What’s it all about?
This might be my first ever blog that doesn’t contain pictures, I don’t even know if it’s going to end up being a ‘Julie rant’.
I
am really troubled over the state of Adult Social Care in this country. At the
end of November the government announced the proposed changes to the NHS and
adult social care and talked about a £86,000 cap on contributions, the rest of
the details are due to be announced shortly. I have tried to investigate what
potentially the impact will be on me, searched the government website, read
articles from the MS Society (who also are unable to unpick the proposals) and
am still unable to fathom it all out, apart from the fact that money will not
be given to the local councils for adult social care until 2022/23.
Back
in March of this year I wrote a blog all about my own social care and how
different it was from county to county now I’m finding it’s getting worse, not
the actual care but what is expected by the government and society. Every
corner we turn around here on Hayling Island I am seeing adverts for carers
whether that be for care home staff or domiciliary care. There are just not the
carers from here, Europe and now with the Omicrom strain carers from Southern Africa are
not able to enter the country.
The
problem as I see it is we are asking paid carers to look after our nearest and
dearest whilst being paid either the minimum wage or slightly higher whilst having the responsibility of medication, personal care, complex health conditions,
observing and monitoring fluid and food intake, how can this be right?
As
a receiver of care which is funded by the council I watch my carers on a daily
basis work their socks off. The care agency are unable to make the job role
more appealing because the incentives are just not there. The government are
not providing enough funds to filter down to the county council and ultimately
to the carers. Adult social care has been under funded by the government (irrespective
of the colour) for the past 10 – 20 years.
All
I can do is make sure the carers know about theBlue Light Card which is available to all key workers, costs £5 and
lasts for 5 years. Proof of employment is required. This card then entitles the
holder when they shop to a discount. SMD’s favourite is New Look, in there 20% discount applies. Altogether there are over 1500 shops that participate. Job satisfaction seems to be the only benefit they get.
When I spoke to my Social Worker I learnt that sadly there are care companies in Hampshire that are having to hand
back care packages because they no longer have capacity. This is one of the
things I get most anxious about, what will happen if my care company no longer
have capacity?
In total including my PA hours I receive of which 37.25
hours of care each week, 13.25 hours are what is known as double handed domiciliary
care, then I receive 24 hours of care from my PA, this enables hubby to work. After the agency care this leaves 130.75 hours of unpaid
care. To be fair 42 hours of which hubby and I are asleep but that still leaves
hubby being responsible for 88.75 hours, yes hubby gets carers allowance which is
£67.60 per week. I know it’s a token payment but really is that all our unpaid
carers are worth? Thankfully this is a hot topic at the moment and awareness is
being raised in the media, check out change.org and there are one or two petitions that can
be signed. Meanwhile let’s watch this space closely and wait for the next announcement
regarding adult social care.
Great thoughts as ever Julie. For me, because I get my state pension, I'm not entitled to carers' allowance although care takes up hours of my week... You will get to this stage too once David gets his state pension...And my sleep is interupted every night too...On a posiitve, it was great to have a brief chat with Dave yesterday while you were having treatment! Wishing you a great Christmas....Gill and David
ReplyDeleteHi Gill, I have to say it worries me loads about what will happen when David and I reach retirement age, especially David as he reaches retirement age in five years time. Scary times. Hope the both of you are well. If I don’t see you before have a great Christmas xx
DeleteYep same here.
ReplyDeleteI/we get nothing, actually that's not true.
We have been lent a walker and 4 grab rails.
So I have had to give up my work to assume the unpaid role of full time carer.
I'm still waiting to see if bucks will fund a ramp from my sitting room to the kitchen and a manga lifting machine to get him up from the floor each time he falls.
No time off, no weekends, no coffee with friends.
If I'm I'll I cant crawl into bed, I still have to cook help him move etc.
I had to ask a friend to come over from north london to take me to the eye clinic because I couldnt leave him for 3 hours.
And that arse of a health secretary calls this shit "the highest calling"
Yeh right.
I do however get 2 hours from a lovely volunteer from our local hospice who will sit with him while I can go to the dentist, bank or whatever.
Today she gave me 3.
It's the first time since December 2019 I have been in a shopping centre.
Yep, it stinks!!!
I know it seems so wrong, especially for you guys who have worked and paid tax all your lives and been really careful ensuring that you can provide for your family and the minute you need some help you are given two fingers. I really wish there was something I could do to help, my Manga was taken back when we moved and I bet you in these Covid times they do not reissue them. Let’s try and have a catch up before Christmas xx
Delete