Ms D of Newton Abbot
writes:
I am a carer for a lady who has muscular dystrophy and her mobility is
poor. I am a single mother of 2 on ICA topped up with Income Support. As we are both under
60 we both feel discriminated against due to our age over the Winter Fuel Payments.
During the winter we have to have the heating on constantly but are
expected to find this extra money out of our benefits, which do not increase in the winter
for heating. I think the Winter Fuel Payment is a good thing especially for the over
60’s, but not everyone needs it financially and after all there are younger, less
mobile people that do!
Come on, Tony Blair, you’ve sorted out the ICA for carers, now
sort out the Winter Fuel Payment in the same manner!
Mr G of Torbay writes:
Caring for a dementia patient is an increasingly difficult task as time
goes by. A helpful service provider would be somebody who visits the carer and patient to
ensure that the best use is made of the services available, help manage difficult
situations, and be easily contactable for advice.
Stressful situations arise in which the carer becomes entangled and,
when this happens, the carer may not think clearly, adding to the stress. This could be
minimised with some prior knowledge, preparation and a knowledgeable person to talk to.
Examples of causes of stress include how to handle my wife’s
hallucinations and medical condition. She needs attention every few minutes in the day,
wakes at frequent intervals in the night, and sometimes insists on going out to look for
the dog in the rain and middle of the night (we don’t have a dog). Before I knew
about hospital respite care, it was also a hassle trying to arrange respite. Things that
could help minimise Carer Stress are:
Knowing about the patient’s condition and what might happen
Readily available list of services & contacts
Preparing the home
Tips for keeping the patient occupied
Perhaps someone could make an attempt at addressing these issues in an
effort to alleviate an already stressful situation.
In response to BS of Paignton, who wrote in the Summer edition about
respite, a representative from Torbay Social Services writes:
We have reviewed the issues surrounding respite care
and have agreed that where a person has an established pattern of taking respite stays in
an independent home, then we will continue with this arrangement.
Do you get angry? If so, let us know why, in time for the next
newsletter. Use this space to raise issues of interest to you and we will endeavour
to get your questions answered! |
