Gordon Brown today pledged fundamental reform to social care of the elderly and disabled in England

Brown pledges shake-up of social care

Extract from the Guardian

"Gordon Brown today pledged fundamental reform to social care of the elderly and disabled in England as the Government warned that the system is facing a £6bn funding gap within 20 years.

The Prime Minister said it was "essential" that those people who worked hard and saved for their retirement were treated fairly in the provision of social care but he warned there was "no easy solution" to the problem.

"Of course, helping relatives is a challenge that most families rise to - however difficult it becomes," he told a breakfast meeting of leaders in the social care field, held at the King's Fund in central London.

"But that doesn't make it any easier. Nor does it remove family worries about providing physical care that is needed - or take away people's concerns that at some point in the future they may have to sell a treasured home to pay for their own care.""

Gordon Brown is mistaken. - There IS an easy solution to the problem.

1) Tell the truth about obesity and the salt connection

2) Greatly reduce the amount of salt/sodium allowed in processed foods and allow NO SALT AT ALL in food intended for children.

4) Tax salt very, very heavily.

5) Impose strict curbs on doctors' prescribing. Ban prescriptions for antidepressants as these have caused such great harm to vast numbers of people. Ban so-called 'slimming drugs'. Allow only certain appointed doctors to prescribe steroids - and ensure that these doctors have thorough knowledge of the side-effects of these dangerous, powerful drugs and that they keep strictly to the prescribing protocols for these drugs and that they warn people not to eat salt or food containing salt while taking these drugs.

6) Criminalise and severely punish pharmaceutical companies that lie and conceal information about the harmful effects of their products. Imprison the personnel responsible for the lies and cover-ups, even if they are no longer in the company's employ.

7) Get the food companies to manufacture some convenience foods that contain no added salt at all for the benefit of steroid victims and others who need to avoid salt but are not well enough to do much cooking.

Lose weight, reduce your risk of most cancers, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease, vascular dementia, osteopenia, osteoporosis, hypercholesterolaemia, depression, liver and kidney problems, and improve your health in many other ways without drugs or expense by eating less salt! - Try it! - You will feel so much better!

See my website http://www.wildeaboutsteroids.co.uk/.html (The site does not sell anything and has no banners or sponsors or adverts - just helpful information.)

Read my Mensa article on Obesity and the Salt Connection

Children and Obesity

vulnerable groups

See Sodium in foods and

Associated health conditions

amitriptyline

prescribed steroids and HRT

See FAT RETENTION

advice for pregnant mothers

http://www.wildeaboutsteroids.co.uk/socio.html - social and economic considerations

Social care services for elderly people are being cut back.

Cutbacks 'rationing services for elderly' - Sunday Telegraph

Extract:

"Hundreds of thousands of elderly people have had their "social care" cut in the past decade.
Seven in 10 councils in England have been forced to "ration" services since Labour came to power, according to the Local Government -Association.

Most town halls now provide services - including meals-on-wheels, trips to day centres and home visits from social workers - only to pensioners with "substantial" or "critical" needs.

Lack of funding means many councils now help only those who are seriously ill or incapacitated. In some cases, pensioners have had to sell their homes to help pay for private care, or ask their families to pick up the bill."

NHS plan for elderly could save 800 lives.

NHS plan for elderly could save 800 lives

Extract:

"Preventing falls and looking after patients' needs better after an accident could stop 4,000 hip fractures a year and save strategic health authorities millions of pounds, it says.

The study, by Prof Ian Philp, the National Director for Older People, sets out how health and social care services need to change to take care of the increasingly elderly population.

It highlights a scheme operated by the North East Ambulance Service where every ambulance officer was issued with a "falls assessment form". In 18 months the number of falls dropped by 23 per cent.

Under the scheme a handyman was given access to people's homes to secure carpets, move furniture or install handrails. Patients suffering from fainting, poor eyesight or brittle bones were referred to a consultant.

The service also used computer programmes to identify "fall hot-spots" such as uneven pavements or paths that were not gritted in winter, and then asked local councils to take action."

Sounds a good idea.