Ed Balls Crisis in Care.

One of the best homes I have heard of is run by a charitable trust called Abbeyfield. I wonder if it wouldn't be possible to develop more charity run homes. They have a very different atmosphere and support both staff and customers much better. Perhaps the government could offer support through tax breaks and other modifications.

I thought it was an excellent programme, clearly showing the problems and shortcomings of the care system to those lucky enough not to have had any experience of it. Ed Balls is never afraid to get stuck in and put himself in situations where most of our beloved politicians would run a mile. However, he admitted he hadn’t tackled the issue when he was in government and still had no real answers. Like the NHS it’s too big a problem to be properly addressed by the party in power, whichever it may be, without consensus from all sides and none of them have the will to do it.

dragonfly46

I should add that I was very happy with the care my parents received. The place was a bit shabby in parts but the carers were not all young and they were local residents who had been there for years.
Each person was treated as an individual right up to their death.

Except for the shabby you could be describing my late mother in laws care home. Wonderful home.
The worst one we viewed was a BUPA home. So bad I reported them. That was after I told them exactly what I thought of their establishment.

Absolutely agree Luckygirl when LAs were no longer responsible for care homes standards immediately dropped. Staff as well as residents were valued by LA staff. Training was given and a career structure in place.
Homes were carefully regulated by senior management. Let's not forget we are not just talking here about homes for older people but those with physical, and learning disabilities as well.
There is very little regulation now, the CQC is a joke as others have said. I repeat what I have said before on here, we leave the care of the most vulnerable in our society to the least skilled and paid.

dragonfly46

I often think Ed Balls and Yvette Cooper should run the country!

Crazy thing is I’m sure Ed could easily get an overwhelming vote to become PM purely because he was on Strictly. Not because he’s a socially aware intelligent person. I usually avoid programmes about dementia but I did watch this. It was very hard hitting. His programme about America was good, to. I really rate Yvette. Currently doing stirling work on the committees she’s on.

I was so fed up when the government's announcements about tackling the care system had nothing whatsoever about standards and quality of care; and nothing about dealing with the iniquitous system of continuing health care funding which is granted to virtually nobody and has to be fought for.

How these carers still manage to provide care with dignity for their residents is beyond imagining.

When I was a SW in the field all care homes were run by the LA - they were good homes, with proper staff training and support and proper a career system, where they could climb the ladder and get pay increments. And then what happened? Conservative dogma dictated that they should move to private ownership. I think the government were working under the delusion that this would be a cheaper option - it is not of course cheaper for anyone. Immediately we were faced with poor standards, cost-cutting and a miserable monitoring system that was never fit for purpose.

The government's new plans address none of this.

In order to get proper high quality care for my OH I had eventually to sell my home because what was laughingly called a "top-up" from me amounted to about £60,000 a year.

And things are no better under the care-at-home system. I cannot begin to describe to you that problems I had getting quality carers with the right skills and at the right times. And live-in care, which I resorted to in the end, was a joke - untrained carers whom I had to monitor every minute of the day - and no choice - when one carer left for their break period there was no choice about who you got next.

It is a farce and a disgrace, in spite of the fact that individual carers really do care and they are working their tripe out.

I should add that I was very happy with the care my parents received. The place was a bit shabby in parts but the carers were not all young and they were local residents who had been there for years.
Each person was treated as an individual right up to their death.

I was shocked when looking into who owned the care home my daughter worked for how many were large corporations who also owned restaurant chains. Residents are commodities.
For a few years I worked in a privately owned home,part of a group of 5. Yes,staff costs are expensive. With regards to the rest everything was done as cheaply as possible. The only time there was any sign of luxury was when there was announced CQC visit. If it wasnt so heartbreaking it would be funny. Ooh chocolate biscuits and new towels to replace the threadbare ones! A glance at the owners Instagram page would make me see the,he had frequent luxury holidays and an excessive collection of luxury cars.
This was one of the better care homes but in no way was it value for money for the residents.
The staff were often under 30. They worked 12 hour shifts with a one hour unpaid lunch. No sick pay. No rights. Worked every other weekend and xmas/ new year. It is an incredibly skilled job made harder by almost permenant staff shortages. That said I was touched by the love and dedication of these young people. Career progression is limited,you may become a head of care or deputy but for very little extra money but tremendous extra responsibility.
What makes it even more infuriating is the billions this government has wasted in the past year alone.
It's a complex situation. Social care needs taking apart,putting back together and strictly regulating. It should not be profit based.
Unfortunately to many greedy people are lining their pockets. Sadly most people are unaware of the situation until the need arises to access it.
I genuinely wonder what it will take for the general public to demand change. If the past 18months havent nudged peoples conscience I dont know what will!

We thought that it was an excellent programme. Am I right in thinking that any form of dementia is not classified as an illness? When DHs sister was dying from a brain tumour, she had carers going in four times a day the state paid for it, her son was shocked to hear that if she had alzheimer's she would have had to pay.

I remember a neighbour who didnt have the bed sides up either.It was considered that it would limit her freedom and rights.
Someone must have pulled them up later for she became entangled in the bars and the fire brigade were called to release her.

Simply speaking Linclass a care home with 40 residents would need approximately the same number of staff. Including care staff, cleaners, catering staff, handyman etc. Average £3000 salary per month each before tax, plus employers contribution to pensions etc.. That doesn’t factor in wear and repair, electricity etc., rates, maintenance of the building, food and consumables etc.

I would rather die than go into a care home and that’s precisely what I intend.

www.theguardian.com/society/2019/sep/19/84-of-care-home-beds-in-england-owned-by-private-firms, therein lies a problem. Profit before people, they have to provide all items for their establishment. At 3000 per month for each resident x 40 is a huge amount of money. Would like someone to point out where it all goes.

My dad was in care for 2 and a half years and my mum for 4 years and between them they spent £312,000. My mum's care was the most expensive as she had severe dementia.
Btw it was my dad's choice that they went into care.

I was appalled that the very sick man - in bed and in need of 24 hour observation - was refused for continuing health care funding - what a farce!

I was also very puzzled that this man, who kept falling out of bed and injuring himself, did not have the bedsides up.

When I compare this home physically to the nursing home where my OH spent his last months I am glad that I spent a fortune on his care - he was in homely room with a bed that looked like an ordinary divan (but in fact had all the bells and whistles), carpeted room, nice built-in bedroom furniture - the surroundings were lovely. A comfortable and homely place to be.

And any activities were high quality - not like the ghastly man trying to do an Elvis impersonation - it was cringe-worthy. Why should people have to have such rubbish inflicted on them just because they are incapacitated?

The whole business of care of the disabled and elderly is in a total mess. And does our government give a toss........?

Soroptimum, you 'don’t want to get political' - whyever not? It's an absolute disgrace, don't you think, in a rich country, that resources for care have been plummeting (in real terms) since at least 2010?

Until you (or a relative) need care, you assume that things are working, or at least ticking over, but they're not. All behind closed doors, out of sight and out of mind.

I agree with Nonogran. Everything she has written describes how my husband and I felt after watching the programme. My husband is 86 yrs.old and has to do so much for me, I am 83yrs old and waiting for replacement shoulder and replacement knees, must be patient with waiting for a date. Have to have shoulder done first, then build up strength to use sticks to assist walking after knees are done.

I didn’t watch the programme but I’m well aware of the crisis in the care system.

Yes, but trisher, plenty of people don't know all that, and for plenty of others it goes in at one ear and comes out of the other. The programme was for them, and for the millions of others who've never given the care crisis any thought at all. Let's hope that now some of them will be sitting up and taking more notice.

I don't need to watch a programme about it. I know that there are people who can't get carers. I know there are care agencies which have been condemned by the CQC but which are still fuctioning because they are needed. That those agencies "cook the books" to show they are doing more than they actually are, and that people are sometimes left sitting up all night because their evening carer never came. The exodus of foreigners after Brexit meant hundreds of care staff went home. Given the level of pay and the lack of recognition care work isn't seen as a great career.

dragonfly46

I often think Ed Balls and Yvette Cooper should run the country!

I think so too!!

DH and I watched it, it wasn't an eye opener for us to see the true dedication and compassion of the carers, my father and DHs mother both had dementia and the carers were so patient and 'caring'.
Carers are definitely undervalued and underpaid, present and past governments have promised action but they're hollow words.
I dread getting old.
I was shocked to hear the family of one elderly gentleman who had had to sell his house and in 3 years had paid £582,00 for his care.

I quite like Ed Balls,and he has actualy got some.
I shall be watching it at some point.

Good for Ed Balls. I watched it and it was painful viewing. I'd like to think that many MPs watched it too and will say so loud and clear. That's what it will take to make anything happen.

Excellent if not depressing programme. Such a broken system and no real solution in sight. Ed Balls was great, his communication skills were in evidence as he genuinely cared for the elderly residents.
I agree with dragonfly46, but don’t want to get political