PR 1750
10 February 2013
PRESS RELEASE
New Year care conundrum
Alongside paying off credit card bills and fighting flab, new research reveals another lingering effect
of the festive season- the realisation that elderly parents may be in desperate need of home care.
Figures released today show a spike in enquiries for home care for the elderly - a situation explained
by the fact many families will have witnessed a deterioration in an ageing parent`s general health
after seeing them for the first time over the Christmas period after weeks or months apart.
It is only when families are thrown together for an extended period that subtle (and sometimes
significant) changes in ageing parents’ behaviour can become visible.
Trevor Brocklebank, Chief Executive of Home Instead Senior Care who have released the data, said,
“It’s a fact that the changes can develop gradually so the older person doesn’t recognise what’s
happening. It is often the children who spot the differences, particularly if they haven’t seen their
parents for a month or two.
“Children may notice that mum’s memory is not what it used to be and that she is asking questions
repeatedly or relaying the same story over and over again.
“Perhaps dad isn’t sure on his feet or a condition such as arthritis is stopping day to day activities.”
The figures revealed by the at-home care company show a 29% per cent increase in enquiries for
their services during the January period.
Speaking about the findings, Professor Jill Manthorpe, Professor of Social Work, Social Care
Workforce Research Unit, King’s College London, said, “Family members play a vital role in
persuading parents that support is there and that they will often feel happier with it. Family
members not only instigate but play a major role in making and paying for care arrangements – they
know that they often have to tread carefully not to cause offence.
“In our experience home care companies are really sympathetic to family concerns and will want to
talk about the best way to make support acceptable. The more relatives can help in liaison and
encouragement to get a good support plan in place the better for all concerned.
“The crux of the issue is that we are living longer, that minor or major disability will affect many
people, and most older people want to stay at home. The majority of adult children these days don’t
have 4 or 5 siblings to share the load and with many more couples working, support in the home, be
it companionship or personal care, becomes necessary but is also welcome. Sometimes it is easier to
get a little support early on and then build it up, rather than waiting for a crisis to happen.”
-endsPress contact: Diana Stephenson, Calvin Marketing, diana@calvinm.co.uk
01477 571888
Editor’s notes
Home Instead Senior Care specialises in providing non-medical care in the home for older people. Their unique
service is tailored to the needs of individual clients and ranges from help a few hours a day to 24 hour care.
Services include companionship (anything from escorting clients on visits or appointments to simple
conversation and good company); home help covering housework, meal preparation and shopping; to
personal care such as assistance with bathing, dressing and medication reminders.
The company also delivers specialist Alzheimer’s and dementia care plus end-of-life and respite care.
Home Instead Senior Care was founded in the UK in 2006 and has 150 offices across the country. These offices
employ 7,000 caregivers and deliver in the region of 250,000 hours of care per month.
They are part of a global network of 1,000 offices in 18 countries which is the world’s largest provider of inhome, non-medical care for the elderly.