Pages 71-78 in the full Wise
Guide book
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If you can't manage tasks like washing, dressing and feeding
yourself, contact social services. They are listed in the phone
book under the name of your council. They can provide home carers
and other support. Depending on your income and any assets you
have, many local councils will expect you to make a contribution
towards the cost of your care at home. But don't let this put
you off asking in the first place.
What to do next
Make a list of your difficulties
and needs, being as specific as possible:
- I need help to shower
- I'm struggling to dress myself
- I can no longer cook for myself safely.
Then phone social services and ask for a FREE commuity care needs
assessment. A professional will come to your home and
assess what help you need. It's important you are clear with
them about the difficulties you have - don't 'gloss over' them!
Even if you plan to arrange and pay for care independently, get
an assessment. The social worker may have solutions you
hadn't thought of, plus good local contacts.
If you're entitled to care from
social services
Some people find the home carers provided by the hospital and
social services excellent. Others end up never seeing the same
person twice, carers arriving late or people they don't like. You
can choose a personal budget instead. Social services tells you how
much money you can have to meet your assessed needs, and you spend
your personal budget on carers you choose yourself.
Another option is to top up the care social services provides
free with some private care.
Personal budgets and direct payments - what's the
difference?
Direct payments are the forerunner to personal budgets. The
difference is that direct payments are more restrictive - you're
given the money (in cash) but you can only use it to employ a carer
or buy in the care you are assessed for.
Personal budgets are more flexible - you can decide what to
spend the budget on (social services normally holds the money for
you) as long as it meets your assessed needs. You can still take
the money and become an employer or you can also ask your council
to manage the money and carers for you. There are other options too
so it can be confusing so it's best to get in touch with social
services to find out more.
What's the advantage of personal budgets and direct
payments?
Choice. You get to choose your care or carer to suit your needs.
If you employ someone, you can dismiss the person if it doesn't
work out. You fix the hours and terms.
How to find good carers
Contact independent living schemes. They're run by disabled
people for disabled people and tend to know reliable local people
including support brokers*. Disability Rights UK (0845 026 4748, disabilityrightsuk.org),
can give you details of independent living schemes in your
area.
* A support broker helps you make the most of your budget. Find
one by contacting the National Brokerage Network (01223 883149, nationalbrokeragenetwork.org.uk).
Or contact Counsel and Care, (0845 300 7585, counselandcare.org.uk)
for advice.
Did you know….Just as you
can use a travel agent to find you the best holiday, so you can use
a support broker to seek out the best carer for you.
If you employ help yourself, rather than accepting what's
offered, there's paperwork such as public liability insurance, pay
as you earn (PAYE) and National Insurance (NI). You can ask someone
else to do it such as:
- your broker
- a trusted friend or relative who has Enduring Power of
Attorney
- social services
- a direct payment support service. Ask an independent living
scheme (see above) or your council for recommendations. The
National Centre for Independent Living, (see above) can also
advise.
Did you know…you are
usually not allowed to employ a relative as your carer unless they
live at a different address. In exceptional circumstances -
language difficulties or where only a family member can perform the
caring role - you may use direct payments or personal budgets to
employ a relative. But the relationship between you and them must
be set down in a formal contract.
Paying for care in your home
When the social worker comes to assess your care needs, they
should offer you a separate financial needs assessment. They will
decide whether the council will pay for some or all of your care,
or whether you will need to pay for it all yourself. Whatever
the decision, remember that you can claim Attendance Allowance
however much money you have. You can then use it to pay for
care, though it probably won't cover everything.
Different conditions apply in Wales, Scotland and Northern
Ireland; Counsel and Care (0845 300 7585, counselandcare.org.uk) can advise
on this.
Useful contacts
Wales: Disability
Wales (029 2088 7325,
disabilitywales.org/independent-living/direct-payments)
Scotland: Update,
Scotland's disability information service, (0131 669 1600, update.org.uk).
Scottish Helpline for Older People (SHOP) 0845 125 9732
Care Information Scotland, (08456 001 001, careinfoscotland.co.uk)
Northern Ireland: the
Centre for Individual Living, Belfast (02890 648546, cilbelfast.org) will tell you
about independent living centres in your area.
Do you need someone to sleep at
your home overnight?
Your local primary care trust (PCT) or social services can
usually provide night carers only if you need pain-relieving care
because you are terminally ill. If your safety is at risk because
of dementia, contact the Alzheimer's Society for advice (0845 300
0336, alzheimers.org.uk).
Overnight care can be expensive but if you need it, ask your
support broker or care manager to help you plan how to pay for
it.
Do you need special equipment to
stay in your home?
A powered bath seat, stair lift or grab rail? Ask social
services to send an occupational therapist to assess your needs and
work out how your home can be adapted.
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