Social care online

This NICE quality standard covers recognition, assessment and management of bipolar disorder in adults (18 years and older) in primary and secondary care. It outlines eight quality statements designed to improve patient safety, patient experience and clinical effectiveness. The eight quality statements are: referral for specialist mental health assessment; personalised care plan; involving carers in care planning; psychological interventions; maintaining plasma lithium levels; valproate; assessing physical health; and supported employment programmes.

The Public Health White Paper fails to mention supporting carers' health. Looks at the importance of protecting carers health and the need to provide carers with adequate breaks.

One common myth about ethno-cultural minority family caregivers is that they do not use formal services. This study examined the intention of using home support and long-term care facilities by a random sample of 339 Chinese-Canadian family caregivers, using a modified version of the Andersen-Newman service utilization model. Filial piety, caregiving burden, care receivers, and health conditions are the common predictors identified.

Family caregiving is a stressful process, especially when the complexity of being an immigrant or ethnic minority is added. This paper examined service barriers experienced by Chinese immigrant family caregivers in Canada and the predictors of different types of barriers. Principle component analysis was performed with the barriers reported loading onto cultural barriers, administrative problems, circumstantial challenges, perceived negative quality of services, and personal attitudes.

Traditionally, day care for elderly persons has been provided by health or social services; however, recently facilities have been developed by voluntary organizations. This study was conducted to examine the characteristics of elderly clients with mental health problems attending these various settings, and to identify any areas of unmet need.

This report summarises findings from two seminars which aimed to bring together a range of perspectives on personalisation and its future. Participants included service users, carers, social care practitioners (including a personal assistant, support worker and a care home manager) and policy makers. The report looks at what personalisation meant those attending and presents some key characteristics.

Additional written evidence presented to the Health Committee inquiry into the issues facing the future of social care, focusing on people aged 65 and older. The Committee looked at how a fully integrated system could be achieved with more efficient use of resources and the improved outcomes that it could deliver. Other issues discussed in volume 1 (the full report) are commissioning, the funding and staffing integrated services, the needs of carers, and the Dilnot Commission. Volume I contains the full report and recommendations; Volume II oral and written evidence.

Reports on an award-winning mobile project in the West Country that uses complementary therapies to help people with dementia and their carers.

Background The majority of patients with Alzheimer's disease live outside institutions and there is considerable serious psychological morbidity among their carers.

Aims To evaluate whether family intervention reduces the subjective burden of care in carers of patients with Alzheimer's disease and produces clinical benefits in the patients.

Helping people to understand what mental illness is and means to people who are affected by it can be difficult, but a set of resources has been developed by a person with bipolar disorder to help address the problem. The 'Choices Method' consists of a series of boards covering a range of mental health conditions which are designed to promote a free exchange of feelings and information between those experiencing mental illness and those supporting them.