极速赛车168最新开奖号码 Comments on: ‘I can’t switch to being a social worker as I’m always on call as a carer’

极速赛车168最新开奖号码 By: Margaret Churchward

Margaret Churchward — Thu, 15 Jun 2017 08:37:28 +0000

I totally support everything you have said in your article, Nigella. My husband and I care for two ladies in their mid 90’s, my mother and her sister. Both have very poor mobility, they fall and they have different types of dementia.

My mother lives seven miles away and my aunt 160 miles away. Our house is grossly unsuitable for people with mobility problems, as there are four flights of stairs. My mother can ring up to 12 times a day when she is anxious. My aunt does not ring so often but when she does, it is often in the early hours of the morning.

Like you, once awoken, I cannot get back to sleep. I’m afraid that occasionally, in order to preserve my own life (lack of sleep raises your blood pressure, and mine is already being treated by medication) I switch off the phone for the odd night.

I agree with Liz that there is huge pressure emotionally to bring elderly relatives into the care of your own home, but once done, you will get even less help. Luckily for us it is impossible, otherwise I am sure we would have fallen into this bear trap by now.

I am staggered at how much adult services social work has changed since I did it in the 1980’s. My mother is bravely and actively requesting residential care and does not meet the criteria. Given that she is doubly incontinent, confused, anxious and can hardly move, it makes you wonder exactly how bad it has to be for someone before their wishes and feelings are respected. Also, how can someone on Pension Credit be assessed to contribute more than the value of their Attendance Allowance towards their home care? My aunt on the other hand (different LA) has been offered funded respite care for two weeks in a nursing home. She refused to go, but the offer was there.

I was an ASW for 15 years and am well used to having to make difficult decisions about people’s lives. However, I find the criteria used for making mental capacity judgements bizarre. It is blatantly obvious to all of us who are close to my aunt that she lacks capacity, but the visiting professionals whose job it is to assess this pop in for 30 minutes and then say that she has capacity.

I wish you well, Nigella, and hope very much that your situation improves. Juggling a full time job with caring is a nightmare and until someone has done it, it is hard to understand the constant conflicting demands.

极速赛车168最新开奖号码 By: Janet

Janet — Thu, 15 Jun 2017 00:17:17 +0000

I came into social work as I was a carer- initially to elderly relatives who lived in the same house. However, my relative did have a carer 3 times daily. Having children plus a husband with bi polar I was well aware of the stresses of caring and being ignored by ‘professionals’ who did not want to see the impact caring was having on my family life. I vowed that when I qualified, I would see the situation from the carer’s point of view. Over the past 22 years as a social worker, I have tried to be honest with those relatives who want to take over the care of their loved one – that at times your life is not your own, that you may feel resentment as the rest of the family expect you do everything as you are good at coping and very organised. But by all means seek help from LA and organisations such as Age UK and make sure you get as much respite care as your LA can give.

极速赛车168最新开奖号码 By: Liz Newstead

Liz Newstead — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 12:09:20 +0000

My heart goes out to you. My mother has lived with me for 22 years, 2 years ago she was diagnosed with vascular dementia and her health and her mind have deteriorated. I am a local authority social worker and have worked for the same authority for over 25 years, but I am unable to get the help we need because “she lives with family”. Like your relative, whenever any assessments are done, she will not engage telling them “my daughter does that”. Yes I do, but you know what, I am tired, I have done a full days work and I neither need nor want to be coming home to start again.
She does not even want to be at home, she wants to be in a Care Home, because she is socially isolated and her mobility is not good. She struggles with the stairs in our house and I cannot afford to move to a bungalow where it would be easier for her.
I advise friends, do not take your elderly relative into your home, because then you are abandoned, it is the “get out” for them. I am now on anti depressants and there are times when I feel like running away and phoning the LA and telling them, she is your responsibility now. But she is still my mum.