To be concerned wrt the future when there are so many people needing support?

[Jupitersmoonandstars]

Prepared to be told IABU, but since covid, and more especially, the lockdowns, I have noticed how many people need quite a lot of support from outside of their families, and I am becoming increasingly concerned about how we will manage to support so many people now and in the future.
I admit, I was completely astonished at the sheer numbers of people who need assistance to even buy food, so many people who either cannot drive yet dont live close to a supermarket so rely heavily on online deliveries, people who cannot shop alone due to their mental health, people who are too frail to shop, people who are longterm too sick to shop.
There seemed to be so many more people than I expected who were completely dependent on a delivery service and when they couldn't get a slot, were understandably panicking!
People who couldn't get their prescriptions, people who didnt have enough money to buy food and needed to use the services of a food bank, people who couldn't get the medical or therapeutic help they needed. People whose operations and procedures were postponed causing massive amounts of stress and anxiety.
People suffering from serious mental health conditions which impact their day to day lives considerably.

As I read more and more on social media community pages, and forums about how utterly dependent on services so many people are, it began to make me extremely concerned how we, as a society, are going to be able to adequately support people who rely on others, now and into the future.

I began to realise that almost all of the families, friends and neighbours
I know have at least one member of their family who is in great need of support, without which, they would be unable to access supermarkets or medical needs, and this adds up to a huge amount of people overall in the UK.

Am I seeing this from a skewed perspective?

Are there people in your circle who depend on outside support to carry out basic functions?
What can be done to help support these people?
Are we doing enough?

In my family and friends circle, many of us are needed to help support other members of our families, and without that support, life would be incredibly difficult if not impossible for those people.
I'm quite happy to assist my family and friends but should I find myself unable to help, what help is available? What would happen to these people? Am I catastrophising?

YABU There is only a small percentage of people whose health or age prevents them from coping independently and as such, only a small amount of people depend on outside help in order to afford or perform basic tasks to enable them to buy the food and access the medical help amongst other things they need and I dont know anyone in my own circle who is dependent on others to help them to get what they need?

YANBU We are seeing more and more people who need support to afford or perform basic tasks to enable them to get the food/medical help they need amongst other things and not enough is being done to support these people adequately.

Agree it is a real concern because basically its going to get more that way, not less. If we want these services we are going to have to pay a lot more in tax for them. Or decide that the welfare state is too expensive and actually cut it.

It will be interesting to see what the Conservatives do. They may move some services towards older voters, and take away from families.

But most of what you are concerned about was problematic because of lockdown

So you had numerous types of people, especially visible here, who wouldn't go to the shops for no real reason

So the people who normally rely on deliveries were running short on slots

The people who would often rely on friends, family, neighbours to help getting prescriptions, shopping, were short of help because those people weren't going out...

I am not sure that under sane circumstances, this is a big problem, is it? I care for my elderly mother but under normal circumstances, delivery of meds, shopping etc wasn't an issue.

There's a problem with lack of carers for sure, I don't think that can be addressed without better pay and conditions.

Austerity was bad enough. Now it's Brexit and Covid on top.

I help with an older peoples groups locally, and the number of people who can afford care but cannot get it is rising exponentially. Those on a state pension can get some benefits but many are having to sell their houses and go into nursing homes despite the fact that they COULD stay home with a little bit of support. The care crisis is real.

Whilst I agree that most of these issues came to the fore because of lockdown, I hadn't fully appreciated how many people were in need of support and couldn't cope without support until then, yet those people must have always needed someone to help them, and that help possibly became harder to access over lockdown.

I must have been wandering around with my eyes shut tight, because I didnt appreciate how many people rely completely on support from others for simple day to day living.
People who cannot access food unless it is delivered.
People who cannot access food unless it is from a food bank.
People who cannot get to a hospital or a doctors, or even a pharmacy without someone taking them there.
People who are too ill to work.
People who are too ill to function in society.
People who are suffering with mental health illnesses.

I am genuinely terrified for the future of these people, more so now the price of energy is expected to rise so much.

People who cannot look after themselves.
Who will look after them if their own families or friends cannot?

Obviously, I have always been aware that a selection of the population have poor health and difficulties, i am just surprised at the numbers of people who require this level of help.

When virtually every family I can think of has someone who is in dire need of support, that's a lot of people who need support.
Where will this support come from if families/friends/neighbours cannot provide it?

We are an unhealthy population now. If you look up the Marmot report, you'll see how rising economic inequalities lead to an increasingly ill, fragile population. Many of us live with long term conditions and disabilities, and it only takes one or two things to be withdrawn to make those conditions untenable.

UC is positively toxic now apparently.

Sanctions being given for minor issues.

lll and disabled new claimants being judged as not entitled to LCW or PIP.

£73 a week to live on for all bills and food (except rent) for adult

DWP not releasing report regarding harm of sanctiions

We live in quite a dysfunctional society where only a few certain types of individual can do well. A lot of people are left by the wayside. Increasing numbers now it seems. We need to build a more inclusive society which doesn't exclude so many people and leaves them behind. It's horrible now. Everything is so harsh, complicated and lacking in even simple kindness.

OP it is vanishingly rare for me to say something cheerful so please indulge me 😂

On the money front, I don't know

But on the practical front

I live in a big block of flats in London and everyone helps out everyone who needs it.

Mum lives in a different borough and her neighbours help the elderly in the street with things like this. Before my dad died, he used to drive people to doctor etc after he retired.

I also help through church - I'm not religious but they aren't worried about that

I had a friend in her 90s who had a church volunteer do her paperwork and bills so that's how I found out I could make myself useful

There's a local charity who help drug addicts - that did shut in lockdown which was annoying. They run drop in cafe and a book club.

If you are wanting to help, there's community stuff around. Sometimes you don't see it unless you've looked for it.

The income squeeze, I have no cheerful words, but there are still supportive elements out there in the community.

It probably seems overwhelming if you are seeing it for the first time.

I find it really shocking that you’re just realising this; I don’t think it’s anything new but it is easier not to see it in ‘normal’ times if you’re not personally in need of help.

I would really rather pay loads more tax and know that nobody (myself included when needs arise) is going to suffer or die needlessly. But it’s not a popular view.

I live in a big block of flats in London and everyone helps out everyone who needs it
That sounds great bt just like fodbanks it shouldn't be making up for no public services

Health and social care is set to be a growth sector for employment
If you can pay for it though??

@StarCat2020

I live in a big block of flats in London and everyone helps out everyone who needs it That sounds great bt just like fodbanks it shouldn't be making up for no public services

Like I said, my comments don't cover funding

I read OP posts as if she has just realised people need help in practical ways. That practical help is definitely a thing in every London borough
I've lived in.

My experience is that people are often a bit surprised when they find out how much goes on. I am working (freelance) for a few clients at the mo. One is very senior in a media company and spends Saturday morning taking a blind lady for errands etc and helping in her home.

I do see a lot of chat and hand wringing on MN so I won't lie - I take this as a chance to say hey, you can help.

And some people will take community help when they wouldn't want state interference. I would be that person too!

I'm not saying it's a substitute for public services. But you get many frail people like mum - sometimes she can do stuff herself, sometimes she can't. I think it is good to know people will help.

Health and social care is set to be a growth sector for employment. Just need to attract people…

It needs to be properly funded first, and the right people attracted to it. That means paying them adequately, valuing their skills, rather than abusing their goodwill and classing them as low skilled.

Like I said, my comments don't cover funding
Sorry I didn't read your post properly.

Your block of flats sounds like a proper community!!

Care workers get a raw deal but people pay a lot for care to "middlemen"

Home care not care homes, i mean

YANBU OP.
The number of people with disabilities surviving. ageing population. mental health issues.

We’re reaching a point where a very small number of ‘able’ people are going to be supporting the rest and I don’t know how it’s going to happen. Practically everyone has something wrong with them these days

Health and social care is set to be a growth sector for employment. Just need to attract people…

Which will cost money that no one is willing to pledge. It's run on a shoestring and goodwill at the moment, but the shortage nationwide of people to care for those who need it professionally shows that big changes are needed, but while people want to pass on their wealth (no judgement) to family rather than pay for care, while people want as low tax as possible (again, no judgement) and while more pressingly, we allow companies to make big profits while giving the minimum in return and short-changing their staff and clients (judgement there tbh) then the situation isn't going to get any better.
In an ideal world people would have family/local support to a certain degree and then when/if more is needed, professional help starts. But with people having to work longer hours, needing 2 ft wages for a decent standard of living, there's less time for the help family may need.
And with less 'professional' help available, and only for those in the most need, people are going without.
It's like a perfect storm really, with money at the heart of it.

I live in a large village and was part of a network of volunteers during the first lockdown. I was allocated about 100 houses, and leaflet dropped my number to all, speaking to about 80 of them, explaining the network and letting them know they could call me. I had two calls - and both were from older people who admitted that they didn’t want to bother their own local adult children. One call started off awkwardly - I was calling back, and the visiting adult child answered! And was initially quite affronted, as if I was accusing her of not being their for her mum! The call ended on smoother terms.

My experience was replicated by the network of volunteers - very few were actually needed.

Of course there are people with no-one, but I still think they’re a minority.

Most families/extended families will include a set or more than a set of grandparents/elderly. These people always needed help. So yes, almost every family will directly or indirectly be managing or supporting one or two or even more elderly/disable person. Thats just normal and Covid hasnt changed that