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Welcome to this week's Independent Living news roundup.
29.01.20 Contents:
Finding the right motivation
Alzheimer's and pain?
Skills for Care training fund
World Cancer Day
RIDI Awards
Latest - Changing Places in hospitals
1. Finding the right motivation

One yearly treat I look forward to is Remap's annual awards, when they recognise some of the most ingenious solutions developed by their volunteers.

Apart from clever ideas, it is also an occasion for meeting outstanding people, which last year included Sarah Stones, for whom Remap developed an electronic armband to warn her when she is leaning sideways too much: a hazard for someone with cerebral palsy who spends a lot of time communing with her laptop.

Sarah's special expertise is in the area of motivation, and she has kindly written a fascinating article for Independent Living

 

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2. Alzheimer's and pain

A lot of older people finding themselves living with chronic pain, and this equally applies to those with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.

Treating pain is much more problematic where the patient has problems with cognition and communicating how they feel.

Opioid painkillers are frequently prescribed, but their use is not without adverse consequences.

More information here

 

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3. Skills for Care training fund

Individuals who employ their own carer or PA can apply for money from Skills for Care to pay for training.

The training could be to develop their skills as an ‘employer’ and/or those of their personal assistants.

The money can be used to pay for various different courses including being a good boss, moving and assisting, first aid and health and safety. It can also cover the cost of travel and hiring a replacement PA.

Applications for funding close on 28 February - Find out more here

 

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4. World Cancer Day

Next Tuesday is World Cancer Day, recognising that no single person, organisation or country will beat cancer alone – we have to work together.

Currently, half of the people in Britain who get cancer survive for at least 10 years. Cancer Research UK has a target of three out of four reaching that milestone.

Read more here

 

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5. RIDI Awards

The Recruitment Industry Disability Initiative (RIDI) has a new expert panel of judges for the recruitment industry’s only disability awards.

Jane Hatton, founder and Director of specialist disability job board Evenbreak has been appointed as the new chair of the RIDI Awards for 2020, and she has invited the UK’s most senior disabled professionals and leading inclusion experts to form the new panel.

There is still time to enter the awards – nominations close at the end of February.

Find out more about them here

 

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6. Latest - Changing Places in hospitals

You would probably expect hospitals to be well endowed with fully accessible Changing Places toilet facilities, given that people with serious disabilities tend to use hospitals more than the population in general.

In fact, there are just 55 NHS premises with Changing Places, so there is a long way to go.

The government provided a £2 million fund to support new installations. £500,000 has now been allocated; hospitals can still apply for a share of the remainder.

Read more here

 

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That's it until next week! 

Thank you for reading and best wishes,

Frances

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Frances Leckie
Editor

e: editor @ independentliving.co.uk
t: +44 (0) 208 133 0628
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