TV licence shock as millions of over 75s will lose out
The BBC has scrapped the free TV licence for all over 75s, meaning only those who receive Pension Credit will be exempt from paying the fee from next year. There has been widespread criticism of the move to means test the concession, which was announced days after the D-Day anniversary coverage on the BBC and will affect millions when it comes into effect on June 1 2020. The licence fee, which currently costs £154.50 a year, had been free to all over-75s since 2000. Now up to 3.5million over 75s will be hit with a bill and only 900,000 households which receive Pension Credit – a benefit given to the lowest-income households – will continue to get their licence for free. The Government criticised the BBC’s move, after it reached an agreement with the broadcaster in 2015 that said the cost of providing free licences to the over 75s would be taken over by the BBC – at a cost of £745m from 2020-2022. In addition, the Tory Manifesto of 2017 stated that the free licences should continue to be given to all over 75s. Prime Minister Theresa May’s spokesperson said: “We have been clear that we expected the BBC to continue this concession. We want the BBC to look again at ways of supporting older people. “As part of the long-term funding agreement, the BBC agreed to take on responsibility for this concession in 2020 and we have been clear that we expected the BBC to continue this concession. “In 2017/18, it received over £3.8 billion in licence fee income – more than the year before – and we have guaranteed the licence fee will increase with inflation until 2022. “They are also making over £1 million a year from commercial work, such as selling content abroad, which can be reinvested. “It is the BBC’s responsibility to ensure its substantial licence fee income is used in an appropriate way so that it can deliver for UK audiences.” TV licence move is “shocking” Care & Nursing editor Victoria Galligan said: “The free TV licence for over 75s was one of the few remaining perks of getting older. Many people face isolation and loneliness in their later years and the television is a companion to them – their window to the outside world. “With pensions barely covering living costs, rising food and utility bills and in-house social care adding to elderly people’s outgoings, another unforeseen charge is the last thing that the older generation needs. “To remove a benefit from the most vulnerable in our society, which has been in place for nearly 20 years, is shocking. I think many people will be left questioning whether the BBC is using the licence fee wisely and whether it should still be mandatory for people to pay the fee – even if they don’t use the BBC’s services – when there are over 70 channels available for free viewing and so many rival subscription services like Sky, Netflix and Amazon Prime on offer.” As a boycott was called for by campaigners, BBC chairman Sir David Clementi said: “This has been a very difficult decision. We’ve obviously thought about it extremely hard. We think that it’s fair to those over 75 but fair all to all our audiences for whom there was no appetite for the level of cuts that would have been necessary if those concessions had been extended to everybody. “But there are a number of people for whom this will be unwelcome news.” Sir David added that a BBC consultation had found that a large number of over 75s said they were prepared for means-testing to be brought in or to see the free TV licence abolished completely, if it meant that at-risk services – such as BBC Two, BBC Four, the BBC News Channel, the BBC Scotland channel, Radio 5live, and some local radio stations – would be kept. For more information on the changes, see the BBC News website.
MMC: Making affordable homes for the elderly
Agile Ageing Alliance is a joining of innovators from across the building and housing sectors, as well as health, care, design & technology and finance advisors who have come together to produce a new way of retirement living. Neighbourhoods of the Future is a vision which modern methods of construction (MMC) can make a reality, providing much-needed affordable homes for the elderly as well as younger people. Here, Ian Spero – founder of Agile Ageing Alliance – answers editor Victoria Galligan’s questions on how MMC can help to solve the housing crisis. How many more affordable homes for the elderly are needed? Today, there are more than 11 million people aged 65 and over in the UK, by 2035, there will be 17 million. According to the Local Government Association, we are looking at a shortfall of more than 400,000 units of housing for older people by 2030 Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), emerging ‘smart’ technologies and big data analytics present possibilities for everyone. However, their potential impact on the way people, especially older adults, engage with the built environment is relatively unexplored. In a world where social networks are leading to a pandemic of loneliness, addressing the Ageing Society Challenge at a neighbourhood level should be a priority. Neighbourhoods are the settings where residents can socialise, realise common values, and achieve a level of social control and purpose. Why is MMC a good choice compared to traditional methods? The UK is facing an acute housing shortage. A better use of modern construction processes and materials could fix this, enabling thousands more homes to be built faster, cheaper and more efficiently; potentially transforming the quality and specificity of UK housing. Yet as things stand, our dependence on bricks and mortar defines a sector that is technologically moribund. Are there lessons to be learned from the successes of the automotive industry? Writing in the Agile Ageing Alliance’s Neighbourhoods of the Future 2019, report – commissioned by Tata Steel, Kieran Singleton Co-founder, of automotive design specialists Forge Design – expands on this theme: “Car manufacturers first recognised the benefits of platform manufacturing decades ago. To make better products more affordable, it is standard practice in the automotive world to try and maximise the amount of inter-vehicle commonality. This level of standardisation could have led to a conveyor belt of similar products and a huge reduction in user choice. But, by aspiring to great design, manufacturers have taken advantage of the platform approach to deliver exciting new concepts, embraced by the public at both ends of the price spectrum.” For our neighbourhoods of the future, the platform approach offers new opportunities for customised housing. This is particularly relevant for technologically enabled “adaptive” housing which can support independent living in later life. Matt Cooper is a leading advocate for MMC at Arup, an independent firm of designers, planners, engineers, consultants and technical specialists which made its name as the designer and engineer behind some of the world’s most ambitious structures. According to Matt: “The creative pioneers of the new generation of MMC not only have the opportunity to alleviate our housing shortage but to change the way housing is delivered across the social spectrum. With adaptable and agile regeneration capabilities built in by design, within the next 10-20 years, MMC may not only halt the downward spiral in our housing market, but act as the catalyst for a new social economy.” How are the units made accessible to people with mobility needs? Making our homes more accessible to people with mobility needs is a pre-requisite for an ageing population. Let’s face it, our perception of space, the elements in our environment that we find restorative or tiring, helpful or strenuous, change as we age. This happens together with changes in our bodies. New build housing and indeed retrofit homes can be made more accessible – and safer – by replacing steps with slopes/ramps, installing grabrails/handrails, trial installation of emerging new design of compact lifts, change floor coverings etc. Lighting can be improved to illuminate risk areas/install automated lighting (e.g. landings, motion/ pressure sensors when person gets out of bed). The bathroom is a top hazard area with regard to falls injury and could benefit from the use of non-slip flooring, lighting (as mentioned), taps/ other fittings as well as shower installation. Kitchen units can be lowered for easy reach from wheelchairs. Digital/ assistive technology measures have huge potential to improve lives. For some older people, it will be useful to offer an enhanced package such as the installation of sensors, alarm systems, automated use of environmental controls, the trial of new solutions, and/or innovative use of more mainstream systems such as Alexa etc. Frankly, we are still scratching the surface of what we can do by combining better design, new products and interoperable systems and enabling technologies to empower people in later life. You can read more about retrofitting in a great article by Sue Adams OBE CEO of Care & Repair England in the aforementioned Neighbourhoods of the Future report How do you envisage constructing enough units to meet this growing need? A wholesale commitment to MMC and the aims and aspirations outlined in our report could make a substantive difference at scale. We are speaking with developers and local authorities around the country who are keen to do things differently. By way of example, a pioneering independent developer Regents Regeneration is planning to build a new multigenerational neighbourhood in Coventry. The exciting thing about the Regents scheme is they intend to build a factory outside of the City where they will construct the new homes off-site. Furthermore, the idea is to work with Coventry University to evaluate the impact on residents. The university also plans to incorporate a teaching facility to address a growing skills shortage in the construction market. I will let Dr Evangelia Chrysikou, Healthcare Facilities Programme Director at UCL’s Bartlett Real Estate Institute, have the final word: “We must explain to people the benefits of inclusive societies. This needs
Improved access to shift schedules can reduce turnover among home care workers
Cristian Grossmann, CEO and Co-Founder of Beekeeper – a digital workforce management platform – on retaining home care workers through better access to shift schedules… It’s no secret that the UK care and nursing home industry typically has a higher rate of staff vacancies compared to others. A recent report showed that the vacancy rate in the adult social care sector was 6.6%, higher than the national average of 2.6%. Just as worrying, staff turnover in the adult care sector has climbed to 27.8% and has been steadily increasing since 2012. Stem the flow of high turnover among your care workers The industry must stem the flow of high turnover by investing in improving morale amongst employees and increasing retention rates of adult social care workers. One way to do this is to provide workers with earlier access to shift schedules to help them improve their work/life balance. Early access to work schedules changes lives This recent study highlighted how a fluctuating work schedule combined with last-minute shift changes can negatively impact workers. Unpredictable shift patterns create an inability to plan for needed childcare, medical appointments or socialising, as workers simply don’t have enough time to anticipate these needs. This causes employees to feel dissatisfied and stressed and less likely to stay with their job. The study also found that offering employees access to shift schedules just two weeks in advance made a huge difference in the quality of life for workers. There’s an app for that Technology can address the problem of high turnover with an internal communications platform that employees can access via an app or desktop, in which shift schedules are migrated from paper or email into an easy-to-access digital hub. The result of digitising schedules is that workers have improved access to their shifts, which prevents communication delays typical with the traditional approach to scheduling. Additionally, internal communication platforms offer home care shift workers the ability to instantly request schedule changes to management, enabling faster response times to requests and improving management’s ability to quickly find cover. This allows employees to have more control over their work schedules, which can dramatically improve overall job satisfaction. In addition to operational tools such as shift schedules, an internal communications platform like Beekeeper also offers instant access to one-on-one and group messaging, information sharing, surveys, training guides and health and safety information — all of which employees find extremely beneficial. In our experience, staff retention improves very quickly when employees have a platform that offers easy shift scheduling, access to information, and an immediate way to connect with management. It’s important to remember that your staff are your best asset and by investing in technology that makes their working life more harmonious, you will retain more talent, and build a happier, more productive workforce. For more information on improving shift pattern access for care workers, see Beekeeper
Improving residential care through digital transformation
Colin Yates, chief support officer at WorkMobile – an award-winning mobile data capture solution – discusses the links between going paperless and the quality of residential care. Over the past few years, digital transformation has become an increasingly hot topic in business circles. There is a very good reason for this: done well, digital transformation drives efficiency and improves productivity, saving a business both time and money. Enterprises in almost all industries stand to benefit from their own digital transformation projects, and the residential care home sector is no exception. The question is, what would this look like? At its most basic level, digital transformation is the use of digital technologies to solve traditional problems. So, there is a need to identify which areas of a business have historically proved challenging and could be improved by incorporating new technology such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things. Residential care homes are often very reliant on paper-based processes. From care plans and risk assessments, to safeguarding reports and health assessments, there is inherently a lot of paperwork involved in the day to day running of a care home business, and given that there didn’t use to be an alternative to physical documentation, many have continued to operate with traditional processes. However, a heavy reliance on paper can cause significant problems. If essential paperwork is not completed and filed in a timely and correct manner, this can lead to standards of care slipping and concerns being raised by the CQC. As a result, some forward-thinking care home operators have begun their digital transformations by implementing cloud-based electronic care record software. This type of software has the ability to completely eliminate the need for paper, with all documents being completed digitally instead, often via an app on a mobile device or tablet. The information in these documents can then be saved automatically to a central reporting platform, that can be accessed instantly by all authorised members of staff, wherever they’re based. Modernising care home businesses by going paperless can have a host of wide-reaching benefits for all of those involved. Care workers For staff working on the front lines, outdated paper-based processes create an unnecessary administrative burden. Completing all paperwork by hand takes time, and each document must then be filed away carefully. In some cases, the information in this paperwork is also manually inputted into a digital database, taking up even more time and being open to errors. With digital alternatives, documents can be accessed much more easily and filled in much more quickly, with no need for any time to be spent on filing. Information can be recorded in real time as staff go about their duties, meaning that data held about residents is more likely to be complete and accurate. Where appropriate, certain sections can also be pre-populated to save time and unnecessary repetition. This means that care workers don’t have to worry about having to stay late after their shift to complete outstanding admin tasks, offering them a better work-life balance and giving them more time to concentrate on providing the best possible service to those in their care. Residential care home operators For care home operators, one of the main benefits is a significant reduction in operational costs. Relying on paper-based processes is expensive, with one study suggesting that it can cost even a very small business as much as £14,616 each year. Implementing a digital care record solution can greatly decrease ongoing expenses, by minimising or even eliminating the need for paper, printers and physical storage. One major problem caused by relying on paper-based processes is that it can be difficult to ensure the confidentiality of patient information. Digital solutions can allow management to set permissions dictating who has access to which levels of information saved on the system. For care homes that experience a high turnover of carers, or rely heavily on agency staff, this is an easy and effective way to protect patient confidentiality. It can also be extremely difficult to keep large amounts of paperwork organised. This makes it much more likely that important documents will be filed incorrectly or misplaced altogether. Missing paperwork puts patients at risk, and leaves care providers vulnerable to compliance issues which could negatively affect their CQC rating. Digital systems eliminate this issue, while also making it much easier for staff to interrogate previous reports and see any outstanding tasks. With this additional safety net, care home operators can feel confident that they are providing the best possible quality of care and meeting the CQC’s high standards. It’s clear that embracing digital transformation is a relatively simple way to overhaul a care business. Just by going paperless, it’s possible to improve working conditions for staff, reduce costs, and increase CQC compliance, making it worth serious consideration for care home operators looking to improve their excellent standards of care. For more information on Improving residential care through digital solutions, visit www.workmobileforms.com
Fortune cookies helping elderly with dementia
FORTUNE cookies are having a therapeutic effect on those living with dementia in the North East. Residents at Pelton Grange Care Home, in Pelton, near Chester-le-Street, have been making the popular takeaway biscuits in celebration of the Chinese New Year. The home’s cooking enthusiasts took over the kitchen to create the cookies using a traditional recipe – before inserting their own handwritten fortunes. Using their culinary skills has proven beneficial for those with dementia, according to home manager Chris Hogan-Hind. He said: “We are always looking for activities to get the residents using familiar skills, especially for those living with dementia, as it has a very positive effect on their mood and wellbeing. “Many of the residents used to cook for their families and friends, so the Chinese New Year was a good opportunity to get them involved in preparing a meal for fellow residents. “They thoroughly enjoyed making the fortune cookies and testing their culinary skills.” Resident Brenda Clifford said: “It was the best day in a long time, and I enjoyed watching the mixer going round and round. “It was nice to go in the kitchen and see where our food comes from. I couldn’t believe the size.” As well as learning the making fortune cookies, residents were treated to a dinner of chicken curry with rice and noodles, prawn crackers, spring rolls and prawn wraps. Resident Lillian Ford added: “The meal was delicious. I can remember having a takeaway with my husband and the smell coming from the dining room was like being in a proper Chinese restaurant.” Pelton Grange Care Home is part of the Hill Care Group. For further information visit www.hillcare.net.
Giving a helping hand to the elderly during the festive season
While there are various positive aspects and associations related to the festive period, Christmastime can also result in loneliness becoming clearer for people to see. The Mental Health Foundation has found that 19.7 per cent of people aged 16 years old and above across the UK showed symptoms of depression or anxiety in 2014, while the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that there were five per cent of adults throughout England alone who reported feeling lonely either ‘often’ or ‘always’ in 2016 to 2017. If you feel lonely, the festive season can be a time of year that is met with dread. This is because they could see the holiday season as a time of the year where they witness those around them getting reacquainted with loved ones, with these instances likely to make their feelings of emotional isolation more profound. Take note too that, according to the ONS, older widowed homeowners who live along and with long-term health conditions were especially likely to report feelings of loneliness more frequently. Elderly citizens who have had to say goodbye to a loved one may be made more aware that someone is no longer with them when they carry out traditions that they used to enjoy doing as a couple. Everything from hanging up Christmas decorations to having a Christmas dinner can trigger these moments of sadness. As the festive season is quickly coming around once more, Brits have been urged by curved stairlift manufacturer Acorn Stairlifts to provide a helping hand to elderly loved ones and neighbours throughout the holiday period. Here’s some advice on how to do so… The joys of volunteering with the elderly Volunteering feels even more special and thoughtful when carried out across the festive season. There’s nothing quite matching helping others and then seeing their appreciation in the way they respond to the acts of kindness and the positive looks on their faces. People who feel lonely can also find volunteering very helpful. However, it can be intimidating doing it on your own at first. Therefore, why not consider working at a soup kitchen or organizing a gift drive and then asking others if they want to get involved, too? On the topic of volunteering, be sure to take the time to enquire with an elderly relative or neighbour if they need any help carrying out tasks around their homes this Christmas. Whether it’s giving them a hand to put up decorations or clearing their yard after a heavy snowstorm, you’ll be helping while also giving those you’re assisting some company. Christmas traditions that you can get elderly people involved in Christmas comes with traditions that people like to get involved with year after year, regardless of their age. Therefore, have you enquired with elderly neighbours and relatives of their interest in getting involved in fun-filled occasions throughout the festive season? They may enjoy joining you for some Christmas shopping, for example, or to see your town or city’s Christmas lights display. See if they also want to get involved when you go carolling, are decorating your homes or are making holiday crafts too — many of these are likely to remind them of their youth and can also see many generations all enjoying the holiday period together. Be aware too that some people will worry that they are intruding on someone else’s family time, choosing not to ask if they can get involved in an individual’s Christmas traditions as a result. However, they won’t need to worry about this if you’re the one to reach out and present them with the friendly invite. Avoid only using electronics to connect with the elderly The problem of loneliness can be heightened when people spend large amounts of time on their computers and mobile devices. Dr. Jennifer Caudle, an assistant professor of family medicine at Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine, stated that loneliness can be “an invisible epidemic”, masked by an individual’s online persona. An individual’s online persona is unlikely to be reflecting their real-life emotions of loneliness either, Dr. Caudle was also keen to point out. Therefore, be sure to take the time to see people in person no matter how hectic the holiday season is. “Being connected electronically isn’t the same as in person,” Dr. Caudle went on to acknowledge to CBS News. “There’s something about a person-to-person interaction that’s generally better for our well-being. Maybe it’s intangible. But I think being around other people, family or friends, and that reassurance, communication, or something as small as a smile or a touch; these are small things, but I think they’re very important.” Sources: https://www.aclsonline.us/articles/the-guide-to-overcoming-holiday-depression-for-the-elderly-and-their-caretakers/ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-squeaky-wheel/201312/surviving-loneliness-over-the-holidays https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/statistics/mental-health-statistics-depression https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/wellbeing/articles/lonelinesswhatcharacteristicsandcircumstancesareassociatedwithfeelinglonely/2018-04-10
How the elderly can benefit from using technology in relation to health?
In the UK, it’s estimated that around 45 million people use or own a smartphone. With most smartphone owners aged between 14 and 60, a large proportion of the elderly population are left behind when it comes to smart technology. In this article, we’ll take a look at the different ways the over 65’s can embrace smart technology to help their health. As people get older, it’s inevitable that they have to visit medical professionals more frequently. Due to mobility issues, many elderly people find it challenging to access doctors surgeries and clinics. However, using technology in the form of an app on a smartphone, tablet or device, a feasible solution can be used to significantly aid this habitual problem. Apps such as Push Doctor, or the NHS’s version, ‘GPathand’, allows you to book and undergo the appointment with your doctor or GP straight from your internet connected device. Online pharmacies are also a useful tool for this problem as patients, after receiving an online consultation with a doctor, can have their repeat prescriptions delivered right to their door. By using technology, the elderly population can regularly access the top healthcare, without having to worry about mobility issues. Wearable technologies can also be used to benefit the health of the elderly. Wearable technologies – most commonly in the form of a watch – are a category of devices that can track certain pieces of data, while being worn on the body of a person. The majority of the time, wearable technologies are used to track and monitor the health of the person wearing them. Wearable technology products such as the FitBit and other watches can collect data on heart rate, blood pressure, and the amount of exercise done in a day. Other smartwatch manufacturers have also created products that can aid people with medical conditions such as dementia – for instance, take Safelink’s smartwatch with it’s wearable GPS tracker, that alerts up to three smartphones when any unusual behaviour is detected. Initially, some elderly people may struggle to use some of the items listed above, however, there are plenty of resources out there to help them grow accustomed to their new found technological friend. Take a look at this guide on Age Action, or alternatively, seek out services like Barclays digital eagles, that can help anyone become confident in using technology.
