Counsel and Care
Counsel and Care, is a registered UK charity working with older people, their families and carers to get the best care and support. The charity provides information and advice AbOUT community care issues and campaigns on issues facing older people.
Background
Counsel and Care has provided comfort and support for over a quarter of a million older people and their carers in its half century of existence.
In 1954, the founders of Counsel and Care, Bob Graham and Joceline Owen, were prompted to take action as a result of what they experienced as King’s Fund researchers when they witnessed the loneliness and poverty suffered by many older people. They identified a central problem – that older people in need of medical and nursing care could not be admitted to hospitals because the beds were occupied by other older people – patients who were no longer in need of that care, but who could not be discharged because there was nowhere else for them to go. Bob and Joceline collected two hundred pounds from amongst their friends, and funded the move of two hospitalised patients into privately run nursing home.
They set up the Elderly Invalids Fund when they had sustained success in collecting charitable funding from other sources to support the move of people out of hospital into care homes.
Improvements in social care legislation meant that care for the poorest older people became the full responsibility of the state and local authorities, and so it became evident that the role of the fund should broaden from financial support for the few, to advice to many thousands of older people and their families.
The Elderly Invalids Fund became Counsel and Care for the Elderly in 1974. As of September 2010 the advice service offers information and support to around 250,000 enquirers a year, and funds from the National Lottery mean that all callers can phone for advice for the cost of a local call.
Mission
The charity's entry in the UK register of charities
Counsel and Care's independent, dedicated and sympathetic two tier advice Service offers information and support to around 250,000 older people, their families and carers a year. They advise on a range of community care issues, including finding and paying for care, welfare benefits, and hospital discharge. They also produce a range of guides and factsheets that are available on their website or can be ordered over the telephone. Counsel and Care's partners with other organisations including local authorities, healthcare providers, housing associations and employers to help them meet the care and support needs of residents, patients, tenants and employees.
Counsel and Care also help befriending schemes to connect with each other. Their goal is to reduce loneliness and isolation by raising the profile of befriending for older people and filling the gaps in provision across England and Wales. VitalLinks is a national network of befriending schemes for older people.
Campaigning
The Policy and Communications Team at Counsel and Care works to influence government, the media and other stakeholders to get the best care and support for older people. Older people's concerns and experiences reported to their advice service help inform their campaigning work. In 1998, Counsel and Care called for a national regulator as elderly people living in care homes are threatened by constant management changes. The charity was one of the first to support a "death tax" as a method to fund the care of the elderly.
Counsel and Care are working with Age UK Oxfordshire, Independent Age and WRVS on a new Campaign to End Loneliness and create connections in older age. The campaign has been initially been funded by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. The campaign will work with many other organisations to provide solutions to this pressing problem at a time when our population is ageing and funding cuts will impact on the lives of older people
Awards
Media awards
Counsel and Care host an annual competition with the aim of highlighting good examples of media coverage of older people and ageing from the radio, print media, television and the internet. The 2010 awards included: Best Portrayal of Care and Support for Older People,Best portrayal of older carer(s), Best Provision of Advice for Older People,Best portrayal of older people's positive contribution, Best Portrayal of Dementia Care and Overall Winner.
Regional awards
Counsel and Care are the charity partner for the Carer's Award category for the 2010 regional awards. The Carer’s Award is a new category for the Great British Care Awards, and will be given to an unpaid carer who in the opinion of the judges can demonstrate commitment and perseverance in the care they give.