Tony Robinson and The Costs of Caring

Submitted by tonyplant on March 29, 2006 - 16:27.

Tony Robinson filmed a documentary about caring for his mother, who had Alzheimer's: he generously gave an interview and Q&A session about his caring experiences to Times Online. One of the comments that Robinson makes is that

care workers need better pay, more training and a proper career structure.

In the course of the programme, carers frequently raised the issue of how angry they were about the inadequacy of the Carers' Allowance. Juxtaposed to Robinson's above recommendation for care workers, its seems as if carers get substantially less pay, no training, and that caring destroys their own career structure. One striking example of this was Janice Marrs. Marrs revealed that she had given up a well-paid, senior post to care for her mother. Along with the job and salary, she gave up many of her pension arrangements and other necessities that would have given her security in her own future. She made the cogent point that she is paid just £45 a week to care for her mother for 24-hours a day. "Sometimes I'm up four times in the night - why is it just because she's old and very ill that I'm written off as well?"

Marrs contrasts her payment with that of Foster Carers, who she said receive £250 per week. I take her point as to the difference in treatment, but I'm not sure that the seeming animosity displayed towards the comparatively generous allowances awarded to Foster Carers on the Carers UK forums is appropriate, galling though many of the comparisons must be (particularly that a Foster Carers Allowance is paid per child, but a Carers Allowance is fixed, irrespective of the number of people for whom one cares).

read more | 4 comments | friedman | economic growth | Channel 4 | carer | caregiver | alzheimer's disease

THE F WORD! - BLOG HITS CHANNEL 4 T.V.

Submitted by carolewilliams on February 18, 2006 - 21:43.

The Unltd blog has reached researchers for Channel 4 t.v. They had found my bog in a search about eating round the dinner table as a family.  Imagine my surprise when an email dropped into my in box from a researcher.  Here is an excerpt from the email.  Can any of you out there help.

QUOTE

"I am currently looking for groups of people to unite around the dinner table and in my search I found your blog!

The idea is to get various groups to re-unite around the dinner table. Maybe a family currently eat separately watching the TV, or a group of friends meet often but rarely have dinner together. Gordon would visit and help them cook a meal.

The reason that I have contacted you is because we are looking for all sorts of different types of people from all walks of life and I thought perhaps people who visit your blog may be interested in becoming involved. "

So, there you have it!  If you are interested please CLICK the ATTACHMENT BELOW and check out the document and then contact me and I can give you details straight away.  They are looking specifically for families who currently do not sit down for dinner together but would like to.  If that's you, email me or pick up the phone. They absolutely do not want people who just want an audience with a master chef!  So, what are you waiting for - Yummy!

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