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Health

Older people missing out on benefits

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AGE CYMRU helped older people in Wales claim more than £6.5m in benefits last year; additional income that could have a massive impact on the quality of life for those individuals who came forward seeking help.

However, this is just the tip of the iceberg as it’s estimated that more than £3.5 billion of state benefits available to older people in the UK goes unclaimed each year. In Wales this would equate to approximately £175 million of unclaimed benefits; a significant amount of money that could help bring about positive changes to thousands of older people in Wales.

Additionally, a recent study by the National Assembly for Wales found that more than 120,000 older people in Wales are living in poverty.

To help combat such levels of poverty amongst older people, Age Cymru has updated More Money In Your Pocket for 2019/2020; a bi-lingual guide to help older people and their carers claim benefit entitlements in later life.

The guide covers a wide range of benefits and entitlements, including state pensions, Pension Credit, help with Council Tax, help with heating costs, Attendance Allowance and Carers’ Allowance.

Take the case of Jack, who contacted one of Age Cymru’s partners for help in 2018.

Jack is 82 and lives with his wife Gwen who is 73. Jack has suffered six heart attacks and has several other debilitating diseases. As a result he has limited mobility and little stamina so rarely leaves his home.

An Age Cymru adviser undertook a thorough exploration of Jack and Gwen’s circumstances and identified that they were not claiming all their benefit entitlements.

In summary, Jack was awarded the highest rate of the Disability Living Allowance care component at £85.60 per week; Pension Credit for the couple was awarded at £119.00 a week and their Council Tax payments were reduced from £155 to £25 a month. They also received a number of backdated amounts, totalling £5,587.46.

As a result, their life has changed for the better. They can now afford to pay for food and heating and can also pay for transport if they need to go somewhere and therefore no longer feel trapped in their home.

Gavin Thomas, who manages the charity’s information and advice services across Wales says: “Poverty can have a devastating effect on an older person’s quality of life forcing many to choose between eating and heating. It can also keep an older person trapped in their homes leading to loneliness and isolation and, in many cases, poor mental and physical health.”

“Some people miss out on benefits because they mistakenly believe they don’t qualify or are put off by the claims process.

“However, older people might be surprised to learn what help is available to them. I would urge any older person in Wales to claim all their benefit entitlements and to use our guide as a useful tool to start the process.”

More Money In Your Pocket is available free of charge from Age Cymru and local partners throughout Wales. You may call the Advice Line free on 08000 223 444 or email [email protected] to order a copy. You may also download the free guide from our website: www.agecymru.org.uk/moneyguides

The charity’s expert advisers can also carry out a full benefits check to find out what you might be entitled to claim. Age Cymru also offers a range of information guides and factsheets on many other topics.

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Health

Hay fever warning – Tree pollen on the rise across Wales

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POLLEN experts are warning that the next few days could be significant for those who suffer from hay-fever.

“The first medium pollen counts of the season are forecast across Wales over the next 5 days,” says airborne allergens expert Max Wiseberg, “and many hay fever sufferers start to experience symptoms when the count reaches this level. The main culprit at this time is birch pollen, the pollen most tree pollen allergy sufferers are allergic to. So now is the time for hay fever sufferers to prepare for the season ahead.”

“Birch is arguably the most problematic tree of them all for hay fever sufferers,” continues Max. “In the same family as alder and hazel trees, the birch is the worst of the bunch for the 25% of UK hay fever sufferers who are allergic to tree pollen. The peak of the birch pollen season can run throughout April to mid May.”

“So now is the time to start preparing for the season ahead. If you are already starting to experience hay fever symptoms or want to avoid them being triggered, start to apply an allergen barrier balmsuch as HayMax, which works by trapping pollen before it enters the body and starts to work straight away. If you use antihistamines, many manufacturers recommend starting a month before your season starts, so if you haven’t started already, now is the time. And it’s the same with nasal sprays; they need several days to build up to their maximum protective effect and some makers advise starting using them one month before your hay fever season begins.”

“If your symptoms are particularly bad on a given day, or you find that nothing really works, or the remedy you use stops working, try combining products for a greater effect, in other words create your own ‘Hay Fever First Aid Kit’, a combination of products which can be complementary to one another. My recommendation would be an allergen barrier balm to trap the pollen, one (and only one) antihistamine to combat the overproduction of histamines, one (and only one) steroid nasal spray, as the nasal area is where the pollen enters and is most affected, plus one or more drug-free or natural products.”

“There are several practical things you can do to reduce the effects of pollen:

  • When you’re outdoors wear wraparound sunglasses to stop pollen getting in your eyes. Apply an allergen barrier balm to help prevent pollen getting up your nose. And wear a cap or other head cover and tie up long hair to stop pollen getting trapped in your hair,
  • When you return home, take off your shoes at the front or back door so you don’t bring pollen indoors with you, Washing your face, changing your clothes and having a shower will all help by removing pollen from your hair and body.
  • Keep pollen out of your home. Keep doors and windows closed. Dust and vacuum regularly, including fabrics and upholstery, to remove pollen. Damp dusting will help stop pollen being dispersed back into the air. If you have a pet, keep it well groomed and washed regularly, to remove pollen from its fur and keep it out of the room in which you sleep.”

“There is currently no cure for hay fever – they’ve been working on it for years – but until there is there are many products – both natural and conventional – and lifestyle changes you can try. Check out my website www. https://haymax.biz/hay-fever/ for more ideas. Good luck!”

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Health

RCN’s three urgent steps to rescue Welsh NHS sent to First Minister

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HELEN WHYLEY, Director of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Wales, has written to the First Minister calling for immediate action in three key areas to protect patients and secure the future of nursing in Wales.

The RCN first urges Vaughan Gething to deliver on promises in the Welsh government’s 2023/24 pay offer – prioritising patient safety by ensuring there are enough nursing staff to deliver safe and effective care. Second, the organisation warns him to responsibly introduce registered nursing associates to Wales. The letter ends by asking him to strategically invest in the education of nurses at all career stages, to meet future health care demands.

Promises in the 2023/24 pay offer included action on patients being cared for in inappropriate places (so-called “corridor care”), better access to flexible working, a 36-hour week, and more.

Helen Whyley said: “Now is the time for the First Minister to refresh his public commitment to safe and effective care. That would go a long way towards assuring nursing staff that his government will address the extreme pressures they are under.

“What’s critical is that the First Minister keeps nurses nursing in the NHS. That’s why he must make sure the Welsh government keeps every promise it made to our members last year to end industrial action. Those important promises could make a real difference to nurses and to their patients. That’s why our members accepted them in good faith – but half a year later, they have yet to feel a difference.

“New nursing roles are fantastic, but patients need to understand what that means for them – and, crucially, they need to be funded properly. Any risk to patient safety from registered nurses being inappropriately replaced is completely unacceptable. And this can’t become a distraction from getting the basics right, either. A national strategy for commissioning nursing education, all the way from student to advanced and consultant level, would be a fitting ambition for a new First Minister with a commitment to improving health.”

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Health

Brain Injury Group Donates £3,000 to local services

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THE SOUTH WEST WALES BRAIN INJURY GROUP (SWWBIG) has announced donations to two local health boards, giving £1,000 each to Neath Port Talbot Neuro Rehabilitation Unit and the Community Brain Injury Services at Swansea Bay and Hywel Dda University Health Boards.

This funding boost for the health boards comes from the profits earned at the SWWBIG conferences in 2022 and 2023, which were organised and sponsored by JCP Solicitors and co-sponsored by Fieldbay (part of the ivolve Care & Support group).  

The conferences, which have taken place annually since 2011, provide an opportunity for individuals and families affected by brain injury, as well as healthcare professionals, charities, students and researchers across South West Wales to come together and explore the critical stages of survival and recovery. 

The 2022 and 2023 conferences each welcomed around 200 attendees and raised £3,000 in excess funds. The committee, made up of healthcare workers and practitioners in the field of brain injury, voted to donate to the brain injury services in their local health boards, ensuring that the funds can be used to assist the brain injury community in South West Wales in the best way possible. 

Suzanna Charles, Chair of SWWBIG said: “The South West Wales Brain Injury Conferences are always a huge success, as we are able to facilitate important conversations for professionals working in the field and offer support.

“What is more, the conferences raise vital funds which will go towards providing ongoing rehabilitation for those affected by brain injury. We are proud to provide this additional funding which will have a direct, positive impact on brain injury survivors in our local area. 

“The journey through rehabilitation is different for everyone, and it is so important to have a supportive network of healthcare professionals and experts to guide patients while listening to their individual needs.”

The main objective of the South West Wales Brain Injury Group is to provide a forum for individuals with an interest in acquired brain injury, to educate and encourage development and dissemination of good practice. For more information on SWWBIG or to register your interest to attend the conference in 2024, please visit www.swwbig.co.uk.   

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