Corona virus
Please can someone tell us if CUK has any ideas views about the virus? What are we supposed to do if we get sick, or our career gets sick. I’m also concerned about my son who works for the council.
Given the problems many of us have in normal circumstances, with SSD, I’m not optimistic!
Is the government going to pay family members if normal support is unavailable?
If self isolation is required, how are we going to get food?
If anyone else has unanswered concerns please join in!
If family member carers get I’ll, will local Social Services have extra carers on standby?
Subject already being discussed here:
https://www.carersuk.org/forum/support-and-advice/all-about-caring/coronavirus-and-caring-39888
CUK has factsheet o n main website here:
https://www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice/health/looking-after-your-health/77-help-advice/health/your-mental-and-physical-health/6268-coronavirus-guidance
Some of these questions were partially answered by the Prime Minister yesterday; as you are abroad at the moment suggest you check the news feed on your tablet.
Information from GOV.UK website
Hi,
Carers UK has put some guidance on this subject on its main website:
https://www.carersuk.org/help-and-advic … s-guidance
although I am not sure anyone has all the answers yet.
Just been advised today, care home not allowing visitors as a precaution for 2 weeks minimum, (starting from tomorrow), although no suspected Corona virus cases there yet. Fully appreciate they are trying to protect vulnerable older people and difficult decisions have to be made. However the thought of being cut off for 2 weeks when mum noticeably declines if I don’t See her for 3 days is really worrying. I hope there will be some sort of longer term contingency plan if this continues for months as we can’t all be cut off from each other indefinitely. I wish she could use FaceTime or something but I don’t have an iPad to give her and she would need help to use one anyway. In the meantime, we just need to wait for updates and hope for the best. The uncertainty is difficult for everyone, so good communication and timely information is needed. Fortunately I got to see her earlier, but for people who didn’t get a chance to visit it could come as a shock at the short notice.
I’ve been in Cyprus for 2 weeks, home Wednesday evening. I have had phone calls and emails throughout yesterday in an ever changing situation. What was planned in the morning changed in the afternoon!
M goes to three different day services. It used to be one but SSD wanted service users to have variety. Now it’s been decided that he can now only go to one, the closest on Tuesday and This day is the most logical one, but no information from SSD about how Monday and Wednesday will be covered. Day services won’t do things in the community like the gym. As we live on the edge of the New Forest I suggested walks in the Forest instead. He cannot be left alone for long periods. Nothing official from SSD yet! I’m not supposed to care for anyone ever again, it the phone calls have put subtle pressure on me again to step in to help. I had decided when I was away to transfer responsibility for various things to the care provider as I’m expected to do too much and thee were all sorts of M related jobs waiting for me when I opened my mail mountain!
Of course , Mr.Useless himself (Jeremy Hunt) has now suggested that 'SOCIAL DISTANCING" be introduced, including the banning of external visits to Care Homes. Just as he displayed his complete ignorance of the NHS during his previous tenure as health secretary, it is blazingly obvious that he has NO IDEA what he’s talking about in his new "hobby"position as care Tsar.
I am all for a few restrictions and strict controls, however, problem number 1 is the terribly low or absent standard of care in almost all care homes in the UK, and secondly LONLINESS.
It would be nice to think that giving all the oldies an iPad would fix everything, but it’s impractical as getting my Mum to respond to her phone, let alone a Facetime call is almost impossible. Facetiming with the family is normally successful during a visit by my Dad, but on her own?.. doesn’t work.
I know my Dad will be livid if he can’t visit…with his failing eyesight due to ridiculous waiting lists for his cataract operation, he is forced to take a local minibus in order to get to the care home, which does a scenic tour of the region picking up others before he gets there or gets home. The normal bus would involve a substantial walk from the busstop…impossible in his current condition as an 89 year old. He’s already frustrated that he can’t drive. Also he can’t see the iPad used to “SIGN IN” when you visit the home.
Without his regular visits, there is more or less no monitoring of my Mum, her general wellbeing, the state of her dressings, or cleanliness and hygeine. My sister also visits once a week and does the same as you cannot depend on the home, its management or staff.
Here we are in a pandemic, yet staff are walking around coughing everywhere and without correct protective gear or countermeasures. Complaints end on deaf ears…or…as is the case with urgent e-mails to the management, 3 months to receive a reply.
Add to this a hospital under “Special Measures” (we are talking the Isle of Wight here…) in an area with a large elderly population, and we are talking an impending disaster.
I sympathise with others here who have even more complex care situations. Most are already overstressed and overloaded.
I wish you all the best in the coming weeks!!
PS: Where is the Governments new Care Plan?..
This just shows how dire out health and social care system is and government ministers and local councils need to wake up and put more investment in to services instead of trying to do things on the cheap and cutting back essentials. We have been running on minimum services for so long that it’s somehow become acceptable despite Carers and staff reporting failings time and time again. All that seems to happen is another 200 word report but no real action.i Hope you get some help Bowlingbun. I know an iPad is no match for spending time together- i’m just clutching at straws as marginally ? Better than nothing. But who has any spare iPads and time to use them anyway especially in older generation.
Will an iPad cook a meal, bathe an elderly person, go shopping? No.
Learning Disability England sent me a poster to display. It uses language he wouldn’t understand.
We are due to go to South Devon soon, but that probably won’t happen. I cared for mum for over 30 years. When she died she left me some money which is invested, Indirectly via the Stock Exchange!
Susieq
I have no friends and family who are willing to help at the best of times…so they are not going to be willing and able now are they.
And if my partner or myself get this virus.no one will want to come anywhere near my carees.
Bowlingbun
I cant see why the support workers cant take your son for daily walks in the forest If day services reduced or closed.
It would be easier for them to do it rather than you…they are far closer.
I dont understand why they are hinting that you do it. Except maybe they have some to support who dont have parents around and they know some staff are likely to get sick so want parents to step in.
But he is in supported accomodation as it was too much years ago. For you so it would be way too much now.
We moved to this house in 1976 before M was born. Since then I’ve had 8 operations, SSD know all about them but often forget that there can be consequences. I can walk pain free after knee replacement, but can’t kneel down. 3 abdominal ops mean I can’t lift anything heavy, bend over for long, and I tire really easily. None of which gets a mention on my Carers Assessment!!! I keep saying it’s inaccurate and incomplete. Ignored.