Jersey’s care provider, LV Care, is urging Islanders to discuss potential care needs before they become a crisis.
With many care homes at near capacity, community care services under pressure from staffing shortages due to covid, and an increasingly ageing population, Islanders are finding it difficult to get the choice of care they would like.
Kalina Syvret, Home Care Manager with LV Care, said she is receiving calls daily from social workers, relatives, and clients seeking assistance, “With care homes virtually full, and many people wanting to stay in their homes, it’s putting increasing pressure on providers. There just isn’t enough care for the amount of people who need it.
“We are hearing stories from people who have tried every service in the Island, but many of them are at capacity with clients and with staff absences because of Covid. It means people must stay in hospital while they wait for a care package to be put in place.
“We will always try to help people, but while it’s inevitable that there will be some cases that are as a result of an unexpected incident, many issues could have been prepared for if people had discussed their needs and put some contingency plans in place.”
LV Care is a Jersey owned provider and has six care homes as well as a home care service. They offer a personalised and tailored care package to meet client needs in their homes, however demand is rising fast.
Nick Bettany (pictured), CEO and co-founder of LV Care Group said: “We are all reluctant to admit that we might need help, but in many cases, relatives should be able to see that their loved one is going to need some assistance in the not too distant future. We urge families to talk about this and put some plans in place. While it might seem like a difficult discussion, if you don’t make preparations and talk about their wishes and choices, then you are likely to make it a more traumatic and upsetting occasion when it is needed.”
Covid has also increased the number of families who are requesting ‘welfare’ checks on their loved ones. This could be because the relative is living away from Jersey, or working and unable to regularly check on them. The welfare checks have given family members peace of mind and enabled the client to stay living independently.
