Reasons to be cheerful

[Padraig]

. Running / jogging is great, but walking is the vital thing.

Condolences to all who have recently come to physical grief. Your experiences have revived personal memories. Since January 24 I have fallen once, causing me to leave off swimming, walking, driving and generally living normally. But no matter. The main thing is recovery, and with good physio, exercises and enforced discipline I have regained a good percentage of my former activity - apart from a bout of 'flu' over Christmas which set me back. But the reason to be cheerful is that today I increased my swimming lengths by 2. In my 'prime' I was happy with 20 lengths (1000 metres). I got to 10 gradually and today I broke the 10 barrier. I also walked into town yesterday, and back (please note ts) for the Sunday paper.
Since people seem to be confessing, I'll be 89 on my next birthday in April.

[Quarky]

I'm 79 too. I had my heart attack 12 years ago, a stent implanted within a fortnight at King's College, and haven't dared running, jogging or anything faster than a fast walk ever since. During lockdown, booking arrangements at our local surgery were restricted to online. This restriction has never been retracted by revised notice, but within a few months people were able to enter the premises by ringing the bell outside the front entrance and waiting for a voice to say press the button to open the sliding door. Thinking that surely this must only be provided for patients with ready appointments, I did one day decide to chance it over a prescription mix-up. The door happened to have been left open; in I strolled and went up to the counter, where the charming receptionist proceeded to deal with my problem. I then tentatively asked if it would be OK to make an appointment to see one of the doctors, to which the reply was "no problem", and I went ahead. Having secured the visit (for within a week!) I ventured to say "I thought appointments could now only be made on line or by phoning first thing". "How did you make this appointment?" she then asked. "I came here" I said. "So, there's your answer" she said with a broad smile!

Yes, walking is the vital thing, as all have noted. Certainly I have severely underestimated its value, tending to drive everywhere.

Sorry to hear about your heart attack S_A; I don't think you had previously made that known, but I think some years back your posts hinted at some unhappiness.

Padraig seems to have experienced something very serious - glad to hear he is making good progress in recovery.

Our surgery has just begun to require an online form to be completed for an appointment. That may be permissive for those that don't care for online stuff, but it suits me and I find I get excellent service - just an outline of the problem and appending a photo of the portion of my anatomy in issue. In all the doom and gloom about the NHS, I can report areas of excellence exist.

[Pulcinella]

Vowel movement: Abrdn renames itself Aberdeen to remove ‘distractions’

I bet that the marketing/sales/PR idiots that thought that this was a good idea in the first place are still laughing all the way to the bank.

[french frank]

Vowel movement: Abrdn renames itself Aberdeen to remove ‘distractions’

Not quiiiiite: "The firm said it will now be called aberdeen group, with no capital letter at the start." Another distraction

[Serial_Apologist]

Vowel movement: Abrdn renames itself Aberdeen to remove ‘distractions’

I bet that the marketing/sales/PR idiots that thought that this was a good idea in the first place are still laughing all the way to the bank.

"Aber, aber" some Germans might say!

[Serial_Apologist]

Camden council's being granted an excellence grading for its adult social services may seem small and parochial, but in the times we're in I think is deserving a mention.

This has as yet to get links mention on Google! sites, but from those that are there for other services (Design team, customer services) this Labour-run LA, often in the past described in populist press terms as "champaign socialist", clearly has positive form already.

[vinteuil]

Camden council's being granted an excellence grading for its adult social services may seem small and parochial, but in the times we're in I think is deserving a mention.
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... may I also then mention that Hammersmith provides adult social care for free -

https://www.lbhf.gov.uk/living-indep...20your%20needs.


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[LMcD]

"Aber, aber" some Germans might say!

'AberAvon calling' (but only in Wales).

[teamsaint]

... may I also then mention that Hammersmith provides adult social care for free -

https://www.lbhf.gov.uk/living-indep...20your%20needs.


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I wonder if the criteria for qualifying are uniform throughout the country ?

My mother is contributing about £120 a week out of a pretty modest income to her care support.

[vinteuil]

I wonder if the criteria for qualifying are uniform throughout the country ?

... I don't think they are : I think Hammersmith is exceptional in offering free adult care like this

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[teamsaint]

... I don't think they are : I think Hammersmith is exceptional in offering free adult care like this

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So I assume that the criteria for receiving adult social care are the same in Hammersmith as elsewhere but they just don’t require the client financial contribution.
In Wilts, once you have been deemed to have sufficient needs to receive ASC, a financial assessment is done, and a personal contribution to costs is determined.
Very broadly, after allowing for some additional costs, they leave you £800 a month to live on.

[oddoneout]

So I assume that the criteria for receiving adult social care are the same in Hammersmith as elsewhere but they just don’t require the client financial contribution.
In Wilts, once you have been deemed to have sufficient needs to receive ASC, a financial assessment is done, and a personal contribution to costs is determined.
Very broadly, after allowing for some additional costs, they leave you £800 a month to live on.

The county council here has lopped £60pm off the minimum income guarantee from January, so just over £732 to live on.

[teamsaint]

The county council here has lopped £60pm off the minimum income guarantee from January, so just over £732 to live on.

Nice of them.
edit : I’m guessing that they haven’t reduced the Social Care part of your council tax accordingly ?

[oddoneout]

Nice of them.
edit : I’m guessing that they haven’t reduced the Social Care part of your council tax accordingly ?

Well the overall county council tax is going up by 5%, the district council portion by 4% so I think you guess correctly. The county council adult social care precept went up by 2% last year so I assume at least the same this year.
Not a reason to be cheerful, but I am grateful that I get the single occupancy discount and that I can afford the council tax, although it's still a large sum out of my account each month - more than my energy bill.

[teamsaint]

Well the overall county council tax is going up by 5%, the district council portion by 4% so I think you guess correctly. The county council adult social care precept went up by 2% last year so I assume at least the same this year.
Not a reason to be cheerful, but I am grateful that I get the single occupancy discount and that I can afford the council tax, although it's still a large sum out of my account each month - more than my energy bill.

Not a reason to be cheerful, more grateful for small mercies, but as my mum’s dementia has worsened and been properly diagnosed over the last couple of years, the processes for applying for and getting attendance allowance,and a full council tax exemption , on grounds of her dementia, have been somewhat easier than I might have expected.
We had excellent help from Age UK to apply for and get attendance allowance , which is both very helpful financially, and acts as a gateway to full council tax exemption. The council were very helpful with the tax exemption. That diagnosis does seem to trigger generally supportive attitude from the council and others Which is, of course as it should be.