Anyone getting funding for overnight support?

[Jenne_1907]

Hi everyone,

Just wondering if anyone has a caree who's getting overnight support funded by the LA, through direct payments or otherwise.

If they have managed to maintain overnight funding - how? What's the magic combination of needs that makes the belt-tighteners say "yes, this is an ongoing need"?

The LA has funded the overnights my family member receives for over a decade without any question at all, but now suddenly (*snip snip* budget cuts) they're quibbling over what support is needed, how often/when/etc and want "evidence" to support the ongoing need. It's ridiculous, as my family member's needs have become much greater since they originally began receiving overnight support, but of course money trumps logic/sense/understanding. It's clear to me now that they only want to evidence things so they can weasel out of continuing paying at the current level.

So, I'm trying to compile a list of the help my family member relies upon during the night (such a help to toilet/maintaining pain relief/turning and sitting up in bed/drinking/helping with nighttime anxieties etc) to make it abundantly clear that the support is essential, but due to the LA's apparent determination to cut my family member's funding nothing seems like it's going to be enough to convince them.

Just wondering if anyone has any advice or suggestions on how to convince the powers that be that the support is still needed, now more than ever....

Thanks!

[Chris From The Gulag]

Hi Jenne.

Straight answer ?

Like having the same 6 as Camelot's 6 tonight.

A new thread ... intended to be a mini bible ... on home care services :

https://www.carersuk.org/forum/support- ... site-37984

Within that thread is all you need to launch a review and ... thereafter ... an official complaint.

( OVERNIGHT CARE ... search of the forum ... 882 references as I type : https://www.carersuk.org/forum/search?k ... mit=Search )

[Jenne_1907]

Thanks, Chris!

Just been having a Google about the cuts to overnight care in Scotland, under the guise that it's "moving with the times" to replace real carers with technology. Funny how this wasn't the case prior to the tribunal and subsequent increase in overnight care costs. So blatantly just a way of getting councils (and the government) out of paying people better for the services they provide. I feel like the whole idea should be exposed to national and local newspapers, as it's wrong on so many levels!

I found this while on the hunt for more info, not sure if it's any use but https://sctt.org.uk/programmes/telecare ... t-support/ Looks more like a "butt covering" exercise than legitimate feedback from people who rely on nighttime care. I really do not believe there would be many who would happily replace on-hand care with alarms and drop-in support.

[bowlingbun]

Has your caree had an NHS Continuing Healthcare Assessment?

[Chris From The Gulag]

Had to smile.

Technology for carers ... or ... how to save even more monies ?

Just ask the thousands in sheltered housing ... would they prefer an old fashioned on site warden ... or the latest in technological
devices which would not know if the intended user was dead ... and had been for days / weeks ?

I In case it's needed ... CHC / NHS Continuing healthcare ... https://www.carersuk.org/forum/support- ... read-35998 )

[Jenne_1907]

@BowlingBun - Not had one this year yet, but had one late last year (needs haven't increased significantly) and they were just shy of meeting the criteria for the full assessment. They don't need any medical help with catheters and the like (yet) so I really don't think they're going to qualify for it, but I fear the LA is going to leave them high and dry should they decide to go ahead with the proposed cuts to their current care package.

@Chris - The whole thing is ridiculous and will eventually be exposed as having put people at risk, I'm sure of it. The LA are trying to push my family member into extra sheltered (or a care home) by withdrawing support and making it impossible for them to live at home. It's all cost cutting again because they wouldn't be better off in extra sheltered when all the wardens are machines now.

The thing is, when it comes to forcing people receiving direct payments for care into accepting a Telecare service over an actual carer, it completely takes away "choice" and "control" which is the whole selling point of Direct Payments. Not sure how they can get away with it, but a change needs to come real soon. Change, and a cash injection to save all this stress being piled on to of folks who don't need it.

[Londonbound]

In our area overnight or indeed any kind of extra support is just not available, if a disabled/elderly person needs more help then yes they are encouraged to go into extra care/sheltered housing.

But yes there is a risk if there was a fire, many elderly disabled would struggle to get out of bed fast, pressing your lifeline wouldn't actually get you rescued, just call the fire brigade.

I was very worried about my caree in case of a fire, I would have to run around and help them out, would have been safer with an overnight carer but the council simply didn't do that, too much money.

Our Council NYCC have invested I think its about 20 million building extra care units for elderly/disabled.

They are brand new buildings, you get your own flat, services on site, night time carers, restaurant, community areas etc, no worrys about maintenance, fixing the roof etc.

They are lovely but it means elderly/disabled would have to move out of their own homes, where they may have lived 40 years plus and away from their community, local friends etc.
So instead of paying for 50 indivudual night time care packages, you are paying for say 3-4 on site carers.