The new care act: how have things changed for people?

Boldredrosie

Registered User
Mar 13, 2012
244
0
Our erstwhile social worker phoned yesterday and we had one of those circular, unprofitable conversations one has with social services. The upshot was she wants us (me and Ma) off her 'books', because I spend the direct payments to me on paying for carers to come in and try and get Ma to eat, wash, dress etc I am unlikely to qualify for any future payments and the services need to be transfered to my mother. Of course, there would be no services whatsoever going into the house because my mother thinks she's tickety boo and refuses every bit of help. All services my mother has at home have been arranged by me because a) mum has money so would have to pay for services anyway b) refuses everything ever suggested to her and so social services and the memory clinic just back away.

Now it looks like we're being abandoned completely even though the private care assessment I've just paid for says her care needs are not being met at home and she either needs more carers coming in or a move to residential care.

So I'm just wondering if other people are being ditched as a result of the care act?
 

Skyrim

Registered User
Jun 19, 2015
37
0
Carers Assessment! - waste of space.

Oh dear. The Care Act 2014 is not going to be the Promised Land. As a former care asisstant with the LA, I have to say I saw this coming. The LA closed all its care homes (thus reducing capacity for respite to zero) in order to meet the Care Act requirements and target those in "greatest need". So far much of the money allegedly "saved" by evicting 300-odd residents seems to have gone on agency staff to carry out assessments that, guess what, give you no service because there is no money.

Previously, in this area, carers got vouchers for a couple of hours break each week....reduced sitting costs. They were not means tested and great for the truly house-tied...personally I didn't have a use for them because they didn't suit my choice of lifestyle, but many people did. These have also been discontinued, yo go into the greater funding pot.

So, having given truthful answers about my needs for the assessment, I left with nothing. Seriously. Not one offer of help with housework, gardening or respite in order for look after me and my aspirations. Respite would gave to be paid for by the lady I look after, as would any form of sitting service. Thats great...ask the caree to pay for your night out? I don't think so - somehow that has elements of financial abuse (?). Services for me, if I pushed it, might roll in at an hour a week, paid at £6 per hour. Not a likely rate for a cleaner or gardener. I was also told that I was one of the "lucky" ones....I am able to work. Yep, and run a house and provide personal and emotional care in the hours I don't work.....

The irony of this is that, yes, I do work... Part time, on part time pay, so as to provide care to my partners mum. For me its a right thing to do but, as we all age, it gets more onerous and I have my own family commitments that I can no longer fulfill. I have difficulty watching colleagues progress in their career because they have time to study and I would like to go out -not to a carers group thankyou, but clubbing, or something equally disgraceful.
I want to help look after my parents who are elderly and miles away. I'd like a break with my partner, before a break from him....

So, the situation isn't dire enough (and, truthfully, it could be worse) for me even to warrant a call-back from whoever is supposed to be our social worker. Anything we need has to be paid for ourselves, and would we ask for assistance if we could afford to do that? The care act is suppised to recognise cares needs and I had to bang on about recording my wants and aspirations as "unmet need" because otherwise, ithe assessment will be classed as having had a positive outcome, when I am actually going to be worse off, as these break vouchers get withdrawn.

Finally, I should add that my partner, who attended this "joint assessmnt" is the main carer. He gave up work to look after his mum and gets the carers pittance in return. Not exactly following the assessment process, except to see that it was going to be a waste of time from the get-go, he refused to be assessed. Now we will play an awkward game as I will be saying that I can't provide the care I was, comfortably knowing our caree will still be looked after, and see if that generates a response. My advice to anyone going for there assessment is to structure your needs like the attendance allowance...describe the worst case scenario, the baddest days, say that you may have to pull out and stress, over and over...youare not leaving with just a pile of leaflets.

May good luck be with you.
 
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