How do we show how much we value carers?

Hi Steph

Thanks for your post , My Main concern was young people and the effect it has on there education , I am not sure about the min wage , because it would then affect the other benifits and i didnt mention in my post the welfare reforms( if the torys think its a good idea then we should be worried) It is a complex situation and i dont know the answer.

ricki

Hi Ricki,

Good post, an important issue.

I think that carers should be paid a wage - £53 a week is pitifull. I wonder what the national cost would be of paying carers a minimum wage salary? Anybody out there able to hazard a guess? Of course - that doesn't solve the other issues of long working hours and the emotional support that is needed.

I know from my experience as a social worker that respite options can be of poor quality and often do not fully meet the needs of the individual thus leading to feelings of guilt on the part of the carer and can then result in them not taking up the offer of respite in the end anyway - as it doesn't seem worth it.

As with all areas of social care - it is about resources. All areas of social work are desperate for funds.

I am fearful of cuts that may come post credit crunch, but am more fearful of potential Tory cuts.

Ricki - I hope you have support available to you in your caring role.

Steph

Rikki, Thanks for this post. I feel for you.

Thanks Ralph , Good luck fighting the bnp ( biscutes still in cupard)

I have my fingers crossed for you, good luck!

Hi Ralph

Thanks , I always give a unspun view (all based on my life)and hope that i can affect Labour policy ( with Alex s help) , Carers save millions from the nhs , so why cant look after the young carers , Give them help and suport especally as they at school at the time they need more help and suport .

Danny (Messed up registration)

Excellent article ricki.

This places the importance of what I consider a core issue. My own granmother is in a home with dementia.

Caring is a vital part of our lives as we try and ensure as much dignity as possible is given to those we love.

I think carers are among those who should be considered "frontline" services, so you get my vote.

Hi Ian

My nan died in a care home a year ago , I carry that in my heart.

Its the strain i am worried about for young people that care , my Partner has a mental illness that can keep me caring 24 hours a day 7 days a week and she is my partner ,The love of my life and i am used to it , The pressure that is on young carers is immense and i want our party (labour) to help , The young people need a education and full suport and emotionanl suport , If we dont help them when young we create problems in the future .

Danny

I care because we had my Nan live with us for three years before she died and it placed a tremondous strain on all of us. But we were lucky my Dad was the one who worked (I was at school) and he earnt enough and my mum looked after her mum.

so we were lucky but you can imagine in other situations how much worse it is for example dementia, a nightmare and I think the vital thing is respite care and good quality home help, not actual cash for caring.

Hi William

Sorry i didnt see your post , Some good ideas ( I hope ministers are reading fingers crossed) , And nice to hear non-carers care , Food for thought .

Danny ( messed up my registration)

Hi Ian

If we (Labour ) cant find money for young carers and proper respite care and suport then the leadership should think about labour values

Danny

I agree Danny on all that but it does come down to money, the whole world does.

so therefore we have to look at the prorities for where it can be spread to.

Hi Ian

To be honest i dont want more money , What i would like to see is proper suport for the young carers ,I would like to see a mentor for the young person , proper respite care and help , We (Labour) promised to protct the most vunrable , They need a voice , That is why i am challenging ministers and shadow ministers and readers of this blog to suggest and "prod" the ministers/shadow ministers .

Danny

Ps thanks for correcting all the typos Alex

It is not quite as simple as that.

Lets not get into the banking debate but the alternative to not doing was simply a depression far worse than the 1930's.

Trident is the best example does anyone know if the money has already been allocated for it ? Because if not it is not going to be an issue anyway, no party whilst making large spending cuts ould ever hope to get it through.

Hi Ian

Well the leadership bailed out the bankers , The middle class ( 10p tax was funded to give a 2p tax cut ) , We can find money for trident, Iraq and to lobby for President Blair .

I would like to thank alex for posting this as i think we need to look after carers or how much would it cost the NHS ?

Well done Ricki.

I think that at a minimum full time carers of those who are unable to get around and have less than, say, 40% mobility, get paid at least 40 hours a week at the minimum wage so that'll be around £230.00.

And in addition support should be provided AT NO CHARGE to pay for meals on wheels, a full time carer should have one day off per week by way of a local authority funded relief care worker, and if necessary the local GP clinic should call every month if required to provide medical assistance.

You can tell I'm ignorant of what carers need, but I'm willing to bet there will be better suggestions along in a minute.

simple we should do much more to help, there is no question of that, just need to find a way of funding it and then we get down to priorties as it would be expensive.

personally I would fund carers at the min wage level and also provide respite care, how I would fund that I have no idea.

Hi Labourlist

Thankyou Alex