What the papers said in the week ending 12 February 2022
Science is providing findings of interest and hope:
We learn that good sleep patterns allow clearance of amyloid from the brain – reducing the likelihood of Alzheimer’s disease: Study finds link between Alzheimer’s and circadian clock | Alzheimer’s | The Guardian
- Circadian control of heparan sulfate levels times phagocytosis of amyloid beta aggregates (plos.org)
Electrical stimulation can help the return of walking: Paralysed man walks again thanks to electrodes in his spine | Science | The Guardian
There is promise in the effectiveness of alternative ways of producing heat: Nuclear fusion heat record a ‘huge step’ in quest for new energy source | Nuclear power | The Guardian
But there are harsh realities in the moment:
Waiting times for treatment are at record levels: NHS England waiting times for cancer referral and treatment at record high | NHS | The Guardian
- While referrals of children to mental health services have fallen during the pandemic, there are wide variations in provision between different parts of the country: Access to NHS mental health for children remains a ‘postcode lottery’ | Children | The Guardian
- The pressure of work on NHS staff is producing high levels of burnout – bad for the individuals and bad for the services: More than half of NHS paramedics suffering from burnout, study finds | NHS | The Guardian
- Some ‘care hotels’ which have been introduced in an attempt to free hospital beds for more acutely ill patients, are found to be dangerously inadequate NHS ‘care hotels’ spark concerns after report of clinical waste in bath | Social care | The Guardian
Adults are unable to afford food: 1m UK adults ‘go entire day without food’ in cost of living crisis | Food poverty | The Guardian
More are finding they cannot afford to heat their homes: Cold comfort for poor people is nothing new | Letters | The Guardian
Misinformation in the guise of ‘Common Law’ needs to be identified and contested: What is common law and why is it being misinterpreted? | Law | The Guardian
Covid-19
While there is cautious optimism as the number of new cases, hospital admissions and deaths are falling, there are calls for prudence in next moves: Boris Johnson plans to end England’s Covid rules a month early | Coronavirus | The Guardian
- ‘Why so fast?’: world experts react to England ending Covid curbs | Coronavirus | The Guardian
- Social distancing and the use of facemasks still have their place: Feeling Covid-safe in trains and churches | Letters | The Guardian
There are claims that profits made by companies during the pandemic have been excessive and not in the interest of the world’s health: Pfizer accused of pandemic profiteering as profits double | Pfizer | The Guardian
Other matters:
The Royal Family is revising its arrangements and responsibilities in this Jubilee year: Prince Charles pays tribute to ‘darling wife’ and future queen Camilla | Monarchy | The Guardian
Chagos Islanders have been able to visit their homelands after 50 years of enforced distancing: Exiled Chagos Islanders bask in return ‘as pilgrims to abandoned place’ | Chagos Islands | The Guardian
Roman Catholic schools in the North are fighting directives that they must become ‘Academies’ Catholic church in legal battle over bid to force schools to become academies | Academies | The Guardian
The stigma of abuse lingers for lack of an apology: Sexual abuse victims lament lack of full apology from former pope Benedict | Catholicism | The Guardian
The continuing evidence of inappropriate behaviour by serving officers of the Metropolitan Police has led to the resignation of the Commissioner: Dame Cressida Dick forced out of scandal-hit Met police | Cressida Dick | The Guardian
We have lost:
Bamber Gascoigne ‘His learning was worn lightly and smilingly’: Mark Lawson pays tribute to Bamber Gascoigne | University Challenge | The Guardian
Lata Mangeshkar Lata Mangeshkar obituary | Bollywood | The Guardian
The need for a sense of community is being expressed with increasing frequency and feeling:
- Politicians may have forgotten about ‘community’, but British people haven’t | Julian Coman | The Guardian
- A sense of community is more vital than ever | Letters | The Guardian
- We cannot take democracy for granted – this government’s failings imperil us all | John Major | The Guardian
This is something people of all ages in the churches and other faith communities can help with.
A recent study says that being a grandparent does not make you feel younger. This maybe correct, though there are other papers which have suggested that grandparents do feel younger than age-matched controls. Either way being a grandparent is an important role which brings great satisfaction to the grandparent and many benefits to grandchildren Looking after grandchildren won’t make you feel younger, study suggests | Grandparents and grandparenting | The Guardian
Compilation prepared by David Jolley, Chair of Christians on Ageing, in a personal capacity
