"Planned Home Support Service"

My story is that of a planned service which began at the end of January 2024 for both my elderly parents.

I resigned from my workplace two years ago as both my parents health was failing and they needed assistance. There have been a number of changes taken place over the 2 year period with adaptations to my parents' home to avoid any risks of injury and to assist their personal needs in order to allow them to be independent with my support.

After a wait of 3 months for the support service to provide some respite for me, it was up and running from the end of January 2024. Although my parents' didn't particularly want this, they understood my own personal needs and responsibility to my family.

I was initially very excited that this 3 day a week service was starting. Unfortunately there wasn't a lot of clarity in explaining what the service entailed.

The first day I received a call at home from the carer who arrived to explain the service was enablement,I at the first stage of enquiry and assessment of my parents' explained I needed assistance as the service. To paint a picture every person having the initial service is being assessed with the carers coming in to see how able they are.

This caused a lot of anxiety and concern for me as due to lack of communication from the office providing the support I was made to call weekly with some concern or issue around the weekly schedule set for my elderly parents'.

The system is electronically organised from one dept., whilst a team of support workers try to juggle themselves to facilitate the families from another.

I am intending raising my concerns with the North Lanarkshire Social Work Leader. My parents' are fortunate in a way that I am able to take the time each week to check and amend call times as they usually are not suitable. Not all elderly people have a family member available to do this.

This is concerning as it could result in many elderly people skipping main meals because of time slots. I suppose I'm speaking on their behalf. I think the Health and Social Work Services should be duty bound in relating/communicating in a more effective manner from department to department

Kind regards

Concerned daughter of elderly  parents'