Ask Angela

Able Community Care has been in the same family for nearly four decades and now provides livein care services throughout the UK.

Since 1980 we have provided care and have met with thousands of families who are seeking an alternative to moving into a residential care home.

Meeting people inevitably leads, either at the time of an assessment or even years later, to questions for which people are looking for answers.

Information around all aspects of care is available but the road to fi nding out, especially at a time of crisis, about specifi c factors can be diffi cult and stressful. Able Community Care receives calls and emails on a regular basis with people asking if we can help with their search for information.

Recently these questions have been asked of us...

Question: I have recently become disabled and I am in the process of adapting to my new situation. If I have any problems trying to remain as independent as I would like to, is there any legislation which I can quote if I have problems, for example, with my bank? Answer: The Equality Act 2010 legally protects people from discrimination in the workplace and in our wider society. With reference to banks, they have policies in place which must align with the Act and as with other organisations, businesses, etc. have a chat with them, explain your circumstances and ask what is in place to assist you. Question: Are there any fi shing lakes in Norfolk with facilities for disabled anglers? Answer: If you Google Spinfi sh fi shing access disabled anglers Norfolk a list of fi shing lakes with disabled facilities will be displayed. Angela Gifford, Ask Angela Managing Director of Able Community Care answers your questions...

Question: I have a care package in place for my elderly father but the times agreed with my care provider are often not kept to or at times, the carers do not arrive. Do I have any re-dress? Answer: The adult social care sector in England still needs to fi ll around 112,000 job vacancies on any given day according to a report published by Skills for Care in October 2020. The pandemic has probably also meant an increase in this number. If you are purchasing a service and the service you receive is not what you have been told to expect, talk to your provider. If the problems cannot be resolved, the answer is to change your care provider if you are able to do so. To fi nd another provider, Yell.com will bring up the care providers in your area for you to approach. Question: I am disabled and have been told about an information section on trains called Knowledgebase which might be able to help me when I travel. How does this work and what information does it offer? Answer: The National Rail Enquiries (NRE) has a section titled Knowledgebase, which is described as:

“A database of static information about the facilities at each of the 2,500+ stations on the network, including specifi c information about available facilities for those with accessibility needs. Whilst this data is held centrally in the NRE Knowledgebase, it is kept up-to-date by each of the TOCs [Train Operation Companies] responsible for operating and maintaining the stations.”

The NRE Knowledgebase contains around 15 possible accessibility identifi ers for each station. They show whether a station provides: hearing induction loops, accessible ticket machines and ticket offi ces (for example, height-adjustable ticket offi ce counters), ramps to access trains, ‘National Key’ disabled toilets (accessed with a key), step-free access and impaired mobility set-down and pick-up points. The latter includes clearly marked car passenger drop-off zones where blue badge holders can wait for assistance to and from a car park or taxi rank. Question: Is it possible to rent a stair lift if you only need it for a relatively short time? Answer: Yes, this is often a good solution for a person, perhaps after discharge from hospital, who could benefi t from using one, but not on a long-term basis.

Several well-known companies rent out stairlifts and Google will give you contact details.

ABLE COMMUNITY CARE LTD T: 01603 764567 E: info@ablecommunitycare.com www.ablecommunitycare.com