Help with Carers Assessment

Saversue · 25 March 2017 at 2:26AM

I have just received a letter to inform me that I will be entitled to help as my Mother's Carer and will have a face to face assessment in a couple of weeks. this will be with a social worker from the Council where my Mother lives and will take place in my home.

I have completed the assessment forms and have had a reply within five days but have little knowledge of the process or what £ range the award could be or what help may be offered and would be very grateful for any advice or information.

I understand an amount of £ can be used to pay for services for myself from the Council, or as a Direct Payment, which would involve me becoming an employee and arranging everything myself. This would be self-defeating if the time and effort required to arrange was more than the help that could be purchased.

My Mother receives AA and I receive DLA High Rate Care and Mobility as well as ESA Support Group. No one claims Carers Allowance for either of us.

I didn't apply with the intention of receiving any money, but very nearly at breaking point, needed some support and help to carry on.
I may well refuse financial assistance, but am unable to care for Mum and myself without some support and Mum refuses to have any Carers or Social Services input herself.

Cyclamen · 25 March 2017 at 10:31AM

Have a look at the carers uk website and your local carers charity they usually have examples and information.

You are usually awarded a number of hours which the council converts into money. So they may offer you 3 hours as a sitting service to give you a break or 2 hours cleaning. This can then be used to buy in care from an agency.. do tell the agencies it is a direct payment as lots of agencies have two prices one for direct payments which is lower than the 'self funders'. You could also pay a friend, relative or employ privately.

It sounds like Mum would be entitled to her own care package. This si the favoured route as the 'service user' is assessed for a financial contribution. Carers packages don't have financial contribution. If you don't live with your Mum she may be able to employ you to do her care work but that wont take the pressure off.

It could be time to explain to your Mum that you are struggling and try an dmake her understand that having carers can be a good thing. I have carers and spent a long time reassuring my gran when her time came as she wasn't keen. It meant her family could have quality time with her as they were not always doing the care tasks.

I hope you find a solution.

Saversue · 25 March 2017 at 7:12PM

Thanks for the reply Cyclamen.

Mum would be entitled to a Care Package, they tried arrange this last time she was is hospital and then in a Rehabilitation Care Home a couple of months ago. However we already know that she would not qualify for any care paid for by Social Services once they did a financial assessment
.
This is because we have been through that process before and Mum was disgusted that she had to provide all her details to be told she didn't qualify and vowed she would never be so humiliated again.
We now pay for a gardener and a cleaner and Mum has told SS she will get her own help for anything else she needs.
However she just said this to enable her to come home as, I believe, they can't force you to have a Care Package if self- funding.

I have looked at Carers UK, that's what encouraged me to get a Carers Assessment, that and the fact some of my doctors thought I needed help to avoid a break-down.

SandraScarlett · 25 March 2017 at 11:12PM

Saversue wrote: »

I have just received a letter to inform me that I will be entitled to help as my Mother's Carer and will have a face to face assessment in a couple of weeks. this will be with a social worker from the Council where my Mother lives and will take place in my home.

I have completed the assessment forms and have had a reply within five days but have little knowledge of the process or what £ range the award could be or what help may be offered and would be very grateful for any advice or information.

I understand an amount of £ can be used to pay for services for myself from the Council, or as a Direct Payment, which would involve me becoming an employee and arranging everything myself. This would be self-defeating if the time and effort required to arrange was more than the help that could be purchased.

My Mother receives AA and I receive DLA High Rate Care and Mobility as well as ESA Support Group. No one claims Carers Allowance for either of us.

I didn't apply with the intention of receiving any money, but very nearly at breaking point, needed some support and help to carry on.
I may well refuse financial assistance, but am unable to care for Mum and myself without some support and Mum refuses to have any Carers or Social Services input herself.

Hi, and I'm sorry you're having such a tough time. When my late husband had Alzheimer's, and I was at breaking point, I found Crossroads Care very helpful. I have no idea if they are still available, but if you have one in your area, it would be worth contacting them.

They awarded me 12 hours of care every 4 weeks, and I could use this however I wished, as long as it benefitted me. So I had 3 x 1 hour visits a week, when they could bath DH, and I could have an hour of sleep. It was very heavily subsidised, and part-funded by the Peoples' Lottery and it was a real lifeline, and there were no forms to complete, I was just sent an invoice every 4 weeks.

I hope you get the help you so obviously need and deserve.

Help with Carers Assessment

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