Dementia carers and deaths in care homes

THE Newbury Weekly News on February 18 had an article on care home deaths which has prompted me to write in.

I am a full-time unpaid family dementia carer with LPA (health and wellbeing) for a loved one.

My duties include having contingency arrangements and a care plan in place should I become incapacitated.

Hence, I have been studying certain aspects of the provision of dementia care within West Berkshire.

This has been a difficult year for family dementia carers, with little support available.

I would like to congratulate all of you out there for doing a tremendous job in really trying circumstances.

Despite questioning, no one seems to know how many of us there are in

West Berks, and our small group of dementia carers are sending you all big virtual hugs and real appreciation for all your work and efforts.

On day of writing, the Public Health Berkshire Covid-19 Dashboard shows 219 deaths in West Berks and 87 of these in care homes.

Deaths in care homes are still happening.

That is 40 per cent of deaths, with an improvement on 50 per cent during the first wave in 2019.

In comparison with other Berkshire areas, West Berks does have the highest percentage, however Wokingham comes close at 37 per cent, and Slough is the lowest at eight per cent.

Nearby, Vale of White Horse has a rate of 45 per cent and South Oxfordshire is 40 per cent.

2019: Many care home deaths occurred with the discharge of patients from the major hospitals to free up beds for coronavirus admissions.

This has all been well reported in the national press.

However, what is not quite so clear is where the deaths occurred and apart

from sporadic reports there is, as far as I can see, no data available on deaths in specific homes or types of homes within West Berks.

While not interested in blame, this has made making contingency planning rather difficult.

And it is hard to find the data on who is now open for permanent admissions, respite care, current costs, and minimum lengths of stay. Care home deaths have impacted West Berkshire Council adult social care expenditure, meaning a large underspend by the end of this fiscal year.

Together with underspend in previous year, the council has decided not to raise the extra precept they are allowed for ASC for the 2021/22 year.

It will be difficult to predict what demand may come forward once restrictions are lifted on care homes, diagnosis re-starts, residents get back to full-time work, and carers may get deserved respite. ASC budgets cover many aspects of

care giving and receiving, and how this will all be funded going forward is the subject of another central Government review taking place, with expected recommendations in the autumn.

What is clear is the current treatment and funding of dementia care as a terrible terminal incurable regressive brain disease is not in line with the treatment paths, funding, and help available for other terminal regressive diseases.

As a group of very dedicated carers we live in hope of a better and fairer system being put in place.

PAULA SAUNDERSON

Newbury