This year's Carers' Week sees the publication of the government's Carers Action Plan, subtitled "Supporting carers today" - something I suspect every single family carer in the country would agree is needed.

Perhaps a good start would be paying carers at the rate of the National Living Wage, rather than the current Carer's Allowance, for which only some are eligible, and which comes with a "cliff edge" over which you fall, losing all benefit as soon as you earn over £120 a week. Incidentally, 16 hours work takes you over that limit – meaning that carers have to choose between losing Carer's Allowance or losing benefits such as free childcare for their three and four year old children, which depend on working at least 16 hours...

Read more here

 

A recent poll has found that fewer than 1 in 10 people have recorded their future wishes for treatment and care, despite the vast majority feeling it is important that healthcare professionals are aware of their priorities and concerns.

This means that if they lose the capacity to make key decisions in future through illness or injury, they could end up receiving treatment they would not have wanted.

Compassion in Dying has a useful new free guide, Planning Ahead, to help with making plans and just as importantly, sharing them with those who need to know. 

Find out more here

 

The UK’s longest surviving quad amputee and amputee charity campaigner Ray Edwards MBE has joined forces with landscape designer Edward Mairis to create a special entry for this year’s Hampton Court RHS Flower Show.

The garden will represent a message of hope to amputees and their families as they confront the challenge of accepting a dramatically changed life. Edward was a winner at last year’s Hampton Court Show, and the determined pair have high hopes for this year.

More information here

 

Some interesting research by the charity Auditory Verbal UK shows that 97% of deaf children with no additional needs who spend at least two years on its early intervention programme achieve spoken language skills on a par with hearing children their age.

Half of children who do have additional needs who spend at least two years on the programme achieve the same.

They say that this is the strongest evidence yet that spoken language is a realistic goal for deaf children.

More information here

  

Disability Pride Brighton is back for their second annual festival. The 2018 celebration will take place on Saturday 14th July, and is entirely reliant on the efforts of volunteers. 

The event is organised to raise awareness of the diversity and value of disabled people with all (visible and invisible) impairments or conditions and is organised by a diverse Committee of disabled people.

A fun day out combined with increasing inclusivity sounds like a great idea, for anyone within travelling distance of Brighton!

There are more details here.

 

Pressalit Care has increased the support it can provide to bathroom installers, with the opening of a new hands-on showroom at its Reading offices.

With the ability to adjust the layout to replicate different bathroom scenarios, accessible bathroom installers can be shown the space and flexibility requirements of wheelchair users and those who need the assistance of a parent or carer.

More details here

 

Don't forget that you can apply to join the Independent Living Facebook group, if you would like to spend more time discussing these themes with other interested people. 

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Until next time, all good wishes,

Frances