What could adult social services provide?

[MarmiteCoriander]

20yrs ago, an adult my friend knows had a life changing injury and suffered a head injury. She has no living relatives and my friend have helped her since. Strangely, she is apparently unknown to social services, despite not being able to manage medical/dental appointments, can't manage her finances, can't book appointments etc. She can shop and cook very basic things, or microwave meals and had somehow managed all these years- but with my friends support.

I've suggested contacting social services, to at least get her on their books and see what could be provided. I assume they could review whether she is on the correct benefits, provide support for cleaning, shopping, appointments etc. What other support might be available for someone with a functioning age of maybe a very early teen?

Hi,

Social services can do a lot. I have care from Adult Social services.

My referral took a year, and a suicide attempt until I was given a Social worker. I have care at home, and it can be home support/cleaning/appointments including being taken to appointments/accessing groups and other services, and a carer can attend these activities with them/help with shopping etc. They can also develop technologies and apps etc that can help with taking medications, or emergence cords, and anything they can develop to help a disability.

I've had carers for 2 months now and it's been brilliant!

It very much depends where you live. In my area social services provide very little support, for example I get no support because I can use a microwave and they don’t do help with cleaning or shopping (I’m a wheelchair user).

My friend who lives in a different part of the country gets help with all of those.

My personal opinion is that people who have friends or family providing support get more help from social services because social services have to consider the needs of the carer and make sure they get a break. So it would be worth the people supporting her being involved in discussions and/or requesting a carers needs assessment.

Thank you both. I assumed it would be a postcode lottery in terms of what is available! I feel that this lady should at least be on the social services radar and have some sort of assessment. Not only to explore services she 'might' be able to claim, but also as a backup in the event that my elderly friend can no longer provide the support she currently does.

She is entitled to a Care Act assessment from Adult Social Care. That will look at what she can do and what she needs support with.

However, services are extremely stretched at present and if she is managing ok with support from your friend, then it's likely that she won't be prioritised.

That being said, it's still worth doing to get on the system etc., plus they can explore benefits, signpost to other agencies etc.