Social care online

Objectives: Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) can lead to significant improvements in cognitive function and quality of life for people with dementia. This study sought to investigate whether improvements found in clinical trials were also noted by people with dementia, their carers and group facilitators in everyday life.

Method: Qualitative interviews and focus groups were conducted with people attending CST groups, their carers and the group facilitators. Data were recorded and transcribed, before being analysed using Framework Analysis.

A statistical bulletin presenting bereaved peoples’ views on the quality of care provided to a friend or relative in the last three months of life. Overall quality of care is not perceived to have changed significantly between 2011, 2012 and 2013 in England but was rated significantly lower for people who died in a hospital, compared to people dying at home, in a hospice or care home. For those dying at home, the quality of coordination of care was rated significantly lower in 2013 compared to 2012.

Design/methodology/approach – The approach is to discuss current guidance and practice, and to offer academic criticism and explanation.

This paper reports a welfare rights intervention for carers of dying people through seminars to help them organise family finances to deal with additional costs of the final illness, funeral costs and reconstruction of family finances after death. Seminars on financial affairs were provided to 103 carers and service users, and were evaluated by questionnaires. The seminars were very positively received by attenders, who felt better informed, but were not necessarily more confident in dealing with financial problems.

Reports on a study which took place at a memory clinic in the south west of England to investigate the reasons why people with dementia and their carers do, and do not, stay physically active. The study also wanted to find out which activities would be acceptable and sustainable for people with dementia and their carers. Five people living with Alzhiemer's Disease and their five spouse carers were interviewed using semi-structured interviews.

Based on young people's own accounts, this DVD and toolkit gives care workers a valuable opportunity to reflect on and improve practice.

This report presents the findings of a survey of the mental health of carers living in England. The survey was commissioned by the Department of Health and was carried out between March and July 2001. It is one of a series of surveys of different population groups which began in 1993. The sample for the survey was obtained from people who were identified as carers on the basis of questions included in the 2000 General Household Survey.

This article explores the findings from a recent research project conducted by the Mental Health Foundation for the Alzheimer's Society. The project 'Out of the Shadows' draws out important messages for people with dementia and their carers about their preferences for care and support. The research involved a literature review, focus groups and one-to-one interviews. It investigated who they found out they had dementia, the assessment and diagnostic process, and how they coped after diagnosis.

This article examines some of the areas covered by a review of the Fatal Accident Inquiry System in Scotland. The review followed the death of Roderick Donnett, a man with Down's syndrome who died whilst living in a care home. The article focuses specifically on key issue for families and carers as well as people with learning disabilities.

This article focuses on a phenomenon that health and social service professionals face: Many family caregivers do not self-identify. The consequences of this lack of self-definition and the implications for development of programs that serve caregivers are discussed. The Mount Sinai Medical Center Caregivers and Professionals Partnership is described as an example of a hospital-based program that has recognized this dilemma and worked toward reaching out to those who do self-define, as well as those who may not.