COPD and private care away from home

[firthkmian]

Hi my name is Kath and I care for my husband who has had COPD very severe for the last 8 years and yes I am new here. Does anyone know if there is a private facility where my husband could go for recuperation to give me a break?

[Damon1864 Volunteer]

Ask tour doctor about respite carexxx

[sassy59]

Welcome to you. Can your doctor help you with finding say a hospice or respite care for your husband? It is a struggle to be a carer sometimes but l would ask your GP. Thinking of you both. Xxxx

[firthkmian in reply to sassy59]

Thanks for your support I will try my GP. I feel I am being selfish but I have had bypass surgery so am not brilliant myself and we only have each other.

[sassy59 in reply to firthkmian]

You are not selfish at all especially as you have had major surgery yourself. I am carer for my husband and l am well so l do sympathise. Good luck to you. Xxxxx

[Hidden in reply to firthkmian]

Hi a large responsibility for a carer is to ensure you look after your own health as well. That is very important so take the respite care and refresh your batteries. You will feel much better for it and will cope better as well. x

[onamission]

Hello and welcome often the carer gets forgotten about I worked for the NHS and a nursing home we took in people for respite care they were allowed 2 weeks then but it might of changed

[ArcherPaul]

I am embarking on "Palliative Care" as my wife, who is my carer, needs respite and she will be getting that in the next few weeks when I will go into care for a few days.

My entry to Palliative Care was initially via my GP and from my Community Matron (Districtt Nurse in old money!)

[Bevvy]

Contact social services and ask for a carers assessment. You ARE entitled to this and the aim is to assist you in your caring role. This could be respite for your husband to give you a break. It could also be paying someone else to do for example your cleaning so you aren't exhausted. Could even pay for you to go to a gym or swimming pool so you can keep as well as possible.

In the Care Act 2014 it states that carers are as important as the cared for. Don't be fobbed off!

[mrsmummy in reply to Bevvy]

Good advice.

[Linda8p]

Hi ask gp for social worker referral they can help with carers assessment and support at home. There is also direct payments which is an allotted amount of money provided for the care and support of your husband and yourself. This enables you to buy the care you need. From a support worker to assisted holidays so you can have a break. The possibilities are there for you to tailor make your own care package. They will ask you to open a bank account and will put the money into your account each month. Good luck and don't take no for an answer. They have a duty of care to your husband and yourself. From a former social worker.

[Misstickle]

Kath, as already mentioned, you really should contact your local Social Services and ask for a Carers' Assessment. That will probably take time so in the meantime tell them you are concerned what would happen to your husband should you become unwell and unable to care for him. They should quickly put you in touch with your local carers' organisation who will arrange for you to be registered and carry a card so that, should you be involved in an accident or become ill, your husband will be entitled to immediate free 72 hours care. Your husband should also be assessed by Social Services to see what he may be entitled to financially. You can easily have to pay up to around £1000 per week for private respite so it makes sense to see what your entitlements are.

Obviously everything depends on your husband's financial situation - everything is means-tested so the Direct Payments somebody mentioned won't necessarily be available to you. I care for my 80 year old husband who has severe COPD and other major physical problems. As a result of having the assessments it means that he has been granted up to 6 weeks a year for respite care in a nursing home on their authorised list. He will have to pay the first £117 per week and the local authority will then pay up to a maximum of about £500. We will then have to top up any balance. I assume your husband is getting the Attendance Allowance? I haven't had a break for about 2 years now so am in the process of getting a respite break arranged.

Of course, depending on your age and financial circumstances, you may be entitled to the Carers' Allowance. Personally I think it is disgusting that once a Carer is over the age of 65 (I am 76) we're basically entitled to not much at all even if, like myself, you care for someone 24 hours a day. Anyway, good luck and I hope you are able to get a break as soon as you can. Fortunately (dare I say this?!) I am pretty healthy, but a 24x7 caring roll does take its toll both physically and emotionally, so it is important to have a break to recharge the batteries. Welcome to the website by the way. I have learned so much by reading all the posts and it does help to know that we're not alone with all these problems. x