Advice RE Respite care

Idpullthecurtain

elsien said:

When your partner has her carers assessment, she needs to not underplay the impact that caring is having. Many carers for any number of reasons minimise the impact that caring is having on them.
Your partner really needs to be saying that without respite there is a strong risk of carer breakdown. 

Thanks for this advice.  And that is true.  That is my fear.

elsien

Does she have any outside care coming in at the moment, Because if not, that’s something that could also be looked at as well as respite.
it’s probably what the local authority would suggest first.

Idpullthecurtain

elsien said:

Does she have any outside care coming in at the moment, Because if not, that’s something that could also be looked at as well as respite.
it’s probably what the local authority would suggest first.

She currently doesnt have any at all.  We have had them previously for a holiday, but it was expensive and we paid, we didnt think a LA might cover it.

elsien

LA covering it would be subject to the usual financial assessment if it was an assessed need. Based on the person's income and savings, not on that of the carer. 
Paying for care at home | Age UK

I would ask the question about daily care anyway - it's no fun doing your back in and it can be unsafe for the person and the carer trying to move someone immobile on your own. Have you had any OT input around slide sheets, moving, etc?

Are you properly up to speed on the care act assessment process?
Care needs assessments | Independent Age

There is a big backlog for assessments at the  moment because of the pressure local authorities are under so if you don't hear anything for a number of weeks then push and keep pushing, highlighting why you are a priority. At the moment, it can be those who shout loudest, although it shouldn't be like that. 

Albermarle

Idpullthecurtain said:

elsien said:

When your partner has her carers assessment, she needs to not underplay the impact that caring is having. Many carers for any number of reasons minimise the impact that caring is having on them.
Your partner really needs to be saying that without respite there is a strong risk of carer breakdown. 

Thanks for this advice.  And that is true.  That is my fear.

It is a natural instinct for a family/carer to put on a brave face for the outside world. However when they have the assessment, they need to lay it on a bit thick but without going OTT.

As already said, home carers and a OT assessment ( can also take months) are normally the first step, and then respite as an add on later maybe.

Savvy_Sue

elsien said:

When your partner has her carers assessment, she needs to not underplay the impact that caring is having. Many carers for any number of reasons minimise the impact that caring is having on them.
Your partner really needs to be saying that without respite there is a strong risk of carer breakdown. 

Agree. In a very different case, with a child with high support needs, a friend had to challenge the notion that no harm would come to the child if no respite was offered. They were close to breakdown, but it was easier for the assessor to believe that they'd carry on coping!

elsien

The previous link was more relevant for the care assessment for your partner's mother. 
Your partner would need to think about different things for her own assessment as a carer - if she has not requested one then she should do.
It is possible to do a joint assessment covering both the cared for person and the carer - that is an individual choice and it can work -  my personal view is that separate ones more clearly identify the differing needs and where these may conflict. 

Carer's assessment | Carers UK

analogueauntie

I have been to the national respite centre in Scotland (Leuchie House - which is wonderful) and used my Direct Payments for it, but unfortunately the gossip from fellow guests is that organising local authority funding can be a nightmare and is very much a postcode lottery.

teddysmum

It hasn't been mentioned, but the mother does have AA or DLA ?

Idpullthecurtain

teddysmum said:

It hasn't been mentioned, but the mother does have AA or DLA ?

Sorry to ask a silly question, but what are they?  TIA