Flexibility and Freedom
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Peter Hilton suffered a stroke that left him in a wheelchair with speech and other mobility problems. His wife Janice cares for him full time. Since getting an individual budget their lives have changed for the better. “The individual budget has given us more freedom,” says Janice. |
“Before, we used to have different people from social care coming to the house all the time throughout the day, but now we set the time people come and it’s always the same few faces.”
Janice has noticed that Peter is happier since he started getting an individual budget, something she puts down to flexibility and freedom. “Peter is more relaxed now and less confused. It pays for two nights every fortnight where he goes out and sees friends.”
And as a full time carer, the budget has helped Janice as well: “My life is better as now I’m in control,” she says, “I set the times on everything for everybody so I can take a break in between, when I want. Now I can relax and do things I want to do more of the time – I’ve even painted my house. You get control of your life back.”
Janice recommends individual budgets to other carers she meets: “I tell them about how it can help and how it is different to direct payments. I tell them that this is the start of changes in their life as well as the person they are caring for. I tell them every time – go for it – it’s very good.”
Page updated: 15 Jun 2010
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