A chance to blog

Having worked specifically in the area of Elderly Care for over six years and as a Health Care Assistant in both hospital and care home previously, I have observed many types of practice, both good and poor over the years. Following the news this morning about the appalling treatment meted out to care home residents in Essex by SOME members of staff there,  I was prompted to vent on this Blog about it and my feelings surrounding looking after elderly people, many of whom have Alzheimers or Dementia. There are many sides to this story and I want to look at it from a few of them. Firstly, health care assistants and carers are underpaid and undervalued. They have one of the most stressful jobs in the industry and receive the least amount of pay and recognition. When at work, they are frequently needed to be in five places at one time and have eyes in the back of their head. They have a limited amount of time to spend with patients who need time and patience to look after. Staffi

Review of “The Other Side of Morning” by Jo Lambert This story has everything from love and sex, to deception and violence, with a variety of  emotive scenarios in between. Set in opulent surroundings with luxury lifestyles, the reader is transported between the Pacific, England, and the European continent, at a pace guaranteed to cause whiplash! At first it was difficult to keep on top of the many characters whose lives are intriguingly braided together by family, friendship and, in most cases - loyalty.  After a few chapters it becomes easier to form a picture of the many colourful individuals as one gets to know them better, and remember who everyone is. This novel tells the tale of two strong willed personalities, Marco and Charlotte, who are so obviously meant for each other but  many obstacles stand in their way - primarily, Marco's step-mother, who has a hidden agenda centred around greed, with dire consequences!  The lengths that Therese is willing to go to jeo