Maz_the_Spaz's On-line Diary

Carers - Can't live without them, but..!?!

Oh, what a wonderful few days I have had! You see, I employ three carers and two of them are off sick! This means that I might not be going to bed tomorrow and Thursday night, plus I could end up staying in bed on Saturday!!!!! This is one of the disadvantages of Independent Living.

While I wouldn't have it any other way, I could do with less stress in my life! It doesn't help that I am trying to become a writer - I can't write when I am under stress!!! I would like to write short stories and earn some pocket money. When you are disabled, you end up living on the breadline and you have to be a very good money manager. I enjoy good food & drink, holidays, plus nice things around the house. Hence why I am hoping to earn some pocket money.

Anyway, as I was saying, I employ three carers. I get money to employ them via Direct Payments and the Independent Living Fund which is funded from Central Government. Direct Payments come from the local Social Services. One gets assessed as to how much support one needs (a Community Care Assessment), if you require a high level of care (like myself), you are entitled to apply for more money from the Independent Living Fund. Once you know how much money you have got coming in, you calculate how many hours of care you can have. Now you are ready to employ your carers! Simple?!? Not!!! When it works, its great; when it fails (like now) its terrible!!

When you take this on, you also become an employer. More stress & paperwork!!! Finding good carers can be very difficult. One has a very close relationship with the carer and spends a lot of time in their company. In other words, you must like each other if the relationship is going to work!! How does one know if you and "whoever" are going to get on, on the basis of a thirty minute interview? Sometimes I have to interview about ten people before I find a suitable person. However, I have also been fortunate enough to be able to click with someone as soon as I meet them!

For those of you who would like more information about Independent Living, check out these links: http://www.scope.org.uk/index.shtml & http://www.therowan.org/ plus
http://www.ncil.org.uk/

posted by Maz_the_Spaz @ 5:30 pm