Paying for Social Care at home

It's not actually free in Scotland. Personal and nursing care is free but thereafter it depends on if you have assets eg a house. It is free once your savings and assets drop below a certain level. DM has just moved into a care home. She gets free personal and nursing care and pays over £6000 a month as she has some savings and a house which we are having to sell. If you are married and the partner lives in the house, the assets are divided down the middle. Mum would also have had to pay for care at home but sadly became too frail and unable to be at home.

That's great paddyann. Those are the lucky ones. Most are not as fortunate. The pity is that sheer luck comes into it.

I did say someone would be along to "rubbish it" !! There are many people who get personal care who are more than happy with the service.as seen on here.We had great carers for MIL ,couldn't fault them.they supervised her making her lunch rather than take over and do it which we felt was better as it kept her active ,able to do things for herself.They helped her shower in the mornings and made her breakfast,they got her ready for bed at night and left the makings of her supper ready for her to take.they made sure her medications were taken at the right time.THATS all we needed .If she had needed more than that she would have moved to sheltered housing or into a care home .This way she stayed where she wanted to be until her last stroke when she was hospitalised for weeks until she died .Aveline will never praise any Scottish goverment initiative ,simply because she believes the Scottish government shouldn't exist !!

Aveline

It is very sad to hear, as I frequently do, elderly people saying, ' You can live too long.' None of us want to be a burden to our families. None of us want to languish in hospital or with random carers popping in as and when. To be honest, after a particularly depressing session I find myself wondering if I shouldn't just have a cigarette, a pie and a whisky. It's hard to overcome a lifetime of trying to do the right thing, exercise, eat sensibly etc if that's what it results in.

It is very sad to hear, as I frequently do, elderly people saying, ' You can live too long.'

It is Aveline.

... and I'm 'wishing' to die rather than be at the mercy of a system that is run on a shoestring which only 'delivers', in some cases, just enough care to prevent the service user (which is how I was once described) from perishing in their own homes.

Gradually throughout the years care for the elderly has been whittled down and, like the proverbial 'boiling-frogs', we've accepted it and allowed it. We've even 'encouraged' it in a way by agreeing that we are a burden, that the economy can't afford us ('it' can - it doesn't want to); and allowed successive governments (I'm not going to lay blame entirely on this current one) to stir up inter-generational warfare... boomers versus Generation Z (or whatever) to cover up their deliberate failure to meet the challenges of an ageing population in any meaningful way. Deliberate, because there's no financial gain in it for politicians and because it's easier to make false promises, then kick the problem into the long grass.

It's an appalling state of affairs. "Life" should matter from the minute of birth to the moment of death, and no-one's demise should be hastened by an indifferent society that appears to regard those over a certain age as dispensable. If we go down that path we would, ultimately, start to gauge the very validity and worth of people - making decisions about which individuals were worth 'keeping alive' or not bothering about.

It is very sad to hear, as I frequently do, elderly people saying, ' You can live too long.' None of us want to be a burden to our families. None of us want to languish in hospital or with random carers popping in as and when. To be honest, after a particularly depressing session I find myself wondering if I shouldn't just have a cigarette, a pie and a whisky. It's hard to overcome a lifetime of trying to do the right thing, exercise, eat sensibly etc if that's what it results in.

Aveline

Only certain aspects of this 'care' is free. It's quite a palaver and depends on what you're offered. My MiL was assessed as being eligible for two 15 minute visits a day. One to get her up, washed, dressed, fed and on the bus to a day centre and one to get her undressed, fed and back in bed. All assuming the bus would coincide with their exact 15 minutes! Of course that was impossible so we had to make private arrangements at cost. Free?! Not.

How can anyone be washed, dressed, fed and ready to catch a bus within 15 minutes, especially if they are elderly or unwell?

Such 'care' packages' are tantamount to neglect.

So much for 'care in the community'.

I hope I die before I ever need to rely on such 'care'.

Rather ironic that we toast the new born wishing them a "long, healthy and happy life". If you're wealthy it might actually be a reality - you'll be cared for and looked after possibly by those who, themselves, might well have to fight for survival at the closing of their lives.

Still, what's new? It was ever thus - the rich get richer, and the poor can just suck it up.

I know I'm bitterly ranting - and I'm not even a 'raving leftie' - but the way old people are treated in the UK, when they are at their most vulnerable, is indeed depresssing.

Apologies then. Aveline I was brought up to honour “My God and My Country “ and I’m proud of our wee country. 💐.

However lucky is not what I’d call families dealing with horrendous illness no mater what help they are receiving.

Let’s hope that one day all the families that need help will get the help due to them .. God willing that day won’t be too much longer, til then I’ll always praise and thank the people responsible for fighting for the vulnerable and raise awareness of the help available to them.

Best wishes to you and thanks for all you do to help those with illness and those who are lonely. 💐

Of course I'm a native Scot. It's lovely that some lucky families have some support. I volunteer in care of the elderly wards in Scotland and see the blocked beds and sad patients every week. It goes on and on. No improvement in sight.

Limited? In what way? Thats not our experience Aveline and not the experience of the others I’m in touch with across the country.

I really am sorry you don’t like the Scottish system. Such a pity you can’t see the positives we have.

I’m guessing you’re not a native Scott and have lived elsewhere that was perhaps more to your liking?

It really is strictly limited!

I think people in other parts of the UK envy the fact that the service is free in Scotland, if people are able to access it. I suspect that the actual service may be no better or worse than it is in the other countries, but as MadeInYorkshire said, lots of people elsewhere just can’t afford to pay for their care so they can’t get what they need.

It's only because I see posts saying they wish they were in Scotland that I feel I have to say what I said.

Why let that concern you?. Aveline

Nothing anywhere in the world is all rosy. I think most thinking people realise that.

But if we don’t acknowledge the good and only acknowledge the bad then we are doing a disservice to the many good hard working people /politicians from all parties that do have our interest at heart.

It’s to them that I feel thankful.

My world has changed dramatically with my husbands illness and I have experienced good and bad but I much prefer to remember the good shown to us.

My concern is that Grans think everything up here is rosy - but it certainly isn't.

Aveline I sorry you feel that way but I think that by raising awareness of self directed support it will inform the many that don’t know about it.

I am sorry too that your mil didn’t received the service and the many others that missed out but I’m sure now you are aware of it you inform others of this service.

It takes time of course for this service to be placed but as with anything involving others money but that’s only right and prober I think.

The point is that some lucky families in Scotland get a contribution to their care but very many others just don't. It would be better to wait to trumpet the much vaunted 'free' social care until everyone who needs it can actually get it.

Yes of course I realise others are waiting but the point is the service is available and free in Scotland and helping thousands of families.

In other parts of the UK it doesn’t seem to be the case.

You are very lucky indeed granniesunite. Others are still waiting. In my MiL's too late

Should have mentioned we live in Scotland.

My husband gets fours hours three days a week free care.

His carers shower, shave and dress him also cook his lunch, dinner or. whatever is required.

All paid for by my local authority.

I also know of quite a few others who receive this service from local authority.

I’m very grateful for this help in keep my husband at home.

There are 430,000 people waiting for care in England (end of March)
www.adass.org.uk/adass-spring-survey-2023-care-waiting-lists-down-but-needs-increasing
I can’t find the figures for Wales easily, but they are no doubt similar.
It’s a huge problem, and it’s going to keep getting worse until the pay, status and recognition of the importance of carers is dealt with.

I saw this today. Not a big surprise.

No time for that. It was urgent. We asked for direct payments to contribute to the carer we employed but that was going to have to go to a committee of course. Meanwhile she fell and was admitted to hospital. I agree that the assessor must have been in cloud cuckoo land but, basically, just looking to save money. So no free funding from Scottish govt for her.

Aveline

Only certain aspects of this 'care' is free. It's quite a palaver and depends on what you're offered. My MiL was assessed as being eligible for two 15 minute visits a day. One to get her up, washed, dressed, fed and on the bus to a day centre and one to get her undressed, fed and back in bed. All assuming the bus would coincide with their exact 15 minutes! Of course that was impossible so we had to make private arrangements at cost. Free?! Not.

Wow, that's ridiculous, 15 minutes isn't anywhere near enough time to get up, washed, dressed, fed and onto a bus in anyone's world! Whoever did that assessment was deliberately pushing you on to private social care - a problem that nowadays as most SW's seem to be accountants now ... I honestly think that you were had' there! Did you appeal/challenge it?

Only certain aspects of this 'care' is free. It's quite a palaver and depends on what you're offered. My MiL was assessed as being eligible for two 15 minute visits a day. One to get her up, washed, dressed, fed and on the bus to a day centre and one to get her undressed, fed and back in bed. All assuming the bus would coincide with their exact 15 minutes! Of course that was impossible so we had to make private arrangements at cost. Free?! Not.