Sense Responds To NICE Guidance On Providing The Best Care Possible To Older People

Sense responds to NICE guidance on providing the best care possible to older people.

National deafblind charity Sense has today (23 September) responded to guidance published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) on supporting home care services across England in providing the best care possible to older people.

The guidance has been developed following consultation with people who use home care services and a variety of health professionals and social care practitioners, including Sense, as a result, the guidance includes several recommendations relating to sensory loss.

Sue Brown, Head of Public Policy at Sense said:

“We welcome the guidance and we are pleased the issue of visits shorter than 30 minutes has been raised. The people we support with sensory loss may need workers to spend more time with them to ensure they have the support they need.

“We are also pleased that the guidance includes recommendations that home care staff have an awareness of common conditions, such as sensory loss, which affect people using home care services.

“Ageing is the single most common cause of dual sensory loss; around 80 per cent of deafblind people are aged over 60 and this can create unique challenges for care staff. Without the right support it can be difficult for older people to communicate, or take part in activities and conversations; they can quickly become isolated, leading to boredom, stress, depression and withdrawal.

“Successful home care provides essential support and helps older people maintain an active, independent and healthy life for as long as possible. The guidance is a positive step for delivery of good care. However, unless the Government releases enough funds for local authorities they will struggle to meet the recommendations in this guidance.”