Social services, Occupational therapy and mental health chronic fatigue

Daisy76

I've had to move back in with my Mum and sister I've been struggling at home and in an unhappy marriage which has got worse since having Chronic fatigue syndrome.  I have contacted Social services and Occupational therapy just asking what help others have had from these services.  My mood hasn't been great so my GP has referred me to see a psychiatrist.  I feel there is a lot to sort out my fatigue isn't good but heat is definitely not helping!

littleruthie123

Hi occupational therapy can help with any devises rails shower boards,leeching chair etc.i have found them very helpful and quick .I have similar too you as a result if breast cancer. So I understand the struggle .social services can put a care plan in for you too if you want too go down that route.they did one for me which dident quite suit my needs and too be honest very pricey .good luck with it all x

Topkitten

Occupational Therapy will do a quick assessment of your current accommodation to see if alterations will help but they will also do a full report which you can use to get more appropriate accommodation if that is what is needed. Some Social Workers but if you get a sexist senior manager in the department like I have in my area it can make life worse. However, any care plan involving carers will have the following problems. Firstly it is never managed properly so the company can send anyone they like whenever they like no matter what you agree to up front. They only ever check that the correct number of visits are made each day. So, if you are sent a carer to put you to bed at 6 in the evening the Social Worker will not be interested in the slightest. If you need to pay for care you will get a rubbish non-managed service because Care Plan pay rates are well below industry standard and you will get visits shorter than needed because they never allocate sufficient time for what is supposed to happen. I met many carers but few were ever happy with Council controlled visits. Affording an appropriate level of help is very expensive privately and not much better through a Care Plan.

2 years ago I had been assessed needing 14.5 hours a week most as half hour visits. For this plan the Council paid the care companies a flat rate of £11.60 an hour. I checked to get a private service and found out that an average company charged £15 per hour, £9 for half hour and £6 for 15 minute visits. To replace the visits as they were set up would have cost me £249. By comparison the Council paid them only £168.20. Is it any wonder that the company didn't worry about supplying a rubbish service especially knowing that Social Workers never checked up on the service only supplied hours.

TK