{"id":36686,"date":"2024-06-17T08:32:36","date_gmt":"2024-06-17T08:32:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kede.com.br\/news\/care-packages-families-overwhelmed-by-delays\/"},"modified":"2024-06-17T08:32:38","modified_gmt":"2024-06-17T08:32:38","slug":"care-packages-families-overwhelmed-by-delays","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kede.com.br\/news\/care-packages-families-overwhelmed-by-delays\/","title":{"rendered":"Care packages: Families \u2018overwhelmed\u2019 by delays"},"content":{"rendered":"


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By\u00a0Niall McCracken,\u00a0<\/span>BBC News NI Mid Ulster Reporter<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\"BBCBBC<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Elizabeth Lennox’s mother had to stay in a care home because of a lack of care package availability<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
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Some patients and families are waiting years for home care packages, new figures obtained by BBC News NI can reveal.<\/p>\n

Care packages are designed to allow people who are ill or have a disability to stay at home and to provide support to family members.<\/p>\n

More than 3,500 people in Northern Ireland are currently waiting for a package and some of the longest delays for full and partial care packages have been up to five years.<\/p>\n

The Department of Health acknowledged that the waiting times faced by some are \u201cnot acceptable\u201d but said they often related to \u201ccomplex\u201d cases.<\/p>\n

A spokesperson added: \u201cHome care services continue to experience significant pressures across Northern Ireland and there are a range of factors currently impacting upon delivery of this service. <\/p>\n

“This includes significant recruitment and retention issues in regard to care staff.<\/p>\n

\u201cWork is being taken forward by the department\u2019s Social Care Collaborative Forum to develop a plan to grow capacity in home care across the region, a new model for home care, and to take forward key aspects of social care workforce development.”<\/p>\n

BBC News NI has also been speaking to one family about their frustrations over trying to get a care package in a rural part of Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u2018My mother just wanted home\u2019<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Elizabeth Lennox\u2019s mother Marina was 88 years old when she lived on her own in Bellaghy, County Londonderry.<\/p>\n

She had been in receipt of some home care that consisted of visits two times a day, once in the morning and then in the evening.<\/p>\n

But an injury at home in June last year saw her admitted to hospital for a number of weeks.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"ElizabethElizabeth Lennox<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Marina Overrend had been living on her own in Bellaghy<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
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As a result, the Northern Trust advised that she needed a more intensive care package of up to four times a day to live at home alone.<\/p>\n

This type of care package was not available when she was being discharged from hospital and this led to her staying in a nursing home for a couple of months.<\/p>\n

Elizabeth said it was a very stressful situation for her family.<\/p>\n

She said: \u201cMy mother loved her independence, so the fact she was being told she was fit to go home if the right package had have been available was very frustrating for her, she was very upset.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was difficult to watch and it definitely did have an impact on her mental health, that experience changed her.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"ElizabethElizabeth Lennox<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Elizabeth said she and her mother were very close<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
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She added: \u201cWe were basically told by health authorities that because mum lived in a rural area, there were less care providers and so that was causing the delay.<\/p>\n

\u201cI felt that was just so unfair, just because of where my mum lived, she wasn\u2019t getting access to the same level of packages and all she wanted was to be back home.\u201d<\/p>\n

After several weeks in the nursing home, Elizabeth eventually made the decision to take her mother home to live with her just outside Cookstown.<\/p>\n

Elizabeth sought help from the office of the Commissioner for Older People who advocated on the family\u2019s behalf.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

‘People are struggling’<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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After months, an appropriate package of care would eventually become available, but sadly Elizabeth\u2019s mother passed away in January this year.<\/p>\n

Elizabeth said: \u201cWhen you have an ill family member and you are also dealing with the confusing care system on top of that, it\u2019s very distressing and overwhelming.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really think those in power need to look at prioritising funding and increase pay for home care workers to recruit more, because families are really struggling out there.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Northern Trust said it worked closely with the family to explore alternative options. <\/p>\n

A spokesperson added: “In common with all parts of the region, the Northern Trust finds it difficult to secure capacity to meet increasing demand for domiciliary care and we acknowledge the impact of this on service users and their families.”<\/p>\n

BBC News NI asked each health trust for a breakdown of those people living at home in need of help who are waiting for a full care package as well as those who have some form of package in place but require changes or additional hours.<\/p>\n

The main findings show:<\/p>\n