Proper pay for carers?

[Annie Bynnol]

It's very very rare that gets awarded for dementia in my limited experience.

 

They would not be "awarded" to people with dementia alone.

They can be "awarded" to people to whom dementia appears the biggest problem.

 

A current example is a person who scores highest in the

Cognition, Communication, Nutrition, Mobility and Continence criteria

Until recently this person was at a relatives home with some daytime but continuous nighttime support. The carers were not "nursing" trained.

They are currently in a home (but not in a section) where nursing care is always available.

 

For carers looking for a home for people with this type of care can I suggest that they:

first get the CHC package sorted.

then make a list of all the homes in all areas of Sheffield (40+) -use Carehome.co.uk

eliminate all which are residential only.

eliminate all the homes where dementia is not mentioned.

do not rely on EMI labels

check but do not rely on the CQC comments

phone first to check for eligability.

appearing uninvited for a first visit to nursing homes is a bit of a myth.

accept that some who take you around the fist time may not be able to answer all you questions. Their tiredness/exhaustion might be a measure of the level of care provided.

and

do not rely on positive or negative recommendations as things change rapidly.

ignore post codes and "nice areas"- the futher from S10 the better.

ignore the "pee smell test" to start with.

purpose built buildings are usually better.

nice big gardens, trips out etc., are irrelevant, staffing numbers and active involvement in dayroom activities is not.

be realistic about your level of attendance when considering location.

patients will often be "asleep" in chairs -thats will happen more and more to your relative.

be prepared to visit/contact 20+ places. In my case 21 visits.

start today by making your list from Carehome.co.uk

 

There are homes in Sheffield which only accept people with CHC who have a separate sections for those with dementia.

There are homes which accept dementia sufferers and who have a CHC.

[Anna B]

They would not be "awarded" to people with dementia alone.

They can be "awarded" to people to whom dementia appears the biggest problem.

 

A current example is a person who scores highest in the

Cognition, Communication, Nutrition, Mobility and Continence criteria

Until recently this person was at a relatives home with some daytime but continuous nighttime support. The carers were not "nursing" trained.

They are currently in a home (but not in a section) where nursing care is always available.

 

For carers looking for a home for people with this type of care can I suggest that they:

first get the CHC package sorted.

then make a list of all the homes in all areas of Sheffield (40+) -use Carehome.co.uk

eliminate all which are residential only.

eliminate all the homes where dementia is not mentioned.

do not rely on EMI labels

check but do not rely on the CQC comments

phone first to check for eligability.

appearing uninvited for a first visit to nursing homes is a bit of a myth.

accept that some who take you around the fist time may not be able to answer all you questions. Their tiredness/exhaustion might be a measure of the level of care provided.

and

do not rely on positive or negative recommendations as things change rapidly.

ignore post codes and "nice areas"- the futher from S10 the better.

ignore the "pee smell test" to start with.

purpose built buildings are usually better.

nice big gardens, trips out etc., are irrelevant, staffing numbers and active involvement in dayroom activities is not.

be realistic about your level of attendance when considering location.

patients will often be "asleep" in chairs -thats will happen more and more to your relative.

be prepared to visit/contact 20+ places. In my case 21 visits.

start today by making your list from Carehome.co.uk

 

There are homes in Sheffield which only accept people with CHC who have a separate sections for those with dementia.

There are homes which accept dementia sufferers and who have a CHC.

Thankyou for that Annie, I'm sure people will find that very helpful.

Can I add to that, ignore the glossy brochures!

 

In my limited experience, it's the kindness and attitude of the staff that can make all the difference.

 

Do you know much about supported living or the care of disabled younger people?

 

---------- Post added 04-02-2018 at 16:16 ----------

 

It's interesting that a thread about financial rewards for carers has changed direction to the funding of care homes. This is not surprising - carers usually get sidelined. They quietly get on with the job, very often with little or no support.

 

If support is offered by social services, they have to pay for it. I do not know the current funding situation but I have heard that there are moves afoot to take the disabled person's assets into account, much the same as it is at present when they go into a care home. If the carer lives with the disabled person and receives help in the form of visiting professional carers, they have to suffer the intrusion of someone entering their home, sometimes several times a day. Their time is therefore dominated by the needs of not only the caree but the care staff. The carer can never settle down and have time to themselves - they are always clock watching.

 

I don't think that increasing the carers allowance is key to keeping people at home. We need to think out of the box and formulate different, and appropriate types of support. It will, of course take funding and at the moment that won't be forthcoming because the carers just quietly carry on until they are so ill and exhausted that their charge has to go into care.

 

Families and friends should also be willing to offer support to carers. Unfortunately some people don't want to get involved, making various excuses (or none) and may simply disappear.

 

You make very good points Jomie, and yes, that was the original intent.

 

Carers, and the important work they do should be recognised, and IMO remunerated. Not as a reward, but so that they are not permanently disadvantaged. The only thing that will bring about change (maybe) is concerted action and campaigning by and for carers, but they already have enough to do and are exhausted. So it is up to the rest of us to raise awareness of their plight and do the campaigning for them. I will be doing my best.

 

I also agree with your other points. Fresh thinking is certainly needed, but as we can see, ideas about what to do are in short supply, and all need money. We might try looking at the superior services offered in the Scandinavian countries for ideas. As usual with this current government, the weakest and poorest come bottom of the list of priorities. Maybe that will improve with a Labour government.

Edited February 4, 2018 by Anna B

[Ms Macbeth]

We have no older relatives, my OH and I are the oldest in our family now. Both independent, active, and in reasonably good health. No family in Sheffield. Moving into a care home isn't top of our bucket list for the future, but it may be necessary, it's impossible to predict.

 

One issue that gets ignored, IMO, is older people's housing. In the right accommodation, with available support, the need for residential care can be significantly delayed. Sadly the options in Sheffield are limited. Most older people nowadays want level access, preferably a bungalow, with two bedrooms. Poor health may mean a couple requiring separate bedrooms, or a single person may need someone, a carer? to stay at times.

 

While other local authorities took the opportunity to exempt council bungalows and other older people's housing from the Right to Buy, it appears our council allowed at least some to be sold. Most homeowners wouldn't raise enough from the sale of a terrace house (majority in some parts of Sheffield) to buy a bungalow, and they of course are behind renters in the queue for social housing. Some terrace housing is particularly difficult as people age, with very steep stairs and no possibility of AIDS like a stairlift. I took part in a housing project involving older people, run by the University of Sheffield, and people from across all housing tenures had very similar wishes for housing in later life.

 

Nearly all the new building going on in Sheffield (apart from student flats) seems to be three and four bedroomed family homes. And yet, we're an aging population.

 

On the topic, I think the job of professional carers is undervalued. It's traditionally been women in the role, probably one of the reasons the pay is so low.

[Anna B]

Yes, I couldn't agree more with all of this Mrs Macbeth.

[Annie Bynnol]

Do you know much about supported living or the care of disabled younger people?

 

No, I don't but I really do need to find out more about how to help a young autistic person with a degree looking for employment and future independence. I've done the education bit now a totally different set of problems.

[Anna B]

No, I don't but I really do need to find out more about how to help a young autistic person with a degree looking for employment and future independence. I've done the education bit now a totally different set of problems.

 

Sorry. I thought you worked in the sector.

[tinfoilhat]

[/b]

Thankyou for that Annie, I'm sure people will find that very helpful.

Can I add to that, ignore the glossy brochures!

 

In my limited experience, it's the kindness and attitude of the staff that can make all the difference.

 

Do you know much about supported living or the care of disabled younger people?

 

---------- Post added 04-02-2018 at 16:16 ----------

 

 

You make very good points Jomie, and yes, that was the original intent.

 

Carers, and the important work they do should be recognised, and IMO remunerated. Not as a reward, but so that they are not permanently disadvantaged. The only thing that will bring about change (maybe) is concerted action and campaigning by and for carers, but they already have enough to do and are exhausted. So it is up to the rest of us to raise awareness of their plight and do the campaigning for them. I will be doing my best.

 

I also agree with your other points. Fresh thinking is certainly needed, but as we can see, ideas about what to do are in short supply, and all need money. We might try looking at the superior services offered in the Scandinavian countries for ideas. As usual with this current government, the weakest and poorest come bottom of the list of priorities. Maybe that will improve with a Labour government.

 

Not much to write home about under the last Labour government I can tell you. Its probably worse now but the bar wasn't high.

[Jomie]

Ms Macbeth - great post and you are spot on with your observations about housing and supporting people to enable them to stay in their own homes. Supported housing in the private sector is ridiculously expensive and often comes with hefty maintenance charges, making them unaffordable for many people.

 

The other point to make about housing is that people need to be realistic. Moving house should be done before becoming too frail to cope with it - I read that the optimum time is before mid sixties. Downsizing means accepting that parting with stuff is necessary. Also acceptance of the new situation is needed.

 

On the subject of being a carer, it is worth saying that it can be rewarding and some people want to care for their loved one for as long as possible. It can be devastating for them when a care home becomes the only option. Much depends on the person who is being cared for and their disability/needs. Arguably, caring for someone with mental illness is more stressful than if they had physical illness. Also, personality plays a part because some people can be quite demanding whilst others are not.

 

Carers usually know what they need in the way of support to enable them to continue. We should listen to them and provide this help freely.

[Anna B]

]Anna' date=' how many homeless dementia sufferers do you know? What you're saying simply isn't true.[/b'] They may be moved from a home that costs less than the current one (which I agree isn't fair) and they won't move from one council to another purely in the grounds of cost - I'd be surprised if you can find any example of that. It's not unthinkable they could be moved from one end of a borough to another if there isn't anywhere immediately local at a price social services will pay, but not across the country. Unscrupulous councils would just dump old people wholesale somewhere cheaper if that was the case!

 

Maybe not on the street, but hospitals are full of Dementia sufferers because they can't find places in care homes. This is from an article in today's paper:

 

"Care homes are refusing to accept residents with advanced dementia, because they are too expensive and difficult to care for, according to a leading charity. Chief Executive of The Alzheimer's Association, said its helpline was being bombarded with calls from worried families as relatives are refused care, or even evicted when their condition deteriorates.'

 

'We have cases of people with relatives who have ended up in care homes over 200 miles away because they can't find anything closer'

 

'Some care homes are even refusing to take residents with advanced Dementia back in if they have to go to hospital for any reason. The NHS ends up picking up the bill with dementia patients staying in hospital an average of 7 times longer than other people at a cost of £300 a day.'

 

'There are no regulations stipulating that care homes must take people with Dementia."

[Lex Luthor]

Giving up paid employment to care for an elderly or disabled person is a step not to be taken lightly. Any would-be carers should think about it very, very carefully. There are all kinds of pitfalls. It is difficult to see any advantages.

 

The carer's allowance is paltry and is taxable. National Insurance is paid for carers but they lose workplace pension along with salary. As the elderly or disabled person's care needs increase, the carer can become increasingly exhausted. Ill health in carers has been researched and it is well known that they suffer from a high risk of ill health, mental and physical. For some carers, the stress can be intolerable. When the caree goes into care or dies, after a very short time the carer will find themselves without any income. If they have been out of the workplace for a long while, it might be very difficult to find another job, more so for the men and women who are older.

 

Some people have no choice but to become carers. Others drift into the role inadvertently, without fully understanding what they are letting themselves in for. If anyone is thinking about becoming a carer, take advice and have a look at some of the threads on the Carers UK Forum. Being a carer is not a job that has many benefits (if any). It can be like going to work and never being allowed to go home and rest. This is why paying carers more money is not always the answer. Better, and more support for carers is needed but with cut backs in spending, that is not always available.

 

Not to mention the carers who die prematurely (and before their "caree"!) due to not being able to look after themselves properly whilst caring 24/7 for their "caree".