Cerebral palsy causes a wide spectrum of disability, and it affects each person living with the condition differently.

There is still widespread ignorance about CP, with a recent survey revealing that more than half of participants had only a poor or very poor understanding of the condition. This makes life more difficult both for individuals with CP and families caring for them.

This guest article from JMW Solicitors helps clear up common misconceptions.

 

A key to unlocking the UK’s housing crisis lies in tackling the under-occupation of family homes where there are more than 15 million ‘surplus’ bedrooms, according to a new report from the Centre for the Study of Financial Innovation.

That under-occupation is concentrated in the older population, who tend to live in couples or alone.

The problem is that, however willing people may be to downsize, there just aren't enough suitable properties available.

Read more here

 

We have an interesting new showcase page subscriber on Independent Living to introduce to you.

Frequency Precision makes a range of telecare alarms and wandering alerts which use air technology to make them reliable, robust and discreet.

Ideal for caring for people with dementia or other cognitive impairments.

Read more here

 

In these days of fake news and media manipulation, properly trained journalists are more essential than ever.

So it's great to hear of a new online course for aspiring journalists with a disability. Delivered by the NCTJ (National Council for the Training of Journalists) in partnership with Ability Today, the course leads to a foundation level qualification which should provide the first steps on a rewarding career path.

More details here

 

New figures released for Carers Week (8th – 14th June 2020) show an estimated 4.5 million people in the UK have become unpaid carers as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

This is in addition to the 6.5 million taking on this challenging role already.

Will the crisis finally push the government towards providing proper support for all these people who are saving the NHS and local authorities so much?

Read more here - and add your thoughts!

 

Long-term Independent Living subscriber iHear has a freshly updated showcase page with details of some of the clever assistive technology products they supply to help people with impaired hearing.

For example, the Roger Pens shown here use Bluetooth to connect audio sources such as mobile phones, TVs and laptops with hearing aids, making sound clearer and easier to hear, particularly in noisy environments or at a distance.

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.

There are various ways you can get in touch with us: email me; visit our Facebook page and leave a message there; or if it's short and sweet, Tweet!

Previous newsletters are archived here.

If you are reading a copy of the Independent Living newsletter that has been passed on to you by a colleague or friend, why not sign up for your own free subscription – it's quick and easy, and won't lead to your inbox being bombarded with other stuff!

That's it until next week! 

Thank you for reading and best wishes,

Frances