Tell us about your experiences with self-isolation. How are you managing your care? Have you been able to buy personal protective equipment? Are you having issues with funding?
Share your tips and experiences on Twitter @DHrizons or Facebook using the hashtag #CovidCarePlan.
Care funding during the Covid-19 outbreak
Aside from the practicalities with care, the greatest concern many disabled people have is that the UK Government is overlooking the importance of care.
There is a risk that it will allow local councils to declare themselves in a state of emergency and cut, or even stop, the funding for thousands of disabled people.
It is important that local authorities remember that every disabled persons’ needs are different and therefore the necessity of care and the amount of care required differs between each person.
Local authorities that provide Direct Payments and Continuing Healthcare budgets should be communicating and supporting clients.
Councils should be offering advice on what to do if a carer catches the virus or needs to self-isolate. But from what I have heard from other disabled people, some councils are doing this better than others.
If you decide to opt for a stay at Revitalise, it can help with funding through the Joan Brander Memorial Fund, set up in honour of the Revitalise founder, or the Revitalise Support Fund.
PPE equipment to protect against Covid-19
The government has advised that all care staff should wear Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), such as gloves, aprons and masks, if someone has symptoms of Covid-19.
But, as daily care involves close contact, many disabled people are trying to acquire PPE for their PAs as an extra layer of protection.
However, many people within the disability community are struggling to access Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) – it’s either unavailable or extremely expensive,
We should also be able to pay for it out of our Direct Payments, but in order to do this, some would need additional funding.
Coronavirus and mental health
With all this uncertainty and confusion surrounding Covid-19, it is bound to be impacting on people’s mental health and wellbeing. At times I’ve felt stressed, anxious and fearful.
But I’ve learnt that the best way to overcome these negative thoughts is to limit myself to only consuming relevant news on TV, radio and online.
Instead, I try and find fun activities to occupy and amuse myself during self-isolation. For instance, I’ve been going on daily walks with Sunny, enjoying virtual quizzes with my family, watching films and drawing using an app I downloaded. |