Learn more about the latest developments from the care sector – including care news, medical research and awareness initiatives – with The Good Care Group.
Welcome back for the August edition of Care Sector News Review.
Each month, we’ll bring you a variety of stories from across the care sector, including care news, medical research and awareness initiatives.
Read on to find out what’s been happening across the care sector in August:
Care Services
- Dignity and choice are not being effectively preserved for care home residents, according to an influential new report. Representatives from Healthwatch visited 197 care homes nationwide, recording qualitative feedback from residents on a range of care-related topics.
- New research from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has estimated the total value of services provided by unpaid carers each year at £57bn. The estimate takes into account care services that would otherwise be provided by the Government, and highlights the growing importance of family carers.
- 2,000 of the 5,300 care homes inspected by the Care Quality Commission have been found to be “in need of improvement”. This represents 40% of all such institutions, and raises the prospect that over 70,000 older people are currently living in inadequate conditions.
- Care provider comparison site, Trustedcare, has mapped the cost of care homes across the UK. Their graphic details how monthly care costs in certain areas (such as Oxford, at £955) can be almost double that of more affordable areas (such as Lancashire, at £531).
Medical Research
- Researchers from the Mayo Clinic have identified a gut microbe that could be used to treat autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis. Initial trials have so far proved successful, and treatments of this kind are likely to prove comparatively simple and cost-effective.
- Vascular conditions – including high blood pressure and diabetes – have been linked with an increased risk of developing dementia in later life. Researchers from Johns Hopkins University presented the findings of their 25-year-long study in the JAMA Neurology journal earlier this month.
- Targeting enzymes in healthy cells taken over by cancerous cells could aid the treatment of a range of cancers, according to a new study funded by Cancer Research UK. Targeting the NOX4 enzyme has been shown to reduce tumour sizes in mice by up to 50%.
Awareness Initiatives
- Eamonn Donnelly, a teacher from Northern Island, has almost completed his ‘Long Walk Home‘ – an epic 2,500km sponsored hike aimed at raising awareness and funds for dementia research. Eamonn was compelled to complete this mission after losing his mother to the condition in 2014.
- August 14th – 20th marked National Allotments Week: a series of events geared towards recognising the importance of allotments as healthy, communal spaces. Gardening is a great activity for older people and the week’s events were well-attended by senior members of the community.
- World Photo Day was held on August 19th, and celebrated the power images have to record cherished memories and share special moments with friends and relatives across the globe. Photos can be a vital memory aid for older people, as well as an enjoyable means of reminiscing.
Join us again in the last week of September for the next edition of Care Sector News Review.
If you would like to find out more about The Good Care Group’s unique approach and commitment to improving overall care standards, contact our friendly team.
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