Learn more about the key trends impacting on the care sector in August 2018 in our latest edition of Care Sector News Review.
Welcome to Care Sector News Review, August 2018 edition.
Here, we’ll update you on the latest care news, medical research and awareness initiatives.
Find out what’s been happening across the care sector in August 2018:
Care news
- A lack of senior radiologists is causing delays in cancer treatment and the implementation of effective care plans, the Royal College of Radiologists has stated. Demand for radiologist services has risen by 30% over a five-year period, while numbers of consultant radiologists have increased by just 15%.
- The Global Future think tank has suggested the UK will be short of almost 400,000 primarily public-sector care workers within five years should freedom of movement end following Brexit. By 2026, analysts expect there to be an additional 1.5 million over 75s across the country.
- Approximately 3.9 billion nuisance calls and texts were made in the UK last year according to Ofcom, with older people at the greatest risk of scams or fraud. Age UK director Caroline Abrahams has called for “tougher action, including hefty fines” to help protect vulnerable older people.
Medical research
- Four lifestyle choices could significantly reduce your risk of developing dementia, according to the results of a new study that sampled 6,000 older adults. These lifestyle choices include not smoking, maintaining a healthy body weight, exercising regularly and consuming a healthy diet.
- Women are more likely to survive a heart attack if treated by a female doctor, a new study from University of Minnesota has indicated. This aligns with recent research from Australia and Sweden that suggests women are typically given different types of care following an attack.
- Rates of heart attacks and strokes could increase by 29% due to the growing diabetes epidemic, the British Heart Foundation (BHF) has warned. The total number of people with diabetes in the UK is expected to rise by 1 million over the next two decades.
- Doctors could improve health outcomes for people who have had a haemorrhagic stroke by following a simple checklist when reviewing brain scans, research published in The Lancet Neurology suggests. Adopting a new procedural approach could have a positive impact on millions of people each year.
Awareness initiatives
- Jersey charity Les Amis is looking to raise £500,000 and identify a suitable location for a new care facility for older people with learning difficulties. The charity believes these people – who are five times more likely to develop dementia – would benefit from staying in non-clinical care settings.
- Contact the Elderly – a charity dedicated to addressing loneliness among older people – has launched a new set of initiatives in West Hampstead, London. Guests at its inaugural tea party ranged in age from 81-91, and a different volunteer is set to take on hosting duties each month.
- A generous couple has donated £5,000 to support Silver Line, a charity that provides helpline services geared towards supporting lonely and vulnerable older people. The cheque arrived on the doorstep of Dame Esther Rantzen, who originally founded the charity.
- National Allotments Week 2018 took place in August (13-19), with communities coming together to celebrate the social, nutritional and physical benefits of our allotments. All these qualities and more make tending a garden or allotment a potentially beneficial activity for older people.
Join us again in the last week of September for the next edition of Care Sector News Review.
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