A staggering 452 people are waiting for homecare in Cumbria.
The stark figures were revealed as Cumbria Crack launched an investigation into the county’s care crisis.
Families say they are finding it harder to find a care home or homecare package for vulnerable relatives and desperate people are being told they must ‘take what they can get’ – even if it means sending loved ones to care homes 50 miles away or taking on the role of carer themselves on top of full time jobs.
A Cumbrian man, who asked not to be named, said that he had been left with no other option than to take on the additional role as carer for his elderly relative living with a serious health condition, on top of his 9 to 5 job.
He said: “I was under the impression that when you were desperate help would be there, after my relative left hospital they promised me a homecare package would be in place, but it never materialised. I was told there was no such thing as emergency carers, it’s horrendous.”
“I’ve been told there’s hundreds on the waiting lists, that homecare would be a quicker wait and that it could be that my relative will only quickly get a place at Kendal or Barrow – that’s more than 50 miles away from where I live, a round trip could be over four hours without traffic, its not doable, there’s no carers, you’re basically saying goodbye to your relative while they’re still alive.”
He added that as a full time worker, he is not entitled to financial support from the Government, which makes him feel as though he isn’t seen in the added struggles he faces.
“It makes me feel invisible and it’s an immense responsibility to take on a caring role. Having no care options makes you feel like we don’t look after our elderly people properly in this country.”
Not just a Cumbrian problem
Aside from the pressures faced by families looking for help, the care system itself in Cumbria is struggling to keep up with the demand for vital support.
Across the UK, The National Audit Office found 814,000 people receive home care services, with only 715,000 people actively working in the home care sector according to research by Skills For Care.
Councillor Patricia Bell, Cumbria County Council’s cabinet member for adult social care, said: “The social care system continues to be under significant pressure as a result of difficulties recruiting and retaining staff, rapidly increasing costs and increasing demand for support. This means more people are waiting longer to receive the care they need.
“At the current time in Cumbria 452 people are waiting for a homecare package to be available for them. In the interim we are ensuring that they have had a full assessment and anyone with urgent care and support needs is prioritised, and around half are being provided with alternative support. Everyone waiting is able to contact the council direct if their situation deteriorates.
“We have provided additional temporary financial support to homecare providers but we need more government support to ensure that the social care system is able to meet people’s needs in the way it should.”
The care system’s struggle is only expected to worsen in the coming years and support group Carers UK estimates that by 2037 there will be a need for 40 per cent more staff.
A career that people are losing interest in
Debbie Ellwood, registered manager of Bellcare, a Cumbrian based homecare provider said she felt concerned that people were slowly becoming more disinterested in the career.
She said: “Recently we’ve been left thinking if being a carer is something people still think of as a valid career choice, we know ourselves that it absolutely is, but recent changes and the pandemic have clearly changed how people view the job and responsibilities.”
Last year, according to The Commons report, one in three care workers left their jobs and 95 per cent of care providers said they were struggling to recruit staff.
Recruiting has been so difficult that Debbie said she had to take on more work on the frontline instead of focusing on her role as manager.
Debbie added: “It’s been tough throughout the pandemic, our frontline carers have worked through the thick off it, during the summer months working in intense heat whilst in full PPE, dealing with the emotional pressures, and often having to put a ‘face on’ for our service users to not cause panic and worry with regards to the pandemic.
“We all love our jobs and wouldn’t change it for the world, but due to an ageing workforce, COVID changing people’s circumstances and the issue with vaccinations we are really struggling to recruit, recently I’ve often had to step in on the frontline especially the last couple of weeks.”
Have you experienced difficulty getting a relative the care they need? Email us at [email protected]
