Page 11 - link magazine

swindonlink.com • April 2012 11
Lessons from Mother Teresa in
looking after the elderly

A Westlea woman, who once worked in Calcutta with Mother Teresa,
has contributed to the NHS Confederation and Local Government As-
sociation’s ‘Commission on improving dignity in care’ which published
its findings at the end of February.
Catherine Wescott, right, was
invited to give her views as a service
user representative, following her
mother’s experience in a care home,
and her own experience of working
as a volunteer in the care sector.
The Commission’s landmark
report on the current status of care
provision for the elderly and vulner-
able, and what needs to happen to
improve it received comprehensive
media coverage nationally.
Catherine’s recommendations
were to introduce independent
advocates for care home residents,
and to install CCTV to safeguard
staff and vulnerable adults alike. what happens, which is why I’m
Speaking about her experience pushing for CCTV.
Catherine said: “My mother was “I’ve vowed now to go on doing
in a care home for the final five what I can to make life better for
years of her life, during which people in care homes. I’m sure that
time I regularly stayed with her if families knew what it’s like at the
overnight, or came in first thing in moment to live in a care home 24
the morning to make sure she was hours a day they wouldn’t put their
ready for the day. elderly relative in one.”
“As I spent so much time there Catherine’s view will resonate
I realised how pretty awful it can with many of the post-war baby
be, and how so many of our older boom generation whose parents
relatives are stuck in rooms with have died or are in the latter stages
nothing to do. They are literally of their lives.
dying of boredom. I set up an ac- In her younger years Catherine,
tivity programme for the residents now a secretary at the Bible Society,
and continue to volunteer even spent time working with Mother
though my mother passed away Teresa’s nuns in London, running
18 months ago.” soup kitchens and caring for the
“Unfortunately, due to poor staff- poorest of the capital’s poor. Before Ask Peter BAsk Peter BAsk Peter B
ing and the low profile of care work too long she decided to go to India
in this country, the quality of care to find Mother Teresa herself, and
can be pretty dire in some places. spent a year and a half working on Small Business advice from Peter Bromiley ACA
But no-one’s watching over the sec- the streets of Calcutta, and teaching Technical Director at AMS Accountancy Ltd.
tor and it means that poorly people English to the nuns who worked in
are being left in their beds with their Mother Teresa’s homes for the sick
mouths white with dehydration. and the dying, and in orphanages. Q: How do I know if I should register for VAT?
“In some cases, as soon as you “Mother Teresa told me that
complain about the way your loneliness is the poverty of the A: There are generally two reasons to register for VAT:
relative is being treated, there are modern world, and having seen
repercussions, including being what happens in some of the care Compulsory registration - if during 12 months, your sales
ejected from the property or your homes in this country I would rather exceed £73,000.
relative being ill-treated. At the die in a Calcutta slum than in a UK Voluntary registration - you will benefit from reclaiming
moment there is no way of proving care home.”
VAT paid on business supplies and expenses.

No charge for jubilee celebrations However, if you’re VAT registered, you must charge VAT to your
Swindon Council is stripping away much of the red tape and the cost customers! This is alright if you are working for VAT registered
of organising a street party to celebrate the Queen’s diamond jubilee. clients but it can be a problem in some situations, see below:
But get organised, applications for road closures have to be made by Example: A builder (turnover below £73,000 so doesn't have to
7 May so that officers and emergency services can consider them. register for VAT) replaces a roof on a house:
A council spokesman said: “The jubilee will be a great occasion for the
nation and we want to make it as easy as possible for people to organ- If he is VAT registered; he can claim back VAT on supplies for the
ise street parties so our communities can hold their own celebrations. job. AND he must then charge VAT to his customers and they can’t
“However, we are asking that people apply for street closures in claim it back. If he is not VAT registered; he can’t reclaim VAT on
plenty of time and we have set a cut-off date of 7 May for applications.” his supplies but his charges will be more competitive without VAT.
For guidance on what’s involved in organising a street party including
a downloadable street closure form, see www.swindon.gov.uk/streetpar- Looking for a good accountant? You should speak to us.
ties For street party ideas, see: www.streetparty.org.uk
What are you planning? AMS Accountancy Ltd
Delta 606, Welton Road, Swindon SN5 7XF
Let The Link know so you can have your picture posted at www.swin- T: 01793 818400 W: www.ams-accountancy.co.uk
donlink.com and in the July edition.

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