Fundamental reset for social care?

How do we feed into this consultation I wonder? Can't find anything online.

There’s a fundamental unfairness about the present system for sure. Wealthy property owners are given free end of life care in nursing homes which goes on for years and not months. Others are inaccurately assessed and it takes forever for social services to correct their figures.

Then there’s the problem of who should monitor for mini strokes, kidney infections and the rest if an elderly person is at home. Care at home is time limited to washing, using the commode/changing pads, dressing, feeding, administering medications. Not enough time to ensure physical mobility and mental stimulation so not ideal.

ronib

There’s a fundamental unfairness about the present system for sure. Wealthy property owners are given free end of life care in nursing homes which goes on for years and not months. Others are inaccurately assessed and it takes forever for social services to correct their figures.

Then there’s the problem of who should monitor for mini strokes, kidney infections and the rest if an elderly person is at home. Care at home is time limited to washing, using the commode/changing pads, dressing, feeding, administering medications. Not enough time to ensure physical mobility and mental stimulation so not ideal.

How do wealthy property owners get free end of life care, I have never heard of this?

The basic issue that needs sorting is the divide between health and social services, both in terms of finance and provision. Until a government grasps the nettle on this there will be bed blocking and unfairness.

Care in the home needs a total reassessment of how things have changed since many homes once run by local authorities have moved into private hands. Since everything is now profit driven, there is barely enough time allocated for carers to give anything more than the most perfunctory attention to their patients. Those who have been thus employed over a number of years feel this keenly as they have seen priorities change from being able to do small extra things to make the patient feel comfortable and valued, to rushing from one to another with no time to spare. The fact that many of them don’t get paid for their travelling time between calls is a complete disgrace.

How do wealthy property owners get free end of life care, I have never heard of this?

It may be because they have medical needs, or that they pay the fees from income, not sale of property.
I know a carer who visits twice a day and is sent out to walk the dog, with her phone switched off.

eazybee

^How do wealthy property owners get free end of life care, I have never heard of this?^

It may be because they have medical needs, or that they pay the fees from income, not sale of property.
I know a carer who visits twice a day and is sent out to walk the dog, with her phone switched off.

But if they personally pay for it, through any means, then it's not free?

ronib

There’s a fundamental unfairness about the present system for sure. Wealthy property owners are given free end of life care in nursing homes which goes on for years and not months. Others are inaccurately assessed and it takes forever for social services to correct their figures.

Then there’s the problem of who should monitor for mini strokes, kidney infections and the rest if an elderly person is at home. Care at home is time limited to washing, using the commode/changing pads, dressing, feeding, administering medications. Not enough time to ensure physical mobility and mental stimulation so not ideal.

Please explain how 'wealthy property owners' get free end of life care?

I’ve never heard of wealthy property owners getting free residential care for months. My understanding is the nhs funds nursing care if life expectancy is three months or less.

Luckygirl3

The basic issue that needs sorting is the divide between health and social services, both in terms of finance and provision. Until a government grasps the nettle on this there will be bed blocking and unfairness.

I quite agree. A care worker's job is to provide physical care, not medical or other care.

No scheme for anything can be without flaws and never misused, although to can be kept to a mimimum.

Healthcare is free to all, regardless of income and assets under the NHS, If someone has ongoing nursing needs this will therefore be paid for by the NHS. This is why some people, who would pay for their own care, have their care in a nursing home paid for by the NHS

I'm just so glad this is being looked at properly at last. and really, entirely necessary, not nibbling away at bits and pieces.

I had to have a carer a couple of years ago for a time, it was paid by me, so had continuity and so on and she was very good.

But what Greyduster said enraged me too. This was a lady with nearly 20 years experience yet she got about £15 an hour, and I was appalled she didn't get paid for travel time, and for that short period I was paying £34 an hour. And the newer carers got minimum wage.

She loved her job, or wouldn't have done it, but so, so wrong. No wonder it's hard to get carers who really are committed - and experienced.

No wonder some feel it's OK to take phone calls and so on or who are basically learning on the job and not up to it.

My DGD2 is very, very disabled, and in school holidays goes to a special centre now and then to give family a break, and needs 2 carers with her. The family do get DLA of course but the cost is greater than the allowance.

There are carers who work for the agency I briefly used that have to deal with a range of special needs- carers don't just cover physical health - poor Mental Health and borderline dementia don't necessarily involve physical caring.