Just joined - wanted to say hello and ask some initial stuff.
I'm doing "some distance" (not living in same house) caring for my mother who has vascular dementia, and many physical medical issues (bed-bound mostly, developing contractures so takes one and a half hours to change continence pads - painful and exhausting for carer).
She is still living in her own home after some spells in unsatisfactory residential care. I've been organising full-time live-in care, with a really great carer.
I'm working full-time, self-employed, so I have flexibility but also commitments to clients who really depend on what I provide.
I have just won CHC funding, which is great, but poses new questions and major decisions. If anyone can comment with pros and cons, or things to consider, that would be really helpful as I'm struggling to grasp all this and decide best approach:
- personal budgets and direct payments - what are the pro's and con's of the various approaches?
- role of the care manager or support broker - is it allowed within CHC with personal budget to employ a really competent person to organise all the new care setup including employing the right people, and continue to coordinate the many services my mother needs, including live-in care, additional daily care visits, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, etc?
- "some distance" caring - does anyone have tips on how to cope? I'm about half an hour away but need to schedule visits carefully. The sheer workload of organizing care is enormous and I have an unhelpful sibling who does very little. I'd really like to be able to be with my mother just as her daughter sometimes, as well as having a life.
The intersection of "some distance" carers and CHC personal budget seems very small - our county has quite a small number and dealing with the CHC team is rather hard, to say the least!
Not sure if this is the best place to ask, but any pointers and ideas gratefully accepted!
I'm doing "some distance" (not living in same house) caring for my mother who has vascular dementia, and many physical medical issues (bed-bound mostly, developing contractures so takes one and a half hours to change continence pads - painful and exhausting for carer).
She is still living in her own home after some spells in unsatisfactory residential care. I've been organising full-time live-in care, with a really great carer.
I'm working full-time, self-employed, so I have flexibility but also commitments to clients who really depend on what I provide.
I have just won CHC funding, which is great, but poses new questions and major decisions. If anyone can comment with pros and cons, or things to consider, that would be really helpful as I'm struggling to grasp all this and decide best approach:
- personal budgets and direct payments - what are the pro's and con's of the various approaches?
- role of the care manager or support broker - is it allowed within CHC with personal budget to employ a really competent person to organise all the new care setup including employing the right people, and continue to coordinate the many services my mother needs, including live-in care, additional daily care visits, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, etc?
- "some distance" caring - does anyone have tips on how to cope? I'm about half an hour away but need to schedule visits carefully. The sheer workload of organizing care is enormous and I have an unhelpful sibling who does very little. I'd really like to be able to be with my mother just as her daughter sometimes, as well as having a life.
The intersection of "some distance" carers and CHC personal budget seems very small - our county has quite a small number and dealing with the CHC team is rather hard, to say the least!
Not sure if this is the best place to ask, but any pointers and ideas gratefully accepted!
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