Sent: Wednesday, February 12, 2014 11:26 AM
To: Thomas Chambers
Subject: IL Newsletter, 12 February 2014
| Hello Thomas Welcome to this week's Independent Living newsletter. Contents: 1. More Unfairness over Pensions 2. Parliamentary Inquiry into ESA/WCA 3. Pressalit Care for Bathrooms 4. Equipment Supporting Independence 5. OpeMed Update 6. Walk-in Bath Needs New Home, OT Services, and more! """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" 1. More Unfairness over Pensions Last week, I wrote about the way that the transition from DLA to PIP discriminates against disabled women who have reached state retirement age, but aren't yet 65. So they count as pensioners in every respect - have a state pension, free bus pass, pension credit, etc - but when it comes to disability benefits, they are treated as working age, and obliged to apply for PIP, rather than staying with the more generous DLA. You can read more about the topic - and please add your opinions - on the IL Forum, here. Now a new report from ILC-UK highlights the way that the increase in the state pension age disadvantages many older people, both men and women, because of the wide variations in life expectancy across Britain. While most people will live to state pension age and beyond, a large proportion are unlikely to reach state pension age in good health: for example, Glasgow City has a healthy life expectancy of just 46.7 years – nearly 20 years short of the current retirement age of 65. Men in more disadvantaged areas and lower social classes are unlikely to reach state pension age free of disability, while those in the lowest social class have a disability-free life expectancy 13.4 years lower than males in the highest social class. The additional benefits tied to the state pension age, such as the free bus pass, will on average, not be available to those from lower social classes until well beyond their healthy life expectancy. You can read more from the report here, including recommendations on ways to address the growing inequality in healthy life expectancy. Apart from the unfairness of the situation, there is a significant financial impact: raising state pension age in line with life expectancy can result in more people leaving the workforce before reaching this age, in order to care for friends and family. Currently it is the main reason for women aged over 50 to leave the workforce. """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" 2. Parliamentary Inquiry into ESA/WCA Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) started to replace Incapacity Benefit, Income Support and Severe Disablement Allowance, in October 2008. The majority of people applying for ESA undergo a Work Capability Assessment (WCA), to judge whether they are unable to work because of illness or disability, or whether they should be able to work, given any necessary support. There has been a great deal of criticism expressed by those undergoing the assessments, about the way that ATOS, the company contracted to carry them out, does its job. Equally, the DWP (Department for Work and Pensions) has concerns about the company's performance. In light of this, as well as the publication of a number of reviews of the WCA, and the introduction of mandatory reconsideration for people already receiving Incapacity Benefit, the Parliamentary Select Committee has decided to undertake an inquiry into ESA and WCAs, to follow-up its 2011 report. Whether you have personal experience of being assessed, or you represent an organisation with an interest in the subject, you should submit your views to the Committee, so that they can be taken into account. The closing date is 21st March, and you can read more about the aspects of ESA and WCA which the Committee is particularly interested in exploring, and how to submit your evidence, here. """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" 3. Pressalit Care for Bathrooms Of all the factors contributing to a general sense of personal well-being, possibly the most significant is having access to bathroom facilities that you can use safely and independently. Certainly, we receive a great number of enquiries at Independent Living on this very subject. One bathroom element that has perhaps received less attention than some others, is the wash basin, but Pressalit Care's Matrix basin combined with their height adjustable bracket sets the standard for accessibility and safety. As well as having integrated handrails cast into the bowl, it has also been load-tested to ensure that it can be used as a support to lever out of a wheelchair. The Matrix wash basin has a modern design aesthetic, which enables it to fit stylishly into a contemporary bathroom. You can see it here. Lots of information about improving accessibility and safety in the bathroom to be found in the IL bathroom area, and for care environments and more dependent to users, the Care Bathroom section is the place to look. """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" 4. Equipment Supporting Independence Regular newsletter readers will know that we have been publishing a series of articles on Independent Living contributed by Conrad Hodgkinson, creator of the Accessible Property Register, about the strategies adopted by his partner, Dr Christine Barton, to maintain her independence as far as possible, when living with MS. The latest is looking at technology and equipment, and describes the way that they found solutions almost through trial and error, as her condition deteriorated. Sadly, Christine died last year, but Conrad hopes that others might benefit from learning from their experience along the way. You can read the article here, and their background story is here. """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" 5. OpeMed Update Manufacturing their range of hoists and patient transfer solutions in state-of-the-art factories in Britain and the Netherlands, IL site subscriber OpeMed has been extra busy recently, with the launch of their user-friendly new website, co-sponsorship of the Changing Places Campaign, and official support for The Joshua Wilson Brain Tumour Charity. Some of you may know SuperJosh (@JourneyJoshuas) from Twitter, where 13-year-old Josh Wilson, who developed his first brain tumour at the age of 3, pursues his quest to make the world smile, while also now helping to raise funds for other children with brain tumours and post surgery disabilities. Changing Places is a campaign that Josh and his mum have taken to heart, since they first heard about it last year. Facilities for changing Josh in a dignified manner are not available as a matter of course in public places, leaving them with no option but the toilet floor, as baby changing benches aren't generally up to the job of safely supporting a teenager. The Changing Places Campaign aims to have 1000 fully accessible, change friendly toilets registered in the next three years. """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" 6. Walk-in Bath Needs New Home, OT Services, and more! A generous site visitor based in Ipswich has a little-used walk-in bath to donate to someone who could benefit from it. The cream-coloured Cyrus bath measures 85 mm in height, 65.50 in width and is 1240 mm long. It cost over £4000. If you know of somebody who needs a bath like this, either in the area or with a way of transporting it, please do get in touch. One of the unexpected pleasures of the recent redesign of Independent Living has been the opportunity to revisit content which I haven't looked at for a while, as it is transferred to the new site. I was particularly taken – because it is so topical still – with a trio of articles about OT services, from the viewpoint of a user; the professional body; and equipment suppliers. If you haven't explored IL for a while, this could be a good place to start! Here are the links: Jeanne Carlin, Sandwich Carer. College of Occupational Therapists on Service Integration. OT Services, the Suppliers' View. Previous newsletters are archived here. Our Facebook page is regularly updated with the latest developments on the site, and is also somewhere that you can share your opinions with us. Or if you want to make it pithy, send us a tweet! @IndLiving Finally – what made my blood boil this morning? Complacent Tory councillor I heard on the Today programme, asserting that people were managing to deal with the bedroom tax without problems. Two thirds of social housing tenants are in rent arrears because of it, many for the first time ever. Tenants with a disability are less likely to be awarded a Discretionary Housing Payment to help them manage, despite regular assertions that they should be first in line for assistance. Until next time, with all good wishes, Frances -- Frances Leckie Editor E: editor@independentliving.co.uk t: +44 (0) 208 133 0628 Skype: francesleckie w: http://www.independentliving.co.uk This newsletter was sent to thomaschambers@eircom.net. If you prefer not to receive future copies, just reply asking to be removed from the list, and it will be done! |
No comments:
Post a Comment