Tag Archives: ukcuts
Carers’ holiday money slashed
FURY: Ron Chambers is a carer for his wife Judy
12:10pm Wednesday 25th April 2012 in Exclusive By James Connell
A CARER has complained he can no longer afford to go on holiday to take a break from his duties because the council slashed his budget.
Ron Chambers, of St George’s Walk, Barbourne, Worcester, says he is “seething” after Worcestershire County Council cut his breaks allowance from £300 to £200.
Council chiefs say the changes mean more carers can access support – 1,175 instead of 903.
Last financial year (2011/12) carers could get a maximum of £300 a year to fund breaks, but this year (2012/13) it has been cut to £200.
Mr Chambers, aged 65, is a carer for his wife Judy, 69, who has osteoarthritis, asthma, bladder problems and has recently been registered blind and needs either a wheelchair or stick to get around.
Mr Chambers, who no longer gets a £55 per week carer’s allowance because he is a pensioner, said the money allowed him to have a break from everyday chores such as shopping, cooking, cleaning, helping his wife in and out of the shower and to dress and general housework.
He said: “I am absolutely seething. They are taking carers for granted.
Carers anger over cut in funding for their carer websites.
Carers Groups grants cut in half
Chill4usCarers is an independent non profit voluntary organization with a constitution and committee
We are hearing all the time about funding cuts for this that and the other but for unpaid carers struggling 24/7 caring for their loved one their only connection to the outside world is a carers on line support group which they can access 24/7 and now the annual meagre funding to keep running has been halved.
Carers – no time to complain
Hospice time we receive is limited
There is very much a theme about the role of carers going on in blog land this weekend with two fellow bloggers inviting posts to highlight life as a carer. The timing was great for me as this weekend I’m on my own, Andy is away working in the States and I am at home with all four children.
This is hard work. Today I have changed 7 stoma bags, 1 catheter, I have given two intravenous medications, disconnected an intravenous drip, put a new drip up, administered countless enteral drugs, carried my daughter upstairs in order to bath her and then carried her downstairs to her bedroom and the list goes on…Factor into this the needs of the three other children then preparing meals, laundry, shopping, homework, there is very little time left for me. I survive on coffee and chocolate and the children’s left overs. It’s why I go running, it actually gives me a break and I’m itching to get out running this weekend but can’t because I’m on my own and Daisy cannot be left with anyone other than a trained carer, and that’s only when she doesn’t have her TPN running (when her drip is connected she can only be left with Andy or I or a qualified nurse).
