Dementia timebomb as people leave work to care for relatives

[jimbo 111]

Dementia timebomb set to cost £3bn by 2030 as people leave work to care for relatives

Already, more than half a million people in England act as dementia carers. Half of them are employed and it is estimated that 66,000 people have already cut their working hours to make time for caring, while 50,000 have left work altogether.

Jeremy Hughes, chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Society, said that businesses would have to adapt to the changing shape of society and the workforce.
“Thousands of people affected by dementia are forced to give up work and are denied a lifeline because of the failure of organisations to change the way they do business,” he said. “From the shop floor to boardrooms, dementia affects every workplace. As the condition touches the lives of more people, businesses must gear up to support all people with dementia; staff and customers alike.”

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-s...leave-work-to-care-for-relatives-9655241.html

 

[WILLIAMR]

Dementia timebomb set to cost £3bn by 2030 as people leave work to care for relatives

Already, more than half a million people in England act as dementia carers. Half of them are employed and it is estimated that 66,000 people have already cut their working hours to make time for caring, while 50,000 have left work altogether.

Jeremy Hughes, chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Society, said that businesses would have to adapt to the changing shape of society and the workforce.
“Thousands of people affected by dementia are forced to give up work and are denied a lifeline because of the failure of organisations to change the way they do business,” he said. “From the shop floor to boardrooms, dementia affects every workplace. As the condition touches the lives of more people, businesses must gear up to support all people with dementia; staff and customers alike.”

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-s...leave-work-to-care-for-relatives-9655241.html

I can only agree with what you are saying.
My father did not have dementia but he had other disabilities. It was fortunate I had early retirement / redundancy and inherited some money.
I pay tax on my occupational pension and I am not claiming any state support.
I suppose if I had not had the problems with my father I could have got a job and paid more tax.
I am 63 and in theory I could be working but I am self supporting so I don't think any law could be created forcing me to work.
I have got enough years for a full state pension when I am eligible.

William

 

[Wirralson]

Dementia timebomb set to cost £3bn by 2030 as people leave work to care for relatives

Already, more than half a million people in England act as dementia carers. Half of them are employed and it is estimated that 66,000 people have already cut their working hours to make time for caring, while 50,000 have left work altogether.

Jeremy Hughes, chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Society, said that businesses would have to adapt to the changing shape of society and the workforce.
“Thousands of people affected by dementia are forced to give up work and are denied a lifeline because of the failure of organisations to change the way they do business,” he said. “From the shop floor to boardrooms, dementia affects every workplace. As the condition touches the lives of more people, businesses must gear up to support all people with dementia; staff and customers alike.”

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-s...leave-work-to-care-for-relatives-9655241.html

Sadly, business won't. My public sector employers in the past took the view that other people had parents too, and my duty was to work for them. If I wanted unpaid leave or to be a full time carer, then I;d have to resign. I can't see that changing. In one of my jobs I was part of team which had as one of its roles to try and persuade UK business to allow their staff more time off for voluntary activities. The reaction was overwhelmingly negative. And despite one Minister saying this, public sector regulations have now changed so radically that there is little or no scope for allowing individuals the level of time off that caring for someone with dementia can demand.

W

 

[ShellW]

Hi all
I am a 53 yr old nurse and my 69 yr husband has MD. I absolutely agree that someone will need to look at this problem asap. My husband has deteriorated quite quickly since his diagnosis in May this year and now cannot be safely left on his own. We have, over the last 9 years worked our way through all of the local care companies and they all fall short . That seems as sweeping statement, but what I have found is a lack of consistency . Yes, you may get a lovely carer one week who is attentive and punctual, but the next week it can all be changed, different carers arriving early, late or not at all ! This has become an increasing problem as Jon's dementia gets worse. We have complained officially to managers, local MPs and our social workers, much is promised, but in the long term the care never really improves and trying to go to work 30 hours a week has proved impossible.
The conclusion I have come this that we either put Jon into a home and I go back to work full time to pay our mortgage or I reduce my hours possibly leave work all together eventually and we live on Jon's pension and disability money. This has obvious implications for my pension in the long term.
I am lucky in that the GPs I work for have been fantastic in accommodating my needs and have said they will continue to support me in the future. I am working only mornings presently, but so much hinges on carers, that know Jon,arriving ON TIME in the morning and staying fir their full shift, fairly basic stuff I would have thought !
How are other people coping with this dilemma ?

 

[TinaT]

I listened on my way to work to a discussion this morning on Radio 4 (Think it was Woman's Hour) about the impending time bomb of more and more middle aged and elderly carers who are not being supported properly by either the state or the workplace yet are pushed into ever increasing time caring for dementia sufferers at home. Very enlightening!

xxTinaT

 

[Wirralson]

Business can't and won't take on yet another burden - it is more likely that government will require individuals to make additional financial provision during their lifetimes for their old age. Remember, a higher proportion more recent generations than previous ones don't have children, so that isn't going to be an option.

W

 

[WILLIAMR]

Business can't and won't take on yet another burden - it is more likely that government will require individuals to make additional financial provision during their lifetimes for their old age. Remember, a higher proportion more recent generations than previous ones don't have children, so that isn't going to be an option.

W

Hi Wirralson

I can see what you are saying but my parents did not need much for their old age really just a couple of walking sticks and a shopping trolley.
In all fairness I inherited my parents bungalow first my mother's half in 2003. Legally it could have not have been used for my father's care fees if they had happened as I would have just blocked the sale.
He had little money in cash terms as he had been retired for 30 years and I had helped him to pay for things like private medical insurance knowing I would get the bungalow at the end.

I don't think children could be made responsible for the parents care fees.

A person without children might say lets spend all of his / her money and may not make provision for something which may never happen.

I must say I can understand the position with businesses.
My manager was not happy I got called on to jury service 4 times and got called as a witness twice once to Germany. I was away for 5 days for that and I legally had to go.
It did say on the notice if my employers did not give me the time off they could have had a EUR 10,000 fine.

William

 

[blandford516]

Hi All,

Unfortunately for me both parents became terminally ill . I took time off work to help care for them both ,but was forced back to work as they threatened to sack me !! At the time I had no idea of Flexible working patterns which employers are obligated to offer if caring for parents especially as at the time I was a legal carer , caring for over 30 hours a week I believe . I felt awful about abandoning my dad (mum had been admitted into a care home at that time ) That's how I felt and have never got over it .
Unfortunately I now know what my rights were as a legal carer ,and the ironic thing is I work for the Council !! shocking . So anyone in the same position ( I hope no one is ) just check what your rights are and get advise . I wish I had sooner x

 

[Beate]

There is a small but important distinction to make here: You are entitled to ask for flexible working hours but your employer is NOT entitled to say yes as they can cite business reasons that will prevent it.

 

[Dustycat]

It's a pity caring for the elderly doesn't come with the same benefits as having children. X

 

[AlsoConfused]

I don't think anyone (government, carees' families or individuals looking forward to their own future) has any idea where the money for care is going to come from.

Only a small percentage of people can afford to put money by / pay more tax to meet future care needs. For the last 30 years the amount of income being received by the vast majority of the population has gone down in real terms ... and essential costs (eg housing) have gone up. More of what used to be paid for from general taxation is now being loaded onto individuals (eg most graduates will never pay off their student loans in full - but they will pay out quite a lot of money in servicing the debt and paying off some of the capital).

National and local government aren't willing to meet their social care obligations now, many of us feel. They're likely to become even less willing to meet the rising care costs of the future.

Maybe there'll be technological solutions to cut the costs of some care (eg "intelligent", interactive houses able to assist dementia sufferers to stay safely in their own homes for longer and to provide "virtual" company). Maybe future medical developments will reduce the numbers suffering from dementia.

Somehow I don't feel hopeful about my own future prospects.

 

[Wirralson]

As I've said elsewhere, US/Canadian style filial responsibility laws are what the Civil Service calls a NIGEL (= Not in God's Eternal Lifetime) in the UK. If mentioned at all it will eb to show there are worse alternatives than whatever version of "Obamacare-lite" is touted as a (partial) answer to the funding crisis. In effect you will be required to insure against co-payment for care.

Bear in mind Simon Stevens' career included time in the US as Chief Executive Officer of UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement and then President, Global Health, & UnitedHealth Group Executive Vice President of United Health Group Inc as well as CEO of UnitedHealth Europe. It's likely that his appointment of Chief Exec of the NHS was in part based on that part of his CV.

On alternative models, note one of the schemes tied n the US (I think in Maine) was the idea of elderly foster care - those with care needs were boarded out to individuals who got an allowance in the same way as children's fostering. Don't fancy it myself.

W