Over 51,000 carers in England are men over the age of 85 — a number which has more than doubled in the last decade (Carers UK and Age UK, 2015). The older male carer story project collaborated with a group of 11 older male carers (all over the age of 85 and living in Dorset) to learn from their experiences.
Through events and consultations held by the Queen’s Nursing Institute’s (QNI) homeless health network, community nurses are identifying emerging issues affecting their patients and their workforce.
Beth Britton is a freelance campaigner and writer specialising in issues affecting older people, health and social care, and specifically dementia. Her father had vascular dementia for the last 19 years of his life and she aims to provide support and advice to those faced with similar situations, as well as informing healthcare professionals and the wider population on how to improve dementia services.
Carers play a huge role in supporting people to live at home. In some cases, they provide around-the-clock care for people who would otherwise need to be admitted to hospital or transferred to a nursing home. Carers are crucial to home and community care and yet there is little awareness of, and support for, the important role that they play.
Maxine Vincent critically evaluates the Carers' Recognition & Services Act, 1995 as a response to the needs of carers.
Helen Parnell describes the needs of an often overlooked group of carers - those who look after relatives with respiratory disease. She discusses the need for government policy to more actively recognise their important role in community care.
Helen Parnell RN, DipN (Lond) is a Respiratory Nurse Specialist, Airways Clinic, St Helier Hospital, Carshalton.
Article accepted for publication
November 2000.
