K101 Block 1 Unit 1 "Who Cares"

K101 Block 1 Unit 1 "Who Cares"

1. Informal arrangement

   • Family Member
   • Neighbour
   • Friend
   • Terms such as "Informal" and "Unpaid viewed as belittling to the carer.
   • "...The term 'carer' means someone who looks after a friend, relative or neighbour who needs support because of their sickness, age or disability. It does not mean a proffessional care-worker in a nursing home, for example - or someone employed by a disabled person." DIRECT GOV 2006
     • WHO IS A TYPICAL CARER *STATISTICAL DATA FROM 2001*
       • 6 million unpaid carers equal to 12% of adult population
         • 58% women
         • 42% Men
       • Peak age for caring is between 50 - 59 years
       • 68% provide 0 -19HPW
       • 11% provide 20-49HPW
       • 21% provide 50+HPW
   • How do people become Carers?
     • Family Obligations
       • Only Child
       • Closest relative
     • Reciprication of care
       • Person requiring care assists in other ways eg. Babysitting, Cooking.
       • "Paying back" of caring role previously held by person requiring care (eg. parent)
     • "Expected to do it"
       • "Woman's work"
       • Only Child
       • Live with person requiring care.
     • No one else to help
       • Person has no family/ family live far away
       • Isolated community
       • Do not know what help is available or where to ask.
     • Do not see themselves as "Carers"
       • Often the amount of care and support given "creeps up" on the Carer - not fully aware of how much they have taken on and the demands that this places on them and the extended network.
       • ADVANTAGES OF RECOGNITION
         • This is important to...
           • CARER: If they wish to apply for financial support
           • BUDGET HOLDERS: So they can plan what support is required in which areas
           • ORGANISATIONS: So they know who requires this support
           • EMPLOYERS: They are legally obliged to take a carer's caring responsibilities into account.
         • May be entitled to practical help and support
           • Carer's allowance
           • Support targeted to their needs
           • "Proffessional Carer's" assistance
           • "Home Responsibility Protection" - pension is protected if unable to work.
           • Legislation places a duty on the local authority to let Carers know what support they are entitled to.
         • Legislation makes it possible for the Carer to have their needs (Caring/Training/Lesiure) assessed - not just the person requiring care
         • Large step admitting being a Carer to oneself as well as others
       • DISADVANTAGES OF RECOGNITION
         • complicating factors
           • TIME SPENT CARING
             • Must be over 35 HPW to meet Government definition for financial assistance.
             • May fluctuate or be difficult to measure
           • LABELLING AND IDENTITY
             • May not want/accept "Carer" label
             • Difficult to accept or clashes/contrasts with percieved role/identity
           • INTERDEPENDENCE
             • Caring may be recipricated - not just "one way" caring
             • Often happens within famiies
           • NETWORKS
             • Extended family may also be assisting with care tasks
             • Definition of carer focusses attention on one person even if there is a network of support
         • May not qualify for any "outside support"
         • May be unwilling to admit they are a Carer either to themselves or other people
         • The person they care for may be unwilling to accept they are being cared for
         • Caring role may fluctuate - would qualify some times but not others
         • Places the onus, and acceptance of responsibility onto the Carer.

2. Usually unpaid by the person requiring support

   • May be eligible for Carers Allowance and other benefits, however conditions apply - may affect both existing benefits not only of carer but also the person requiring support.
   • In 2006 - 6 million Carers in this position
   • SAVE THE GOVERNMENT BILLIONS OF POUNDS IN CARING FEES

3. Recognised role in legislation.

   • Carers (recognition and Services) Act 1995
     • First Legislation to officially recognise Carer role - amended Social Work (Scotland) Act.
   • Carers Equal Opportunities Act 2004
   • Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002
   • Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968
   • All current legislation covers carers aged 18 and over - No legislation at present for carers under this age however in Scotland a new Carers law is in the consultation stages which will include young Carers for the first time.
   • CARERS ALLOWANCE WWW.GOV.UK *INFO CORRECT 2014*
     • £61.35 PER WEEK
       • Flat rate even if caring is done for more than 35 HPW
     • MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR FURTHER BENEFITS
       • Income related benefits
       • Pension credits
     • PAID DIRECTLY TO CARER HOW THEY CHOOSE
       • Every week
       • Every 4 weeks
       • Every 13 weeks
     • COVERS ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THE CARER
       • National insurance credits
       • Additional state pension contributions
     • Can also affect the benefits recieved by the person being cared for - eg: Severe disability premium or Council tax reductions.
     • Must meet the governments definition of a carer to qualify

4. CASE STUDY 1: Angus McPhail, Ann Walker, Zoe Walker, Bob Walker, Yetunde Unit 1

   • PARKINSONS DISEASE

5. CASE STUDY 2: David Sinclair, Veronica Sinclair, Unit 13

   • MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

6. CASE STUDY 3: Anwar Malik, Hansa Malik, Unit 2

   • DIABETES

7. WHAT IS IT LIKE TO CARE

   • Demands skill
   • Obligation
   • Has consequenses for "other" people - ie. extended family
   • POSITIVE
     • rewarding
     • Labour of love
     • Stregthen relationship
   • NEGATIVE
     • Hard work
     • Restricting
     • Isolating
     • Emotionally demanding
     • Guilt provoking
     • stressful

8. WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE CARED FOR

   • POSITIVE
     • Enabling
     • Maximises strength
     • Strengthens relationship
     • Promotes independence
   • NEGATIVE
     • Loss of power/control
     • Lack of choice
     • Feeling of burden
     • Fear
     • Isolation
   • Changes dynamic of relationship

9. WHAT AFFECTS CARE

   • QUALITY OF RELATIONSHIP
     • Care takes place in the context of the existing relationship
     • Particular emphasis on state of relationship prior to caring beginning
     • Strengths and weaknesses of the relationship are still the same and can be played upon by either the carer or the person requiring support
   • CHOICE
     • If positive then has better outcome for both parties
     • Not straight forward
     • Complicated by outside factors
       • Financial
       • Social
       • Lack of options
   • SUPPORT
     • INFORMAL
       • May be non existant for some people with support needs
     • FORMAL
       • Entitlement to this support
       • Unaware of support available
     • The amount of either type recieved can make a big difference to caring ability

10. CHANGING FAMILIES

    • PETER TOWNSEND: THE FAMILY LIFE OF OLDER PEOPLE 1957
      • Shared caring responsibilities amongst family members
      • Almost half of interviewees lived with younger family members
        • Most of the others had family nearby
      • The average per interviewee was over 10 family members living within one mile of them
        • 85% of those with children had an adult child living within this distance
      • Very few children moved away from parents
      • People kept in frequent contact - only 4% of those with children did not see a child once a week
      • Caring tasks within families were recipricated until the person requiring care became too ill or infirm
        • "The two way traffic is an essential feature of the family"
      • Those with no available family were in the worst position - most likely to require state assistance.
    • DENCH ET AL: THE NEW EAST END: KINSHIP, RACE AND CONFLICT 1992-2005
      • Ethnic diversity - 1/3 population Bangladeshi origin
      • "Lot of lonely old peoole who don't see a soul"
      • Living in 1 bedroom flats
      • Family dispersed - leaving the area and moving further afield
      • Young people leaving home
      • Networks smaller (having smaller families)
      • Families willing to care but large pressure on them when they try to do this
    • CARING ONLY BECAME A METTER OF PUBLIC INTEREST DURING THE LATE 20TH CENTURY DUE TO CHANGES BETWEEN STUDIES