Speech loss

March 30, 2017

Speech loss For someone who is rarely short of words, the prospect of not being able to effectively communicate would devastate me. Imagine feeling “devastated” and not being able to communicate that? How would someone potentially react? They may cry uncontrollably or they may refuse to get out of bed. Someone may even use the […]

Read the full article →

Who to inform of a death

March 28, 2017

  Who do you tell in the event of a death? You have just lost a loved one and your world has lost its sense of reality. You are in a bubble and feel like the only person who has ever been bereaved. You then have the practical demands forced upon you by society, and […]

Read the full article →

Telecare, problem or solution?

March 26, 2017

This is what I never want to see – care home residents – monitored on screens from behind a desk “Is remote health monitoring technology the future for health care?” This is what I never want to see – care home residents – monitored on screens from behind a desk. I am known for my […]

Read the full article →

Excellent Care

March 24, 2017

  Excellent Care needs to be applauded Carole Anne Langmead, from Barnstaple, in Devon, is a Health & Social Care apprentice who scooped a prestigious national award. Coming in 4th place, she was highly commended by the judges at the World Skills competition. I was delighted to learn of Carole’s achievement, so often my focus […]

Read the full article →

Mother’s Day, when Mum has passed

March 22, 2017

Making Mother’s Day less painful if you no longer have your Mum with you. Thoughtful and sensitive advice from Cruse. Please share this with someone who may appreciate it.

Read the full article →

Marmalade

March 22, 2017

Loneliness is bad for your health – Fact. I have just stumbled across the wonderful work of Amy Perrin who is an occupational therapist. She started working to combat loneliness for elderly people on Christmas Day. The History of Marmalade. Amy had worked as a health professional and volunteered for over 20 years and had […]

Read the full article →

Over Prescribing

March 20, 2017

Over prescribing for the elderly is dangerous Having visited my doctors recently and jokingly been told they just “give you pills” – I left with a whole list of them myself! GTN spray, aspirin, a statin and beta blockers. I am 48 and do have high blood pressure currently and have had some chest discomfort […]

Read the full article →

Equity Release & State Benefits

March 18, 2017

Equity Release and State Benefits More and more people are choosing to stay in their own homes and pay for home care as opposed to move to residential care when they get older. Many people in their 60’s are also fairly heavily in debt and need a way of raising money. Equity release is becoming […]

Read the full article →

White Coat Syndrome

March 14, 2017

White Coat Syndrome Have you heard of this syndrome? Until yesterday I hadn’t, so I decided I had better write an article on it as I think this affects me! I visited my GP following a health check in a supermarket pharmacy when my blood pressure reading was dangerously high. I was advised not to […]

Read the full article →

Planning ahead

March 14, 2017

Planning Ahead – Why local planners need to speak to the elderly. Local planners need to consult with the elderly now to design for the elderly in the future. Simply issues to someone younger, become major ones to someone older. Call me controversial, call me outspoken, call me a pain in the proverbial…..call me what […]

Read the full article →

The Big Knit

March 10, 2017

The Big Knit – Fundraising for Age UK. The Big Knit, how have I missed writing about this for so long, especially as I have been sending out room thermometers on behalf of Age UK for four years? Keeping elderly people warm and well in the cold prevents needless deaths is something I am passionate […]

Read the full article →

Point to Sheets

March 6, 2017

Point to Sheets!     I love what I do with such a passion. I write here on my blog and elsewhere and also   have a slightly unhealthy, overactive association with social media. This new “project” is one of the reasons I am always so happy and excited to do what I do. Someone […]

Read the full article →

Diverse diets in care

March 4, 2017

Diversity diets in Care Catering for special diets is an area of increasing concern in social care, but some charities and nutritionists are stepping up to the plate This is a very interesting and slightly different article I wanted to share with you from the Guardian. Source: Halal meat, vegan feasts: how care caterers meet […]

Read the full article →

NHS Continuing Care

March 2, 2017

NHS continuing healthcare This is an incredible minefield of postcode lottery, form filling and a little bit of bureaucracy thrown in for good measure. I have tried to write in easy to follow terms and would urge you to at least apply. Continuing healthcare funding offers care, arranged and funded by the NHS, for individuals […]

Read the full article →

Erectile dysfunction

February 28, 2017

Let’s talk about Erectile Dysfunction! That’s part of the problem, isn’t it? No-one does want to talk about erectile dysfunction, though, do they? It’s understandable how important sex and physical intimacy can be and that erection problems are difficult to talk about. The good news is that there are things that can help. What causes […]

Read the full article →

Football & Dementia

February 26, 2017

Former Liverpool striker Ian St John calls on football’s leaders to look after former professionals who have dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. I ask, “With the likes of Wayne Rooney being paid hundreds of thousands of pounds a week should there not be a fund to support those former players living with football related brain injured […]

Read the full article →

Reflexology in homes

February 24, 2017

Gina Awad has recently been honoured at the Alzheimer’s Society National Dementia Friendly Awards with the accolade of “Dementia Champion of the Year 2016”. Gina lives very near me and I am delighted to share her story. I am meeting her soon to interview her about her success and the motivation behind what she does. […]

Read the full article →

PR

February 23, 2017

  When I created Caron Cares, I needed to let people know about it. I lost track of the number of times I begged the media to give me some column space. Nothing, or very little was the result. Now nearly 5 years later I write for the Huffington Post, Devon Life and have PR […]

Read the full article →

Prostate Cancer

February 20, 2017

Prostate Cancer- What should you look out for gentlemen?  (and your ladies too!) There are currently 36,000 men in the UK alone who discover they have prostate cancer each year. That is a shockingly large number, but the good news it, it can be treated if caught in the early stage. As you will discover […]

Read the full article →

Carer Crisis

February 18, 2017

Self-employed and unregulated Builders, barmaids and bankrupt businessmen are jetting in as care workers for the elderly, amid a spiralling crisis in social care. Source: ‘Jet-in’ carers fly from Benidorm to Britain amid ‘massive’ care crisis  Builders, barmaids and bankrupt businessmen are flying into Britain from Spanish holiday spots to earn lucrative sums as care […]

Read the full article →

Clear on cancer & heart disease

February 16, 2017

Be Clear on Cancer and other conditions No-one likes to think about cancer and heart disease but early detection saves lives With it becoming increasingly difficult for patients to see their GP it is still vitally important for people, especially the elderly or you us as carers to be mindful of symptoms. This article is […]

Read the full article →

Happy Hearts

February 14, 2017

Happy Valentines Day – Look after your heart. Please watch this video and have the heart to share it today . using the share buttons at footer of this post.  With as many as 27 million people worldwide suffering from a heart-related condition, the chances are you may. Stay heart healthy. Do you know your numbers? […]

Read the full article →

UK’s oldest care worker

February 12, 2017

This is such an inspiring story and for once a postivie one too ! Source: ‘You’re never too old to try something new’: the UK’s oldest care worker | Social Care Network | The Guardian A great-grandmother once deemed too old to work is thought to be the oldest care worker in the UK. June […]

Read the full article →

Spreading the word

February 10, 2017

My invitation to speak to academics and researchers! My blog is a resource but it is also a tool for conversation. Well here and the fast-flowing torrent of Facebook. If you are not following me there yet, please use the link to the right and send me a friend request. I digress! As far as […]

Read the full article →

More cuts to care

February 8, 2017

Cuts, cuts and more cuts and a Government unable to solve the problem in the social care disaster. Association says some of its 370 councils are struggling to meet legal requirement so badly they could face high court challenge Source: Councils may cut social care provision due to underfunding, LGA says | Society | The […]

Read the full article →

Cancer. Help for older people.

February 6, 2017

  Changing lives for older people through access to advocacy Cancer affects many older people.Did you know that there has been a 23 percent increase in the number of older people (aged 65 and over) living with cancer in the five years to 2015. That is more than 300,000. Did you know there is somewhere […]

Read the full article →

Silverline

February 4, 2017

The Silver Line – A Life Line What a difference a voice makes. Now into its fourth year, I wonder how many of us really knew just how vital this confidential support service would prove to be. I have personally followed this with interest as I have met Esther Rantzen, and we have spoken about […]

Read the full article →

Devon Does Care

February 2, 2017

Devon Really Does Care – Does your county ? Devon is the third largest county in the UK and has an older than average population. With so many elderly people living here, why am I still pleasantly surprised when I discover establishments that bend over backward to welcome them as visitors. I telephoned Killerton House […]

Read the full article →

Caring for Mum and Dad

January 31, 2017

   Care crisis will require people to be as responsible for their parents as they are their children Caring for Mum and Dad – Caron Cares can help, “un-expected carers” Source: Take care of your elderly mothers and fathers, says Tory minister | Society | The Guardian Caring for Mum and Dad. It is most […]

Read the full article →

Waiting for God. “Warehousing”

January 29, 2017

I saw this coming, just hoped it never would. I am greatly saddened at hout we as a developed nationa are so woefully dictating to our elderly and disabled. Money counts, people’s rights and dignity don’t. New rules could see 13,000 people with disabilities and long-term health needs forced into care homes. This is treating […]

Read the full article →

Keep exercising.

January 27, 2017

You are never too old to exercise. Older woman who do not exercise daily have cells biologically older than their actual age, research suggests. Source: Sedentary lifestyle in older women ‘ages body cells’ – BBC News Women who lead a sedentary lifestyle have faster-ageing cells than those who exercise every day, research suggests. Research on […]

Read the full article →

Elderly in the Media

January 26, 2017

A quick note from me, Caron Sprake,  the passionate writer of Caron Cares. You may have noticed that this year, I have started to include more press articles on my blog. This is not an excuse for me to not be writing articles! This is more a conscious, decision that as the future of care […]

Read the full article →

‘Huge leap” prostate cancer

January 23, 2017

  A quarter of men “could be spared invasive prostate biopsies” if gland was scanned first. Source: ‘Huge leap’ in prostate cancer testing – BBC News The biggest leap in diagnosing prostate cancer “in decades” has been made using new scanning equipment, say doctors and campaigners. Using advanced MRI nearly doubles the number of aggressive […]

Read the full article →

Keep an eye on

January 21, 2017

Keep an eye on your eye health Nowadays, an eyesight test does so much more than just check your vision and eye health. A sight test now can also spot the early signs of illnesses such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Early detection of these diseases, helps with their management. What are your entitlements? […]

Read the full article →

Help with vet bills for the elderly

January 19, 2017

Help with vet bills for the elderly Many elderly people living alone rely on their pet as a source of well needed company and having one has shown to lower stress and anxiety levels. If an elderly person has a dog it is also a great incentive to get out of the house to walk it. This […]

Read the full article →

Talking Pegs

January 17, 2017

Talking Pegs. Helping people with sight or memory loss Recommended by the Macular Society these Talking Pegs allow you to record a single 10 second voice message that plays every time you press them. They are magnetic and are ideal to stick on the fridge to remind you to get some more milk or pop one […]

Read the full article →

Dementia Assistance Range

January 15, 2017

The Dementia Assistance Range. In 2015, I had the idea of a card to help people with dementia and their families. A year on and the cards have had over 4,800 downloads. I later added a card for carers and they have now also seen downloads of over 1,000. To add to the cards, I […]

Read the full article →

← Previous Entries

Next Entries →