Tier 4 and caring

Specific disabilities and conditions
1

Hi, I am struggling like a lot with the new Tier restrictions and not sure how it applies and what I can do.
I help to look after my Mother giving her baths each week and give my Dad respite at times.My Mum has dementia and alzheimers, where the conditions were confirmed in March this year.

I cannot form the standard support bubble as I live with someone. My brother lives with my parents. We are all in Tier 4 currently.

Can I still go in to give my Mum baths and give my Dad respite breaks by looking after my Mum? My father is physically unable to lift my Mother due to having had strokes but is fully capable to manage in everyday life but as you know carer is tiring so I give respite care. It is undignified for my brother to give her baths which could involve lifting her out of the bath and hoping that I can continue? Could I also carry on giving my Dad the respite breaks from my Mum?

Advise would be gratefully received. Thank you

2

Hi J,

welcome to the forum.

Yes you can, the guidance says;


Meeting others and care
1 in 3 people who have coronavirus have no symptoms and will be spreading it without realising it.

You can leave home > to visit people in your support bubble, or to provide informal childcare for children aged 13 and under as part of a childcare bubble, > to provide care for vulnerable people, > to provide emergency assistance, attend a support group (of up to 15 people), or > for respite care where that care is being provided to a vulnerable person or a person with a disability> , or is a short break in respect of a looked after child.

Melly1

3

There is a much, much better answer to the bath issue.
NO ONE should be lifting someone in and out of the bath, very dangerous for carer and caree!
My mum always enjoyed a daily bath, even when very disabled, with the aid of an “Archimedes Bath Lift” supplied FREE, on loan, by Social Services.

4

Thank you to both of you @Melly1 and @bowlingbun
Also for letting me know about the bath lift :slight_smile: Most times my Mum can manage but on a rare occasions she thinks she has a knee injury [which she did have over 10 years ago and doesn’t any more] and we have to work with it.
Thank you again