Mental Health Services and Support for Housebound adults under the age of 65 seems to be non-existent.
There appears to be brick walls at every turn.
My physical health has deteriorated, worryingly, over the last few years, because I struggle to get access to care to home.
Explain to a medical professional that you have severe social phobia, agoraphobia, PTSD and depression, and it is as though that is not enough to warrant any care at home.
In order just to register with a GP, it now takes 2 visits to the practice... the first visit to fill in a form and provide ID; and once you have done that, another appointment is arranged to see the practice Nurse, before you can be registered to even see a GP (I am still waiting for a good day and praying for some support, after 2 months since I moved to a new area, to enable me to take in my registration form and ID, so I haven't managed the first hurdle yet.
Because of this, I am now without medication). For someone with mental health problems so severe that they struggle to leave the house, this is an absolute disgrace. I have not been able to have a smear test for years. I have a lump in my breast. Am borderline diabetic, and only recently have I found a service that provides eye-tests at home. It seems that support is only available if you are a pensioner, when there are millions of adults in the UK, under pension age, that need more medical support from home.
Until then, our physical and mental health will continue to deteriorate, and we are faced with insurmountable red-tape at every turn. Some of us may be lucky enough to find a charity that may be able to help us attend appointments with support to get outside the home. However, this support is not on-going, and most people are lucky if they get help once or twice.
The hurdles we face put us at risk of further deterioration due to the stress involved with the whole process of just leaving the house... physical pain, lack of sleep leading up to and after the event, raised blood pressure, fear and panic attacks etc etc etc.
It is almost like asking someone with a broken leg to walk, despite the severity of the pain, and the risk of further injury. Sadly, because it is an unseen illness, it is not recognised as it should be. The levels of distress caused, and the deterioration of both physical and mental well-being, because support, understanding and services are lacking, is a national shame.
I sincerely hope that things improve for those of us that struggle every moment of every day with varying health issues, on top of battling with mental illness, in what seems like a very isolating, lonely and scary place, with none, or very little support offered for care at home when it is desperately needed for so many in this position.
It is not just the elderly that can become housebound and isolated. There are many people under 65 who have no support at all, and are still having to try and battle with red-tape within the medical profession. When will things change for us? When will things improve?
"Support for under 65's"
About: NHS Tameside and Glossop CCG NHS Tameside and Glossop CCG Ashton-Under-Lyne OL6 6BH
Posted by kimmy (as ),
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