50 signatures reached
To: The government
Stop dementia care costs
Do the right thing and fund a great health and social care system and stop the costs for dementia care.
Why is this important?
A year ago after 2 years of looking after elderly parents who required more support and care as time went on I retired early in 2020 to care for them more.
Dad had vascular dementia and physical health problems diagnosed in 2017. And after this mums health gradually deteriorated.
Mum was diagnosed with cancer in April 2000. Both of them deteriorated further until we were exhausted looking after them. Both moved into a residential/dementia home in June last year.
We are not a rich family by any means mum worked as a school cleaner and dad was in the merchant navy but during the war went to work down the mines where he worked until he retired.
But because he saved and did without many things as he wanted to leave a small some of money to his family in his will.
This put them above the threshold of £23,000 meaning he would have to pay for all his own care home fees, despite having lots of physical problems after years working down mines that probably led to or exacerbated vascular problems leading to his dementia.
We found out that mums continuing care would be paid for but dad’s would not and his continuing care would be classed as social care needs.
This makes no sense to me when both mums physical illness and dad’s physical illness both led to both of them needing more social care and health care.
Sadly we lost mum last June and because of the pandemic she died alone in hospital as we were unable to visit her this was traumatic and is still very upsetting when I think about it.
If Dad did not have the physical diagnosis and health problems he would be able to see to his own social care. But his inability now to be able to dress and feed himself is the result of his physical problem.
Just as mums cancer led her to unable to look after herself. So why is there a difference in funding care?
This is unfair and surely under human rights and equal rights both mum and dad should have the same access to funding their care.
This government promised to fix health and social care funding and with a small health insurance increase of about 2 pence per person on wages of each worker. And following the Dilnot report recommendation we could have a fully funded health and social care system to be proud of.
Now I am asking Boris and his government to for once take a strong lead and sort this problem.
Our elderly and disabled and vulnerable have been let down long enough now and this has been greatly exposed during this pandemic.
Dementia is a growing concern and as people live longer more and more are being diagnosed without any cure in sight.
Most people fear dementia more than any other illness.
It would be less frightening if we had great dementia care fully funded.
Research is needed to find a cure and ways to reduce the disability caused by this condition.
Families require support to keep loved ones as independent as possible for as long as possible in their own homes.
Dad had vascular dementia and physical health problems diagnosed in 2017. And after this mums health gradually deteriorated.
Mum was diagnosed with cancer in April 2000. Both of them deteriorated further until we were exhausted looking after them. Both moved into a residential/dementia home in June last year.
We are not a rich family by any means mum worked as a school cleaner and dad was in the merchant navy but during the war went to work down the mines where he worked until he retired.
But because he saved and did without many things as he wanted to leave a small some of money to his family in his will.
This put them above the threshold of £23,000 meaning he would have to pay for all his own care home fees, despite having lots of physical problems after years working down mines that probably led to or exacerbated vascular problems leading to his dementia.
We found out that mums continuing care would be paid for but dad’s would not and his continuing care would be classed as social care needs.
This makes no sense to me when both mums physical illness and dad’s physical illness both led to both of them needing more social care and health care.
Sadly we lost mum last June and because of the pandemic she died alone in hospital as we were unable to visit her this was traumatic and is still very upsetting when I think about it.
If Dad did not have the physical diagnosis and health problems he would be able to see to his own social care. But his inability now to be able to dress and feed himself is the result of his physical problem.
Just as mums cancer led her to unable to look after herself. So why is there a difference in funding care?
This is unfair and surely under human rights and equal rights both mum and dad should have the same access to funding their care.
This government promised to fix health and social care funding and with a small health insurance increase of about 2 pence per person on wages of each worker. And following the Dilnot report recommendation we could have a fully funded health and social care system to be proud of.
Now I am asking Boris and his government to for once take a strong lead and sort this problem.
Our elderly and disabled and vulnerable have been let down long enough now and this has been greatly exposed during this pandemic.
Dementia is a growing concern and as people live longer more and more are being diagnosed without any cure in sight.
Most people fear dementia more than any other illness.
It would be less frightening if we had great dementia care fully funded.
Research is needed to find a cure and ways to reduce the disability caused by this condition.
Families require support to keep loved ones as independent as possible for as long as possible in their own homes.
