Search results for ‘Subject term:"older people"’ Sort:
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Virtual wards: Carers UK policy briefing
- Author:
- CARERS UK
- Publisher:
- Carers UK
- Publication year:
- 2022
- Pagination:
- 4
- Place of publication:
- London
This briefing document provides an initial overview of virtual wards - including what they are, why they are being established, the level of funding virtual wards will be afforded and what they mean for carers and local carer organisations in England. A virtual ward is an alternative to NHS bedded care that is enabled by technology. Virtual wards support patients who would otherwise be in hospital to receive the acute (i.e. short-term) care, monitoring and treatment they need in their own home. This includes either preventing avoidable admissions into hospital or supporting early discharge out of hospital. The briefing examines why virtual wards are being established; how much government funding virtual wards have; what virtual wards mean for carers and local carer organisations. (Edited publisher abstract)
Carers and physical activity: briefing for professionals
- Author:
- CARERS UK
- Publisher:
- Carers UK
- Publication year:
- 2020
- Pagination:
- 6
- Place of publication:
- London
A policy briefing for professionals which looks at the experiences of carers when it comes to taking part in physical activity, including the motivations and barriers. It reports the initial findings of a project being carried out by Carers UK, in partnership with Sport England, which is looking at ways to support carers in England over the age of 55 to take part in more physical activity as a way to reduce loneliness and improve their well-being. (Edited publisher abstract)
Future care: growing the care market: turning a demographic challenge into an economic opportunity
- Author:
- CARERS UK
- Publisher:
- Carers UK
- Publication year:
- 2012
- Pagination:
- 24p.
- Place of publication:
- London
As the UK population ages, and people live longer with serious disability and long-term conditions, rising care needs are putting increasing pressure on families and health and social care services. However, social care funding has not kept pace with rapidly growing demand, and social care services often fail to deliver the support families need. Existing services struggle to match the way families live and work, and so often do not provide the help vital to managing competing priorities including childcare, work, social lives and care for older and disabled relatives. This document examines the reform of social care through an economic lens - exploring the economic costs to families and business of a lack of support forcing carers to give up work to care, but also the economic opportunities of stimulating growth in the care market. Looking to international evidence, and exploring the barriers and stimulants to growth, it calls for a new National Care Strategy in partnership with the business community. Specifically, it calls for: incentivising the care market; identifying the benefits of growing the care sector across different areas of government; building a coherent evidence base across different areas of interest and different government departments; promoting the business case for growing the care sector; recognising the potential of technology to transform services; and promoting new jobs and new skills.
Tipping point for social care: time for a new social contract
- Author:
- CARERS UK
- Publisher:
- Carers UK
- Publication year:
- 2010
- Pagination:
- 9p.
- Place of publication:
- London
This discussion paper highlights the challenges faced in the 21st Century with demographic change and an increasing ageing population. It then argues that a new social contract is needed between individuals, communities employers and the state to ensure that families can continue to care for those in need without facing financial penalties due to the costs of caring.
Caring and pensioner poverty: a report on older carers, employment and benefits
- Author:
- CARERS UK
- Publisher:
- Carers UK
- Publication year:
- 2005
- Pagination:
- 17p.
- Place of publication:
- London
Provides evidence that one in ten older carers is having to cut-back on food to make ends meet, and nearly seven out of ten (68%) are having to cut back on other essentials such as clothes and heating.
Walking the tightrope: the challenges of combining work and care in later life
- Authors:
- AGE UK, CARERS UK
- Publishers:
- Age UK, Carers UK
- Publication year:
- 2016
- Pagination:
- 48
- Place of publication:
- London
Drawing on an analysis of the literature and available data, and discussions with carers aged 50 and over, this report looks at the challenges older people face when combining work and caring. It highlights the barriers they face in the workplace and the compromises they have to make in their own working lives, such as turning down promotion. It also examines the negative impact on carers' forced to leave the labour market due to their caring responsibilities. This can include financial disadvantage and poorer health and wellbeing. It estimates that caring as little as five hours a week can have a significant impact on employment prospects, with those caring for more than 10 hours a week at marked risk of leaving the labour market altogether. The report then presents some possible solutions to help retain older carers in the workplace, and includes practice examples from a range of organisations. Case studies and quotations from focus groups and discussions held with carers are also included throughout. The report then sets out a series of recommendations for employers, Government and others to help carers remain in the workplace. These include: improving access to flexible working; increasing awareness of the challenges carers face within the workplace, particularly among managers; supporting carers through times of transition and in emergencies; improving access to care services; and improving financial support for carers. (Edited publisher abstract)
Building carer friendly communities: research report for Carers Week 2016
- Author:
- CARERS UK
- Publisher:
- Carers UK
- Publication year:
- 2016
- Pagination:
- 28
- Place of publication:
- London
Drawing on results from the Carers UK annual State of Caring Survey, this report presents key findings on carer friendly communities across five themes: community; health, employment; education, and older carers'. A total of 6,149 carers and former carers responded to the survey, which was carried out between March and April 2016. Responses from 5,682 responses were included in this analysis. The report looks at how their caring role is understood by the community; the challenges carers face in looking after their own health and wellbeing; the barriers carers face in balancing care with work; challenges in accessing and continuing education, relevant to both young carers and other carers pursuing education or training in later life; and the impact of caring on older carers' wellbeing. Each theme includes direct quotations from the survey and examples of good practice initiatives. Key findings reported include, that: 3 in 4 carers don't feel their caring role is understood and valued by their community and a third of carers said their employer doesn't have policies in place to support them. The report makes recommendations for the creation of carer friendly communities for each of the five themes. (Edited publisher abstract)
Potential for change: transforming public awareness and demand for health and care technology
- Authors:
- CARERS UK, TUNSTALL
- Publisher:
- Carers UK
- Publication year:
- 2013
- Pagination:
- 12
- Place of publication:
- London
In July 2013, Carers UK, supported by Tunstall Healthcare (UK), commissioned a national opinion poll exploring attitudes towards health and care technologies, including telecare. Fieldwork was undertaken by YouGov between 26th July and 29th July 2013 as part of an online omnibus survey. The total sample size was 2069 adults, representative of all UK adults (aged 18+). The research found a lack of public awareness of health and care technology, even in families using technology in most other aspects of their lives. Carers UK seeks a step-change in public and professional awareness of health and care technologies, so that use and purchase of technology to support caring becomes a normal part of life and of professional practice. Also required is cross-government action to identify and realise the potential of health and care technologies to support health and wellbeing, that will lead to a health and care technologies market that is focused on consumers, and is capable of providing attractive and affordable products and services. (Edited publisher abstract)
Carers and telecare
- Authors:
- CARERS UK, TUNSTALL
- Publisher:
- Carers UK
- Publication year:
- 2012
- Pagination:
- 16p.
- Place of publication:
- London
Drawing on data from the State of Caring survey of 4,282 carers to assess the impact of caring on carers' lives, this report looks at carers' perceptions and experiences of telecare and telehealth and explores opportunities offered by telecare and assistive technology and barriers to greater take-up. It describes the research methodology and presents the findings, with examples from the survey and brief case studies. It discusses carer usage of telecare and key outcomes, such as reducing stress and tiredness and enabling carers to have a life outside caring and to balance work and care. It also looks at challenges for users and carers' perceptions of telecare. It concludes that telecare has the potential to change the lives of older and disabled people and carers but that the technology is not delivering all it can due to lack of awareness and barriers to access. It argues that use of assistive technology should be embedded in professional practice, calls for the creation of a Health and Care Technology Task Force, and makes recommendations for local authorities, advice agencies, and providers.