Welcome to this week's Independent Living newsletter. If you prefer, you can read it online, by clicking this link
Contents:
1. Advice on Disability Discrimination
2. Guest Blog: Find Me Good Care
3. Etac UK - Special Function Powerchairs
4. Spinal Injuries Association Survey
5. Dementia Challenge - £150,000 Innovation Prize
6. Nutrition Blogspot, BMI update, and more
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1. Advice on Disability Discrimination
From time to time, we get asked about disability discrimination, and how current equality legislation affects various aspects of life. A particularly interesting enquiry this week came from a newsletter reader who was having problems with planning consent for building an accessible property. I hope to be able to update you on this in a future newsletter, but meanwhile my researches uncovered the fact that there is a new Equality Advisory Support Service, which replaces the EHRC helpline.
EASS is there for individuals from anywhere in Great Britain who need more expert advice and support on discrimination than is available from local organisations. As well as explaining what rights and remedies you have under discrimination legislation, the service can help guide you on informal resolution or mediation to solve a problem; or help you find an accessible legal service, establish whether you are eligible for legal aid, or if not, prepare and lodge a claim on your own account. The EASS can't provide representation in court, or give advice on proceedings once claim has been issued. The service isn't available for the use of solicitors or other professional advisers.
These are the contact numbers: phone 0800 444 205 or textphone 0800 444 206. Their website can be found here
You can read more about Equality Legislation in our accessibility area, which you will find here
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2. Guest Blog: Find Me Good Care
There has been a lot of news recently about care funding, particularly for people unfortunate enough to need a lot of support for a long time. It's a subject most of us tend not to think about on a personal level, perhaps in the ostrich-like belief that if we don't, it won't happen to us.
Well, it might. And working on the principle that it is better to be informed and prepared, we have an interesting guest blog written by Andrea Sutcliffe, the Chief Executive of SCIE, the Social Care Institute for Excellence, about finding and paying for good care.
Her article includes tips on different ways of covering care costs, and you can read it here
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3. Etac UK - Special Function Powerchairs
I am pleased to be able to tell you about a new page on Independent Living, showcasing the sophisticated range of power chairs available from Etac UK. Etac has been a world-leading Scandinavian healthcare specialist for over three decades, and the UK division provides assistive aids that go well beyond basic mobility. Their range includes chairs designed for both adults and children, and there are models which allow you to move from lying or sitting to standing, at the touch of a button. On smooth ground, you can travel standing up, as well.
Etac UK is also developing a range of accessories to go with their power chairs, starting a nifty new bag which can be carried on the back, armrest or footrest of the chair, or transported independently, using its shoulder strap. You can see more here
And this is a link to our powered mobility section
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
4. Spinal Injuries Association Survey
A final reminder that the Spinal Injuries Association is looking for your input in developing its Strategic Plan for the next three years. They are asking for your views on their proposed areas of work, which have been distilled into six Focus Areas:
1. Support Services for people with spinal-cord injury;
2. Education, training and technological innovation;
3 Campaigning;
4 Fundraising and Business Development;
5 Extending reach to support non-traumatic SCI people;
6 Governance
You can complete their questionnaire, either as a member, SCI non-member, family member, fundraiser, corporate supporter, healthcare professional, legal or other professional adviser, or as an interested individual. Make it anonymous if you like, but if you give contact details, you will be entered in a draw to win a Kindle Fire (this Prize Draw is not open to SIA staff, volunteers or Trustees). Here's the link, and the closing date is the end of this month, 28 February.
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5. Dementia Challenge - £150,000 Innovation Prize
Dementia is one of the greatest health challenges facing us today - some 800,000 people are currently living with dementia in the UK, with an estimated 670,000 family and friends acting as primary carers. Already, an estimated £23 billion is spent annually on health services, and this is predicted to increase by £5 billion over the next five years.
The NHS and Janssen Healthcare Innovation have launched the inaugural NHS Innovation Challenge Prize for Dementia, with the aim of encouraging new approaches to dementia care. Anyone with direct experience can contribute their ideas on what the scope of the Challenge should be, on the Challenge Prize for Dementia website. They are looking for your thoughts, in no more than 250 words, on the following question: What, in your view, is the biggest single challenge facing Dementia, and/or the provision of Dementia services, at the moment and what outcome would you like to see achieved?
The deadline for this is 20th March, and when the terms of the Challenge have been finalised, innovative ideas and solutions can be submitted for consideration for a prize of up to £150,000, provided by Janssen Healthcare Innovation.
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6. Nutrition Blogspot, BMI update, and more
I'm not sure whether I should tell you that it's National Chip Week, at the same time as mentioning Mary Farmer's latest Nutrition Blogspot, which is looking at a dieting strategy that has suddenly become popular, the 5:2 or Fast Diet! But perhaps chips are okay on a diet that allows you to eat more or less what you want for five days, in return for two days of really restricted food... Read more here
Continuing the theme, our bariatric area has just been updated with the latest information on calculating BMI... find out whether you are a winner or loser!
Don't forget you can access all the news as soon as it is uploaded in our News Centre.
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
Until next time, 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
Contents:
1. Advice on Disability Discrimination
2. Guest Blog: Find Me Good Care
3. Etac UK - Special Function Powerchairs
4. Spinal Injuries Association Survey
5. Dementia Challenge - £150,000 Innovation Prize
6. Nutrition Blogspot, BMI update, and more
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
1. Advice on Disability Discrimination
From time to time, we get asked about disability discrimination, and how current equality legislation affects various aspects of life. A particularly interesting enquiry this week came from a newsletter reader who was having problems with planning consent for building an accessible property. I hope to be able to update you on this in a future newsletter, but meanwhile my researches uncovered the fact that there is a new Equality Advisory Support Service, which replaces the EHRC helpline.
EASS is there for individuals from anywhere in Great Britain who need more expert advice and support on discrimination than is available from local organisations. As well as explaining what rights and remedies you have under discrimination legislation, the service can help guide you on informal resolution or mediation to solve a problem; or help you find an accessible legal service, establish whether you are eligible for legal aid, or if not, prepare and lodge a claim on your own account. The EASS can't provide representation in court, or give advice on proceedings once claim has been issued. The service isn't available for the use of solicitors or other professional advisers.
These are the contact numbers: phone 0800 444 205 or textphone 0800 444 206. Their website can be found here
You can read more about Equality Legislation in our accessibility area, which you will find here
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
2. Guest Blog: Find Me Good Care
There has been a lot of news recently about care funding, particularly for people unfortunate enough to need a lot of support for a long time. It's a subject most of us tend not to think about on a personal level, perhaps in the ostrich-like belief that if we don't, it won't happen to us.
Well, it might. And working on the principle that it is better to be informed and prepared, we have an interesting guest blog written by Andrea Sutcliffe, the Chief Executive of SCIE, the Social Care Institute for Excellence, about finding and paying for good care.
Her article includes tips on different ways of covering care costs, and you can read it here
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
3. Etac UK - Special Function Powerchairs
I am pleased to be able to tell you about a new page on Independent Living, showcasing the sophisticated range of power chairs available from Etac UK. Etac has been a world-leading Scandinavian healthcare specialist for over three decades, and the UK division provides assistive aids that go well beyond basic mobility. Their range includes chairs designed for both adults and children, and there are models which allow you to move from lying or sitting to standing, at the touch of a button. On smooth ground, you can travel standing up, as well.
Etac UK is also developing a range of accessories to go with their power chairs, starting a nifty new bag which can be carried on the back, armrest or footrest of the chair, or transported independently, using its shoulder strap. You can see more here
And this is a link to our powered mobility section
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
4. Spinal Injuries Association Survey
A final reminder that the Spinal Injuries Association is looking for your input in developing its Strategic Plan for the next three years. They are asking for your views on their proposed areas of work, which have been distilled into six Focus Areas:
1. Support Services for people with spinal-cord injury;
2. Education, training and technological innovation;
3 Campaigning;
4 Fundraising and Business Development;
5 Extending reach to support non-traumatic SCI people;
6 Governance
You can complete their questionnaire, either as a member, SCI non-member, family member, fundraiser, corporate supporter, healthcare professional, legal or other professional adviser, or as an interested individual. Make it anonymous if you like, but if you give contact details, you will be entered in a draw to win a Kindle Fire (this Prize Draw is not open to SIA staff, volunteers or Trustees). Here's the link, and the closing date is the end of this month, 28 February.
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
5. Dementia Challenge - £150,000 Innovation Prize
Dementia is one of the greatest health challenges facing us today - some 800,000 people are currently living with dementia in the UK, with an estimated 670,000 family and friends acting as primary carers. Already, an estimated £23 billion is spent annually on health services, and this is predicted to increase by £5 billion over the next five years.
The NHS and Janssen Healthcare Innovation have launched the inaugural NHS Innovation Challenge Prize for Dementia, with the aim of encouraging new approaches to dementia care. Anyone with direct experience can contribute their ideas on what the scope of the Challenge should be, on the Challenge Prize for Dementia website. They are looking for your thoughts, in no more than 250 words, on the following question: What, in your view, is the biggest single challenge facing Dementia, and/or the provision of Dementia services, at the moment and what outcome would you like to see achieved?
The deadline for this is 20th March, and when the terms of the Challenge have been finalised, innovative ideas and solutions can be submitted for consideration for a prize of up to £150,000, provided by Janssen Healthcare Innovation.
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
6. Nutrition Blogspot, BMI update, and more
I'm not sure whether I should tell you that it's National Chip Week, at the same time as mentioning Mary Farmer's latest Nutrition Blogspot, which is looking at a dieting strategy that has suddenly become popular, the 5:2 or Fast Diet! But perhaps chips are okay on a diet that allows you to eat more or less what you want for five days, in return for two days of really restricted food... Read more here
Continuing the theme, our bariatric area has just been updated with the latest information on calculating BMI... find out whether you are a winner or loser!
Don't forget you can access all the news as soon as it is uploaded in our News Centre.
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
Until next time, 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
