PA shortage leaves disabled people 'stuck at home'

Richard_Scope

Disabled people are being shut out of society because of a lack of personal assistants, it has been claimed.

Disability Wales said many people with disabilities were being left without the support needed to live as independently as possible.

Shahd Zorob, who has cerebral palsy, has had problems recruiting PAs and said the problem was "demeaning".

The Welsh government said it was investing £70m into the pay of social care workers, including PAs.

PAs are usually employed directly by the person who needs them but paid for by the council.

Ms Zorob, from Cwmffrwd, Carmarthenshire, employs two of them to help her with personal care, appointments and campaigning.

She said she advertised for new assistants three years ago, but no one applied.

The 30-year-old said PAs should be paid more so disabled people can get the required support.

She said: "The money isn't as much as similar jobs in the NHS, so how do you expect people to live?"

Read the full BBC Wales article

woodbine

It's a sad fact of life today that almost all "professions" are short of staff, I'm not sure what the answer is beyond higher wages?

Bren0412

I used to work as a PA for 3 clients living in their homes here in Wales. I'm lucky in the sense my furthest away job was only 6 miles away. However it wasn't worth driving home to have to leave again to go to someone else. So sitting in car passing time when it's freezing is not great. Believe me!!
I firmly believe people are much better to continue staying at home with support. individuals mental and physical wellbeing is paramount.
The problem with finding a suitable Pa and not just one. Clients need to employ 2 PAs to allow 1 PA to take a break have a holiday because unless family can step in to cover. Then a break is highly unlikely. This is not an attractive position to be in. I can say I worked through all of the lock downs not being able to take a break at all. If I didn't turn up, no one else would.  I highly reccomend  that clients advertise in their local area, which is how I got my clients. 
I think and feel strongly another reason  is the travel distance. Some people need multiple visits per day if your not local, travel expenses are too much. People want to work longer hours than say 2hs here, 2 hours there. Many elderly people in wales are so isolated. Almost forgotten souls struggling to get by. It really breaks my heart, 
to cover. 

Luna51

Not only are we short of PAs but the cost of direct payment contributions are spiralling out of control! My daughter's SW visited last week and completely agreed and added that a lot of her clients can no longer afford the help because of this. When I asked what are the council going to do about it, we hit the inevitable brick wall.. Nothing! 
It's sad and very, very unfair.