What to pay

Everyday living
1

Hi everyone,

Just had my direct payments assesment last week and low and behold I had a call today saying a lady would be coming around this Thursday to set everything up - WOW that was quick so i’ve got to say a big thank you to Kirklees council for getting it arranged so quick.

But this does leave me with a question or two to ask you guys…

  1. If any of you also get DP then how much do you pay your carer?

  2. Any good ideas as to how to spend my personal budget apart from the day to day help and care?

I have SPMS and still work part-time 3 days a week which is important to me so the best suggestions from you lot would be very much appreciated!!

Warm wishes,

Mike Brodie

2

Hi Mike

Congrats on getting direct payments. I can’t remember the exact figure but my council recommends something like £7.50 an hour for caring assistants. I used it to pay someone to do things like cleaning, shopping, cooking, getting prescriptions and lifts to places (including paying for my friend’s petrol costs to drive me to football matches). Speak to your social worker though, as I’m sure they’ll have other ideas too.

Dan

3

Hi Mike, I don’t get DP but my dad has had a stroke and he does. He uses it for things like home help, shopping etc. He also uses it for days out. It means he can pay some one to take him to the football or if no match he goes out one day a week. This means he’s not housebound or totally reliant on my mum who was at the end of her tether! Our lovely Pol is a great spokeswoman for DP. I’m sure if you PM her she’ll be able to give you loads of help. Chis

4

Hi Mike, yes, Chis is right when she says I am a great promoter of DPs.

Started using them in June last year. And what a difference it makes to our lives.

Hubby was caring for me on his own…personal care through the day and night. He has RA and it was a real struggle at times.

It took me 2/3 years to convince him we needed help.

What does he think to it now?..chuffin` marvelous!

Originally I was awarded 8 hours a week. Unfortunately my condition worsened quickly and i needed more help.

I applied and was given 10 hours aweek.

Further deterioration caused me to need more help.

So now I have 16.75 hours a week, plus 1 sleepover.

I have 3 carers, besides my hubby…he earns about 35p an hour!!! Some folk say why should a spouse be paid for looking after their OH. The answer is simple…(think meerkats when I say simple)

he could have been working in a properly paid job for years!

I digress;;;;;

carer 1 comes in every morning to get me up, showered and dressed, if she has time, she tidies up and makes my bed

carer 2…takes me out Mondays and Fridays and sleeps 1 night a week, so hubby can go upstairs and get a good night`s kip

carer 3…she helps carer 2 on of our our outings, as it now needs 2 carers to toilet me! I dont need the loo on shorter outings on Mondays.

Carer 1 is self employed and she gets £10 an hour.paid by cheque, monthly from my DP account

carers 2 and 3 get £8.90 an hour gross. I pay them by cheque monthly too.

Carers holidays are covered by each other.

The system can seem daunting at first, with all the admin, but the DP team are brill and on hand if I have a query.

Hope that answers some of your questions. If you need any more info, please ask, yeh?

Good luck with your set up.

luv Pollx

5

Hi everyone and many thanks for the insight into your personal circumstances!!

Yeah Dan I love footie too (Leeds United) for my sins but it a beautiful game and keeps me happy and occupied even when
we have played like school kids and let in 6!!

Not being sexist but women, from my little experiances whilst waiting for the DP, are ther better carers - more attentive and
seem to naturally know what to do. Was hard for me as a 42yr man ex-services to accept a woman to help me into the bath seat so I can get a shower & wash but over that very quickly and quite enjoy it really!!

I think I may go for a couple of PA’s to help me wash, dress, get drinks and do the household tasks like cleaning and ironing which would certainly take a weight off my wifes shoulders. As i work part-time I also want to get out on my days off so its very important to me that even if it is a woman we can laugh, share footie stories and go to the ex servicemans club that ive always fancied going to.

DP’s team are coming Thursday to set everything up and then I guess its just sbout advertising and interviewing - OHH happy days.

Sure it will all work out and thanks again for the kind words, it is very much appreciated!!

X Mike Brodie

6

Hi again. Another bit of advice/info.

I was lucky enough to have a carer recommended by a fellow wheelie user. another carer is my sis and 3rd one is her best friend. (she`s now a best buddy of mine too)

If you decide to use agencies, there could be problems with who is coming and when. Plus their charges are often higher than the amount you get…and you have to pay the difference yourself.

Why not advertise for a male carer?

Good luck.

luv Pollx

7

Thanks Pollx,

Yeah defo going to advertise and employ myself and not being funny but the staff that have been coming in from an agency whilst the DP has been set up have been fantastic but one thing I have realized is that women are better than men :slight_smile:

I had a great young lad come in a couple of times but he just hasn’t got the flow… YES to begin with getting naked and having a young women watch and shower me down was a little uncomfortable but that was only for 2 minutes!! Its fine and as a 42yr old ex Royal Navy man I simply have accepted that their help and assistance is making mine and my wifes life easier and better.

It will improve further once I get my DP and employ the same person to help me all the time.

X Mike Brodie

8

Hi, sounds like you are in the right frame of mind to get outside help.

Just one point to bear in mind

getting 1 person is fine, but what happens when they take hols/are off sick.?

luv Pollx