Western everyday life.

It is the European year for active ageing and solidarity between generations and given the demographic in balance in the UK – by 2020 over half the population will be 50 years plus – a more conscious effort to share skills and enthusiasms and to build on them is obviously essential.

Nowadays modern education tends, perhaps for economic reasons, to channel young people into a career rut at an early age in their studies. This discourages intellectual versatility and flexibility of character. This was not so for the post war generations, up until the seventies at least, who can therefore provide our society with a diversity of knowledge and experience which it is essential to tap at most levels – manufacturing, business and cultural.

Remaining in the ebb and flow of everyday business and social life generates ongoing energy and ideas and contributes at every level. Day to day aids for daily living are now available to combat the practical challenges of physical ageing and enables people to go on functioning independently in their own homes. We should be taking far greater care of our ‘elders’ because they have a very great deal to offer and we are fools if we fail to recognise this and to make the most of what they can and want to give to the wider community.