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"I began to care for my husband Ronald 15 years ago. Sadly he died last July, but during that period we lost everything. Our savings diminished, our house had to be sold, and eventually we became dependant on the state. Certainly not the life we had envisaged for ourselves. My husband had been a successful architect whose health had gradually worsened until in 2000 he suffered a massive stroke.
He spent four months on a stroke ward where little was done to rehabilitate him - he was lucky if he got 10 minutes physio a day. The support package that was being prepared prior to discharge from hospital ‘fell apart’ through lack of resources. The social worker's advice was ‘leave him where he is’ – I was not prepared to do that.
I brought him home and within days change was apparent. It was hard work, I was caring for him 24 hours a day with very little support but I enlisted the aid of family, friends, our GP, district nurses and a physiotherapist and he gradually improved, although he was still totally dependant.
Then I tackled the system! It took months to determine what help we might be entitled to, I was passed from department to department, we were subjected to assessment after assessment and review after review, answering the same questions over and over again, the various departments procrastinating over every decision. It took three months to obtain a wheelchair. It took years before I was able to access respite care in a nursing home 25 miles away! Social Service provisions seemed to be geared to their requirements and rarely the needs of the carer, flexibility is not a word they understand! I had not realised how hard it would be to get help."
Back Me Up
Carers UK's Back Me Up campaign is calling for a transformation of the social care system more...