I was having agencies through Social Services for about three years but in October i had my Social Services Assessment, Originally i lost my Care Package as Social Services descided that i didnt need it any more but i fought for four months to get it back proving that i did with letters from doctors, hospitals, assessments with Occupational Therapists, i did everything that the Social Services threw at me, it was really difficult.
I lost my going out time but i retained my personal care and they also gave me "respite" basically carers for when my fiance is at home as he works full time. I was given a personal Budget which i could use either for agencies or for a Personal Assistant, either with myself in control or with Social Services in Control.
I decided at this time it would be a good time to switch from Social Services Agencies which gave me no freedom to Direct payments and hiring a Personal Assistant.
Social Services refered me to the Independant Living Association and i was given an advisor, she ran through some stuff with me and they gave me access to their online database of Personal Assistants which i ran through and called lots of them, this was rather fruitless to be honest and after a week my advisor wrote up a job advert of what i wanted in a PA and put it on several job sites and then people emailed them to the ILA and the ILA contacted me with them which was much easier.
I had several interviews with people, my advisor was there on the first one which didnt go that well but the second one me and my fiance went ahead and did it without the advisor as she was unable to make it. The Person was brilliant and we hired her on the spot. She had been working for me for almost three weeks now and i wonder how i coped without her. Its so much better being in control i can add or take away hours as long as its within my budget. Admittedly there is some paperwork but you can get the ILA to help you and they can also do the payroll for a small fee which comes out of your budget i really wish i had done all of this along time ago!
Monday, 2 April 2012
Thursday, 23 February 2012
I have been trying to work to sort out the mess that social services have caused in my life; i am now going to have to pay to go to a daycentre, either that or spend another day in my house.. well technically two as they have also stopped my going out on a friday as well pretty much causing me to become a virtual prisioner in my own home!
Luckily i had a small windfall in the fall of Payment Protection Insurance that allowed me to pay off my loan so i can use the money that i would have used for that to pay to go to a day centre. I have found one that is for much younger people than the one that i used to go to so it should be a much better experience and i will at least get to socialise for part of the week.
I started attending a local craft group which is not for the disabled back in novemeber i really enjoy going there there have been a few hiccups as they arent able to administer my morphine liquid and the disabled toilet isnt really that great to be honest but i have been finding ways around it as the people are really nice there. I am just trying to get out the house as much as possible and trying to give my fiance as much respite time as i can!
The process for direct payments is starting to become a headache, there is so much paperwork, i have called about 35 people on the Independant Living Association Website who are supposedly looking for work and not had much response, it is physically and mentally exhausting, apparently the next step; (my adviser tells me) is that they will put an advert out with my job description and have people contact me who are interested, so i will sit and wait i suppose now..
Social Services want me to have a Personal Assistant by the 12th but to be honest and according to my ILA adviser, its not going to happen but the Social Services woman said if it doesnt then i have to find an agency to do it in between until i find someone.. they are so caring.. i have been trying to find a back up agency for when my Personal Assistant goes on holiday or is sick.. well so far two of them have cancelled.. and have had to make other appointments... and the other one actually turned up today i was shocked and expecting another cancellation!
I am beginning to wonder if everyone goes through this! it seems such a headache!!
Luckily i had a small windfall in the fall of Payment Protection Insurance that allowed me to pay off my loan so i can use the money that i would have used for that to pay to go to a day centre. I have found one that is for much younger people than the one that i used to go to so it should be a much better experience and i will at least get to socialise for part of the week.
I started attending a local craft group which is not for the disabled back in novemeber i really enjoy going there there have been a few hiccups as they arent able to administer my morphine liquid and the disabled toilet isnt really that great to be honest but i have been finding ways around it as the people are really nice there. I am just trying to get out the house as much as possible and trying to give my fiance as much respite time as i can!
The process for direct payments is starting to become a headache, there is so much paperwork, i have called about 35 people on the Independant Living Association Website who are supposedly looking for work and not had much response, it is physically and mentally exhausting, apparently the next step; (my adviser tells me) is that they will put an advert out with my job description and have people contact me who are interested, so i will sit and wait i suppose now..
Social Services want me to have a Personal Assistant by the 12th but to be honest and according to my ILA adviser, its not going to happen but the Social Services woman said if it doesnt then i have to find an agency to do it in between until i find someone.. they are so caring.. i have been trying to find a back up agency for when my Personal Assistant goes on holiday or is sick.. well so far two of them have cancelled.. and have had to make other appointments... and the other one actually turned up today i was shocked and expecting another cancellation!
I am beginning to wonder if everyone goes through this! it seems such a headache!!
Sunday, 5 February 2012
Its been a very long, very hard six months..
I had a gastric bypass in october which was a struggle to begin with, i couldnt sit up, i couldnt lay down i just couldnt get comfortable but that only lasted a few days then the fun started! I had four months of eating just baby food consistency mush! which was not fun.. i still struggle looking at mashed potatoes! I lived on potatoes, homemade soups, liquidized mince, angel delight (sugar free), jelly etc.
After the four weeks i could have softer foods pasta, rice. I had some toast but only nimble cardboard bread, it was a bit of a struggle but as i never ate sugar foods it didnt really effect me. Eating smaller portions took some getting used to and eating every few hours; that took alot of getting used to as well.
Some foods just really didnt like me, normal bread, beef and most foods with yeast in just didnt like me.. i am slowly starting to reintroduce them back into my diet but rare and overcooked beef still doesnt like me!
After the four weeks of soft foods ( 8 weeks after op ) i could eat "normal foods" with the exceptions.. obviously eating alot smaller portions and eating two snacks a day when i am able to, and also making sure i am eating enough vitamins etc.. we are eating lots of fresh vegetables and fruit and trying to get alot of our meat from the butchers.. my fiance is also giving me food in a bowl to make sure he doesnt serve too much. Occasionally i eat something that doesnt like me and i either throw up or it makes me ill in other ways.. but it doesnt happen that often now.
It has been six months now and i have lost 6 stone and 12ibs in weight which is pretty good i have an appointment with the dietian in two weeks time.. the last six months have been very stressful for me i have had two members of my family die... my uncle died in October and my great grandmother died last week.
I have also been having fun with the Social Services reassessments to do with the Social Services Cuts! It started in October when i was assessed by a worker from an agency who was working on behalf of the Social Services; she did an assessment.. well apparently they wanted to take everything away from me.. my care.. social aspects and meal help.. even though i cant get out of bed, wash, dress, make my own food etc.. but the assessment she did might as well have been on another person and i still wonder if it was! apparently i walk around the house unaided and cook all my own food!
Well i threw a paddy and asked for a reassessment i gave them alot of proof; letters from the hospital etc showing i cant walk without crutches etc, and i was reassessed by a lady from Social Services, this time they wanted an Occupational Therapist to come see me.. well she was brilliant.. she ordered a new bath board for the bathroom, a bath lift! a perching stool and some grab raids for the bathroom.. and she did an assessment which really helped.. well the Social Services lady this time apparently spoke to one of my "carers" who told her that i walk around the house without crutches.. i told her this was wrong.. and even got a letter from the agency saying it was wrong but she wasnt happy and wanted to investigate it.. it all took forever.. lots of forms and assessments had to be done. Well it didnt work out too badly in the end.. i lost my social aspect meaning that i cant go to the day centre anymore and i cant have a carer take me out, but i have carers to wash, dress, shower me and do meals also i can have them even when my fiance is home so he can have respite.
Also she gave us the number of a charity that might be able to help us as they do respite calls at a cheap rate so i might be able to go out after all but i would be able to pay for it.. also i found a local daycentre which is aimed at young people which is just about to open up but i will have to pay for it myself so i am thinking about going to that.
The amount has been set for the Social Services and i have descided that i am going to do Direct Payments as i will get more freedom and choice and more hours, Direct Payments means that i open a bank account and basically Social Services give me money to hire a carer to look after me so i am in control, there is a special company called the ILA which help you employ someone and they also help you do payroll and taxes. Its possible i may use the agency for when my carer is sick or something but i will choose my own agency.. its going to be fun choosing a carer.. but at least all the Social Services stuff is over and done with for now.. it was really worrying me.. it went on for four months! and the thought of my care going and that my fiance might have to give up work to look after me was really making me ill. :(
The Occupational Therapist is coming monday to show us how to use the bath lift and someone from the ILA is coming wednesday to guide us through the process but i have started some of the process myself i have already contacted the liability insurance people and set up a bank account so just got to see what they say and what the next steps are.. my dad and step mum have direct payments for their carers and find it works alot better with carers and that there is alot more flexability.
I had a gastric bypass in october which was a struggle to begin with, i couldnt sit up, i couldnt lay down i just couldnt get comfortable but that only lasted a few days then the fun started! I had four months of eating just baby food consistency mush! which was not fun.. i still struggle looking at mashed potatoes! I lived on potatoes, homemade soups, liquidized mince, angel delight (sugar free), jelly etc.
After the four weeks i could have softer foods pasta, rice. I had some toast but only nimble cardboard bread, it was a bit of a struggle but as i never ate sugar foods it didnt really effect me. Eating smaller portions took some getting used to and eating every few hours; that took alot of getting used to as well.
Some foods just really didnt like me, normal bread, beef and most foods with yeast in just didnt like me.. i am slowly starting to reintroduce them back into my diet but rare and overcooked beef still doesnt like me!
After the four weeks of soft foods ( 8 weeks after op ) i could eat "normal foods" with the exceptions.. obviously eating alot smaller portions and eating two snacks a day when i am able to, and also making sure i am eating enough vitamins etc.. we are eating lots of fresh vegetables and fruit and trying to get alot of our meat from the butchers.. my fiance is also giving me food in a bowl to make sure he doesnt serve too much. Occasionally i eat something that doesnt like me and i either throw up or it makes me ill in other ways.. but it doesnt happen that often now.
It has been six months now and i have lost 6 stone and 12ibs in weight which is pretty good i have an appointment with the dietian in two weeks time.. the last six months have been very stressful for me i have had two members of my family die... my uncle died in October and my great grandmother died last week.
I have also been having fun with the Social Services reassessments to do with the Social Services Cuts! It started in October when i was assessed by a worker from an agency who was working on behalf of the Social Services; she did an assessment.. well apparently they wanted to take everything away from me.. my care.. social aspects and meal help.. even though i cant get out of bed, wash, dress, make my own food etc.. but the assessment she did might as well have been on another person and i still wonder if it was! apparently i walk around the house unaided and cook all my own food!
Well i threw a paddy and asked for a reassessment i gave them alot of proof; letters from the hospital etc showing i cant walk without crutches etc, and i was reassessed by a lady from Social Services, this time they wanted an Occupational Therapist to come see me.. well she was brilliant.. she ordered a new bath board for the bathroom, a bath lift! a perching stool and some grab raids for the bathroom.. and she did an assessment which really helped.. well the Social Services lady this time apparently spoke to one of my "carers" who told her that i walk around the house without crutches.. i told her this was wrong.. and even got a letter from the agency saying it was wrong but she wasnt happy and wanted to investigate it.. it all took forever.. lots of forms and assessments had to be done. Well it didnt work out too badly in the end.. i lost my social aspect meaning that i cant go to the day centre anymore and i cant have a carer take me out, but i have carers to wash, dress, shower me and do meals also i can have them even when my fiance is home so he can have respite.
Also she gave us the number of a charity that might be able to help us as they do respite calls at a cheap rate so i might be able to go out after all but i would be able to pay for it.. also i found a local daycentre which is aimed at young people which is just about to open up but i will have to pay for it myself so i am thinking about going to that.
The amount has been set for the Social Services and i have descided that i am going to do Direct Payments as i will get more freedom and choice and more hours, Direct Payments means that i open a bank account and basically Social Services give me money to hire a carer to look after me so i am in control, there is a special company called the ILA which help you employ someone and they also help you do payroll and taxes. Its possible i may use the agency for when my carer is sick or something but i will choose my own agency.. its going to be fun choosing a carer.. but at least all the Social Services stuff is over and done with for now.. it was really worrying me.. it went on for four months! and the thought of my care going and that my fiance might have to give up work to look after me was really making me ill. :(
The Occupational Therapist is coming monday to show us how to use the bath lift and someone from the ILA is coming wednesday to guide us through the process but i have started some of the process myself i have already contacted the liability insurance people and set up a bank account so just got to see what they say and what the next steps are.. my dad and step mum have direct payments for their carers and find it works alot better with carers and that there is alot more flexability.
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