Carer's Assessment

[Sunlight]

Can I just ask if anyone has had this? What did it involve? Was it helpful? I have been offered an assessment (apparently legally they have to do so) but am reluctant to have people poking their noses into my business if it is only going to be a paper excercise and not beneficial to me. I have trouble getting my phone calls answered and have to sort out my mother's care myself so I think they are just 'covering their backs' by offering this assessment.

 

[cynron]

it helped

Sunlight . You are entitled to an assessment ,but i had to insist i had one, they said they did not think i needed one.

Well it turned out once i was in the system i did begin to get some help looking after my husband. Some respite was arranged and a crossroads helper was funded by the local council, only one morning a week but i could do whatever i wanted , as it happened i did my weekly shopping.

So i would advise you to take any help you can get.

Cynron x x

 

[Margarita]

My mother live with me , so I found it very helpful as they sorted out what area needs help , I needed for myself in helping my mother , they sorted out respite for me and an agency carer to help with washing mum and sorted out AZ daycentre , I found it a great lifted from my back with them sorting it all out rather then giveing me direct payments and me doing all the running around , while on top of caring for my mother at home .

 

[Skye]

Hi Sunlight

As Cynron says, a carer's assessment opens the door to all sorts of help. I had to fight for one too, so if you've been offered one, grab it with both hands.

Crossroads, for example, is only available via a carers assessment, because it's specifically a sevice for carers.

You don't have to give them any financial details, but if you don't, they assume you're over the limit, so you may have to pay for services.

I think you should go for it -- you don't have to accept anything you don't want.

Love,

 

[Sunlight]

Thanks for your replies everyone. I'm just very skeptical about SS. The SW knows I'm looking after my mother without any family support at all (she has been told this in no uncertain terms) and yet she doesn't bother herself to even return my phone calls. She is quite happy to sit back and let me contact the daycentre and sort out the sitting service on my own etc. The way I see it sometimes I am doing her job for her but I will continue to do this to get the best possible care for my mother.

 

[Norman]

Hi Sunlight
a community assessment is the gate way to help.
The assessment is for Mum and yourself.
Your financial state does not come into the equation,only Mums and then via a fair charge procedure.
You should be able to obtain personal help for Mum and you are entitled to help to live a life of your own.
I went all the way through a formal complaints precedure.it was upheld.
We now have direct payments,employ a pel assistant 14 hours a week and I get 12 hours myself from crossroads.
We pay them from our direct payments.
Have a look at this
http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/After_diagnosis/Getting_support/info_communityassessment.htm
Hope this is useful
Norman

 

[allylee]

Hi Sunlight
Our SW arranged this for me ,I didnt find the carers assessment at all intrusive, and I gained a lot of help and support for mum through it.
Our experience of SW has been very positive, but I appreciate from comments on the site that not everyone has the same excellent service that we have had.
Love Ally xx

 

[Margarita]

She is quite happy to sit back and let me contact the daycentre and sort out the sitting service on my own etc

That could be because she/he thinks that you’re coping. I to was like you in being alone in caring for my mother no support from family only my teenagers.

Also I feel that they seem to offer more help as the disease progresses and get worse, trying at the beginning to get my mother into day centre was a long wait and in our area it was the social worker that had to do the referral , also yes it was me always doing the ringing up , I should of done what Norman said complain , but I was never good at complaining , now I realise from TP and the services people get , that when I am told its not offered on the NHS I tell them that in other authority it offered as I have read it on TP AZ site on the internet they attitude changes & all of a sudden they are offering it to me.

So yes they will leave you to get on with it , if you don’t push & show how stress out its all making you and is affecting your heath , that’s help me in the past saying that , could be because if they don’t help me they think how am I going to cope looking after my mother and if she has to be put into care they have to pay more money out .