Assessment

A carer is in danger of collapsing under the weight of responsibility. This article looks at how social workers were able to provide her with the support to help her carry on.

Current government policy emphasises professional accountability, Best Value, evidence-based practice and outcomes for users and carers. In this context, being able to demonstrate the effectiveness of routine practice is increasingly important. This article considers the key issues in collecting information about the outcomes of equipment and adaptations. These include: the assessment of the full range of outcomes; the timing of data collection; the use of standardised and individualised measures; and linking outcomes to interventions.

Background: Individual assessment of needs has been recognised as the most appropriate way to allocate health and social care resources. These assessments, however, are often made by the staff or by a carer who acts as an advocate for the user themselves. Little is known about how these proxy measures compare to how individual patients perceive their own needs.

Aim: The aim of this study was to measure and compare ratings of need for older people with mental health problems by the older person themselves, their carer, and an appropriate staff member.

Telehealthcare is an increasingly popular option for health and social care organisations providing care to people in their own homes, principally providing the means to improve both the quality and efficiency of care services. However, the evidence-base for the impacts of telehealthcare in terms of general quality of life , well-being and satisfaction for older people and informal carers remains patchy. We argue that the impacts of telehealthcare lie in certain specific areas not sufficiently covered by existing measures.

Looks at a new private members bill which may give carers more assistance with their caring duties.

Looks at standard six of the National Service Framework, which enables carers to have an assessment on their own health and support needs.

The Parkinson's Disease Society has produced a DVD, Being There, which aims to answer the questions and concerns of people newly diagnosed with the condition. Being There provides an insight into symptoms, treatments and life with Parkinson's in general, and includes interviews with people with Parkinson's, carers, and expert healthcare professionals The DVD is divided into four chapters: introduction to Parkinson's disease; treating Parkinson's; living with Parkinson's; and about the Parkinson's Disease Society.

Differences in perspective between clients, carers and practitioners are familiar from the literature. Findings from two research projects are reported here, which identify mismatched perspectives and appear to question the foundations on which community care policy and practice rest. The article discusses features of the policy and practice context that contribute to the likelihood of divergent views about need and appropriate or effective service provision within community care.

Objectives: To determine and prioritise what information dementia caregivers wish to know at the time of diagnosis and later on in the illness, and in what form this information should be presented.

Method: 100 carers were recruited from community mental health teams (CMHT) and a memory clinic (MC). A semi-structured Carer Interview was administered covering possible symptoms and management.

People with learning disabilities often have difficulty identifying and meeting their health needs and accessing appropriate health services. The Department of Health (1999a), NHS Executive (1998), and Mencap (1998) report that this group has increased needs compared with the general population, yet these needs are often poorly met.