How can self funders find good care services?

This month SCIE published People who pay for care: quantitative and qualitative analysis of self-funders in the social care market. This report found that people who have to fund their own care often lack good quality information to enable them to make an informed choice, particularily when their need arise due to a rapid change in circumstances. People who self fund will often not have access to an independent assessment of their needs and the only advice they receive from their local council can be a list of care homes in the area.
More comment on this is available from Melanie Henwood, author of one of the studies in the above report, in the Guardian 18 January.

Human rights in adult care

THe Scottish Human Rights Commision has produced an interactive training resource for people working in elder care. This package can be accessed via this link to the library subscribed CareKnowledge .

New technology in adult care

Community Care (Jordanhill Serials 362), 4th March 2010, carries two articles on new technology in adult care:
Pitt, V. (2010). Tagging and the freedom of movement -  on the use of GPS technology to track the movements of people with dementia.
Valios, N. (2010). Going techno in the house - on the benefits of telecare devices, as used in North Yorkshire services.

Care Quality Commission findings on Adult Care (England)

The regulator for social care and mental health in England today released their first annual report on the quality of adult care in England. The Commission has found improvement overall, but eight local authorities have been told urgent improvement is needed. At least one local authority executive has disputed the findings. The report covers the provision of home care, in addition to residential care. See also BBC news online.