GRANTS FOR SUITABLE BED

[carer1]

Hello all

Does anyone know where i can get a GRANT fro a new bed for my daughter? she has continually wet it and now it's stinking, it's even gone throught to the base.

I have had a waterproof sheet on it but she started to take it off, i racked my brains for a soulution and ended up using mini ratchet straps to keep it on the bed. She didn't like that idea so she decided to rip it up - i'm at the end of my tether - last week she kept fiddling with the light switches and blew the flourescent light fittings, i had to go to Cardiff from Wiltshire to get a set of matching ones Grrrrr!

Get I.S, carers etc. Can't try the Family Fund as they gave a grant for a holiday this year.

Thanks all

Rory

[Lazydaisy]

Family Fund may still help you. We once had a holiday, and then washing machine broke down. I wrote to them, and they approved a washing machine also for us.

Otherwise, try Income support, for a Social Fund grant. They may be able to help with bedding too.

[carer1]

Hi, thanks for a quick reply.

I did consider trying the FF but we REALLY depend on the FF for a holiday, otherwise we'd probably go crazy and kill each other Would asking them for another grant affect the likelihood of a holiday grant?

A second problem we have is that we cannot fit my daughter's quilts into the washing machine, nor into the tumble drier. By the time i drive the 6 miles to the nearest laundrette, pay for a wash and dry it's cheaper to buy a new quilt, and seeing as on average i buy a new one every 6 weeks because it gets so soiled, you can see that it costs me a fortune that i just don't have.

A social fund maybe an option but my daughter's condition requires a divan bed as they have no hard edges, and i would still require either a waterproof matress or a fully encapsulating matress protector, do you think the social fund would go for that? If not, it'd be a waste of money them trying to get me to buy something different, they may as well give the money to someone else!

[Guest]

You have probably thought of this but to prevent the urine soaking through to the new divan would it help to buy a waterproof mattress rather than a standard mattress and using a mattress cover for protection ? This site has a range:

http://www.mattressman.co.uk/snuggle_co ... swodEihYGw

And you buy can waterproof duvet covers too to save you having to wash and replace the duvet, you could use a standard duvet cover over the waterproof cover]http://www.youreableshop.co.uk/product/ ... N4040.html[/url]

These are just a couple of examples of suppliers, there are others and the prices and products available will vary.

I would certainly try the Social Fund in addition to any other organisation that you approach. From what I have heard it is probably best to ask for as much as possible as the social fund tends to offer less than you ask for, so go for the costliest items but perhaps someone who has used the fund can help here.

There is another organisation which might be helpful as well, it has a helpline, a list of charitable organisations and whether they are currently taking applications for grants and a link to information on the Social Fund as well as a search facility]http://www.aco.uk.net[/url]

It is so wrong that we have to fund these items ourselves or go searching for grants, if the people we care were not living in the community they would be funded out of taxation, our only concession is VAT relief and that is dependent on where we buy the products.

Good luck with the funding and I hope that you find a solution which will make the problem easier to manage, let us know how you get on, one person's experience can often be another person's solution.

[Myrtle]

A second problem we have is that we cannot fit my daughter's quilts into the washing machine, nor into the tumble drier.

Same problem, so I cut them down the middle, sewed up the edges and sewed velcro along both. One quilt on the bed, 2 quilts to fit in the washer.

[poppett]

Helped someone with a similar problem last year and got everything required funded from a Community Care Grant.

On the form we explained the need for the type of bed being asked for and why a bog standard cheap alternative would not be suitable. Enclosed two similarly expensive adverts for what was required, one from home shopping catalogue and highlighted the price with the longest payment terms, therefore the dearest.

In the end the award was for the bed required, suitable mattress, eight pillows (gent needed to be in a double bed but wedged with pillows to stop movement when fitting) two duvets (one on and one being aired, the thoery being the spare is kept with the cover on ready to be used in a jiffy) and four sets of bed linen.

Small award made at first for basic bed and one duvet, pillow and set of linen, but on appeal the full amount was awarded and the lady suggested asking for a budgeting loan in a few months time to help with replacing linens as required. This was done with a note saying who had recommended the application and £500 was granted to be paid back at £10 a week out of benefit.

Hope this is helpful.

Take care
Meg

[myra]

my son is doubley incontinent also severe epilepsy where he also wets during seizures i was having the same problems as you plus due to his severe learning disability he thumps and drops down on the bed rather heavily and breaks it.
but about 10 year ago i asked social services to try and get me an old hospital bed, they done better they got me a new one metal framed and with a waterproof hospital matresss and about 2 years ago out the blue i got a brand new electronic one that rises and falls with a new waterproof matress.

try that.


myra

[carer1]

wow - quick replies! I'll deal with them one by one;

Myra; thankyou for ur suggestion. Unfortunatley, SS here in Wiltshire is complete pants. I pleaded with them about a year ago to supply us with a crelling harness (a houdini seatbelt if you will) after Kira grabbed my hair whilst drivng resulting in damaged suspension. Their reply was "not our problem, we wouldn't fund that sort of thing". Had to save for nearly 6 months out of income support to be able to buy one! Maybe i'll move to your area!

Meg; agin, thankyou for your post. I was under the impression that a community care grant would not be available for us due to it's eligiblity criteria? However, in light of your suggestion it is certainly worth a try!

Myrtle; This was a good idea but in our particular case i don't think it would work, we'd spend more time putting the quilts back together!

Parisfal; Thankyou for your links. Are the Snuggle mattresses waterproof then? i loooked at the site but it didn't say anything about waterproof mattresses, when i typed in "waterproof" into the search, it came back with no results I haven't checked the waterproof duvet section but i certainly will! Called your 3rd suggestion www.aco.uk.net and found them very useful in regards to funding possibles, i'm waiting for a call back from them this week.

Lazydaisy; thanks to you as well for your post. Did you ever apply for a holiday grant afterwards? How did you get on with that?

Again, thanks everyone. Now off to the social fund website to download it's 37 page application form! Maybe i'll save some cash and get them to post it out instead - keep those suggestions coming!!!

[Guest]

Hi there

I also used the Family Fund when my son was alive and after paying for a washing machine when mine broke they also got me a fridge freezer when I applied again after a few weeks. thry don't really seem to have a set amount to lend. You can only try as they can only say no. Take Care Alison

[poppett]

If there is any family connection with the armed forces then your local SSAFA may be able to help. The connection can be quite distant, a grandad perhaps. My friend got help a while back and the connection was that her step father was in the army!

They will be able to help you to apply to other charities if appropriate, or they can`t fund all your needs.

Does your local carers forum have a grant scheme which may help? The criteria is "something to make the carers life easier" which gives lots of scope with a well worded letter.

Princess Royal Trust for carers may be able to help if they have local funding available.

Take care
Meg