Council home-care

[Kayleigh]

I work as a home-carer. You have probably heard on the news that services are being taken away from the elderly. What they are not telling you is that the service for long-term council care in the community is being axed. The only service available will be short-term and special needs dementure care. START( Short Term Assessment and Rehabilitation Teams). Cares will be sent into someone who has just come out if hospital for about a two to six week period.

The elderly all over the country are faced with not being cared for in their own homes. Care packages that are in place have been withdrawn on a days notice others have been switched to private agencies who cannot cope with demand. So lots of vulnerable people will be without the care they need and deserve.



I am going to be made redundant very soon as one of my service users informed me. Not my Office..

I think the general public should know what is going on as I am sure a lot of you have elderly relatives. Both my parents have died now but I feel for the people this will affect..

[demicav]

I think it's terrible and another case of the government and councils needing to save money to spend on other things. I won't go into it all on here but it's something I feel very strongly about. These are all things to remember when it's election time. I'm afraid to say though that this and many other things are the root of a much bigger problem.

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

I work as a home-carer. You have probably heard on the news that services are being taken away from the elderly. What they are not telling you is that the service for long-term council care in the community is being axed. The only service available will be short-term and special needs dementure care. START( Short Term Assessment and Rehabilitation Teams). Cares will be sent into someone who has just come out if hospital for about a two to six week period.

The elderly all over the country are faced with not being cared for in their own homes. Care packages that are in place have been withdrawn on a days notice others have been switched to private agencies who cannot cope with demand. So lots of vulnerable people will be without the care they need and deserve.



I am going to be made redundant very soon as one of my service users informed me. Not my Office..

I think the general public should know what is going on as I am sure a lot of you have elderly relatives. Both my parents have died now but I feel for the people this will affect..

good grief

thats it I definately don't want to be elderly.

what misery they expect people to endure and it seems to get worse and worse........... its a trajedy

[ChrisJB]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

I work as a home-carer. You have probably heard on the news that services are being taken away from the elderly. What they are not telling you is that the service for long-term council care in the community is being axed. The only service available will be short-term and special needs dementure care. START( Short Term Assessment and Rehabilitation Teams). Cares will be sent into someone who has just come out if hospital for about a two to six week period.

The elderly all over the country are faced with not being cared for in their own homes. Care packages that are in place have been withdrawn on a days notice others have been switched to private agencies who cannot cope with demand. So lots of vulnerable people will be without the care they need and deserve.



I am going to be made redundant very soon as one of my service users informed me. Not my Office..

I think the general public should know what is going on as I am sure a lot of you have elderly relatives. Both my parents have died now but I feel for the people this will affect..

It's appalls me how the elderly are treated in this country. I currently look after an old friend of my late grandad's who has one leg, dialysis three days a week and is becoming increasingly confused with the world around him.

Since he recently went over to 'private' home care, it has become so much more difficult. Basically they aren't very good! They must really dislike me as I am forever leaving them notes to remind them to do the jobs that the corporation home carers used to do! I shouldn't have to do this.

The local N.H.S are no good either. Because of his increasing forgetfulness, he keeps missing hospital appointments and when I try to re-arrange them they just put him to the back of the queue again and tell me it's his own fault as he's a frequent non attender (should his home care be keeping on top of these appointments and reminding him?). When I tell them he is confused, they still try to fob me off and I end up losing my rag (which admittedly doesn't help the situation either).

I have toyed with the idea of a career change, to work in some capacity to help the elderly (I don't know what capacities exist though really), but I suppose with all sorts of cuts, I doubt there will be much opportunity to do that.

You have my sympathies Kayleigh. I hope things improve.

Regards, Chris

[naturelover]

Kayleigh thats bad,i did see it on the news tonight,alot of those people faught in the war for us,i think they deserve better,i am lucky i supose as my father in law lives with us and he is 93 years old,ok he couldnt manage living on his own now,i do most things for him but he still manages to climb a flight of stairs every night,but just suposing i had a big morgage round my neck and had to go to work,he would have to have care,so now its all stopping will those old people have to go into a care homes,other than that how will they manage,my hubby is a carer he works in a care home ,very demanding,they are people with learning dificultys age 18 to 50,i think its disgusting if they stop all the care for the elderly at home,this country dosnt get any better dose it.

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by demicav

I think it's terrible and another case of the government and councils needing to save money to spend on other things. I won't go into it all on here but it's something I feel very strongly about. These are all things to remember when it's election time. I'm afraid to say though that this and many other things are the root of a much bigger problem.

Its the Tory council here in Northants that's sopped all the funding for elderly care. But Labour are just as bad..As they are in power and the decision to stop all long term care came from somewhere.

[epops]

shocking they just about to close a care home near us apparentley due to resourse's etc jeeze it it make me angry specially when money is being wasted else where sorry for the rant

[Kayleigh]

In my opinion this is one area that the government should fund. There are lots of rogue care firms out there and lots of our elderly being abused..

The most vulnerable in our society need protecting after all a lot of them fought in the war and paid their stamp thinking that they would get back some of what they paid in for.

[Kayleigh]

It's appalls me how the elderly are treated in this country. I currently look after an old friend of my late grandad's who has one leg, dialysis three days a week and is becoming increasingly confused with the world around him.

Since he recently went over to 'private' home care, it has become so much more difficult. Basically they aren't very good! They must really dislike me as I am forever leaving them notes to remind them to do the jobs that the corporation home carers used to do! I shouldn't have to do this.

The local N.H.S are no good either. Because of his increasing forgetfulness, he keeps missing hospital appointments and when I try to re-arrange them they just put him to the back of the queue again and tell me it's his own fault as he's a frequent non attender (should his home care be keeping on top of these appointments and reminding him?). When I tell them he is confused, they still try to fob me off and I end up losing my rag (which admittedly doesn't help the situation either).

I have toyed with the idea of a career change, to work in some capacity to help the elderly (I don't know what capacities exist though really), but I suppose with all sorts of cuts, I doubt there will be much opportunity to do that.



Hi Chris

The home-carers SHOULD be following the CARE PLAN...If the care plan says the carers should remind him of appointments and if he is forgetful then that is what they should do..If the carers are reminding him, then he forgets after the carers have gone home then there is nothing they can do about that. As I'm not involved I cannot really comment on the circumstances. Talk to the agencies involved..If the carers are not following the care plan, put in a complaint or look for another service as there is lots of competition about..
The council home-care came top of the list with the auditors, we were by far the best service provider.. But we were loosing money now its left to the private sectors who cut corners.

[stripee]

This isn't going to get any better...more people will be elderly in the next 20 years, with fewer tax payers. There is a massive problem looming. If you are elderly and in your own home, then unless you have a relative or neighbour who is going to care for you then you can forget it if you need 24 hour care. The amount of social care from the council will only be a few hours at best, and it is hugely expensive getting people from nursing agencies etc, and sleeping over. Vulnerable people can be left in the care of carers with little experience.

Council care homes, or some of the Abbeyfield society and similar homes can be good, but in my experience, there is alot of variation.
Don't get old!!