!
E E R
F
NORTH (MARINA ALTA/LA SAFOR EDITION) Friday September 4 - Thursday September 10 2015
Issue 829
Care revolution CARE IN the community has become a new “responsibility” for a dedicated team of charity volunteers as it reaches out to help the elderly and vulnerable. by Jack Troughton JALON VALLEY HELP has undergone a massive change as it evolves from raising money for good causes to following “a community based model”. The charity already runs a busy community centre; Casa de Animo in Alcalali, and last year – along with partners the MABS Cancer Support Group – opened the Santolina Suite at the Ferris Hospital in Fontilles. And HELP is now involved in another project at Fontilles, the creation of up to 17 ‘assisted living’ apartments where people can live independently but with a level of care they need. Jalon Valley HELP covers the Vall del Pop – from Castell de Castells down to Benissa Costa – the Orba Valley and the Valle de Laguart. Charity President Elaine Horton said she had looked back at her time with HELP and “during that time it has changed significantly”. She said: “Originally it started with a group of people wanting to do some good and money was raised and given away to a number of good causes. “In the last five or six years, whilst we still do that, we have actually started to acknowledge responsibility for vulnerable people of all ages. It is not disease specific, we look after cancer patients, people with dementia,
people recovering from operations, and not forgetting children as well.” FUTURE She said simply making donations was not enough. “You have to face facts, it is an aging community and people do not frequently plan for the future. You are faced with people who are elderly with a single elderly carer who cannot cope, or people on their own.” Elaine said everyone assumed cancer was the biggest killer. In fact, figures show, it was heart disease for men and dementia for women. Speaking at Casa de Animo with the community centre’s manager Alison McInnes, Elaine added: “You try and support people in their own homes but both I and Alison say it is impossible when the situation reaches crisis point.” She said at that point something else was needed – especially for people without any money. The beds of the Santalina Suite had been used by six cancer patients and 36 people needing respite care, suffering from dementia and for those needing care after major surgery – frequently requiring additional rooms at Ferris Hospital.
Continued on page 3.
Dumoulin wins ahead of (obscured) Chris Froome
Exciting finish at Benitachell DUTCHMAN TOM Dumoulin overtook Team Sky’s Chris Froome ten metres from the line to win Stage Nine of the Vuelta de Espana on Sunday evening. The 168km from Torrevieja took the riders twice over Benitachell’s Cumbre del Sol and finished at the summit of the mountain Alto de Puig Llorenca.