Arranging and funding care is an issue gradually working it’s way up the national consciousness, however, for those of us that settle down on a Sunday morning with The Archers for a little escapism, it is at the forefront of a continuing storyline.

In recent months the Archers and the Aldridges have had to cope with Jack Wooley’s declining health since his diagnosis with Alzeimers Disease and wife Peggy’s insistence that he must stay at home and that a care home is out of the question.

As a care fees specialist, advising those in just this position, I congratulate the script writers with the gradual way the storyline has developed. I know from experience that Peggy’s reaction is a common one and the stroke she recently suffered is one way in which the strain of coping with a loved one’s illness can manifest itself. The family’s uncertainty of how to achieve a solution to satisfy ‘mum’s concern for Jack’s well being, whilst ensuring that she is relieved of the role of primary carer leaves them feeling at a loss as to how to help and not knowing where to turn.

Then comes the awareness that Peggy is making economies and has developed a certain ‘carefulness’ with money despite being financially ‘comfortable’. Daughters Jennifer and Lillian finally pluck up courage to address the matter of money with mum, and the floodgates open, that the drop in income over the last year has resulted in her worrying about paying for Jack’s care and her own needs, that she has felt unable to cope but not wanting to be a burden to her very busy family. Well, Brian has now reviewed Peggy and Jacks investments and has agreed to set up a meeting with his financial adviser who is ‘an excellent chap’.

It’s how the story is developed from here that interests me, with only 150 advisers in the UK specialising in care fees funding, I wait to see if Brian’s ‘excellent chap’ is one of those and if not, if he will refer Peggy to such an adviser. I hope he does as an experienced specialist will not only be able to advise on exclusive options for funding care but would also be able to provide guidance and valuable points of contact for sourcing possible care solutions. If such an adviser had been consulted early on, not only Peggy, but the whole family, would have had a point of continuing guidance in all matters relating to Jack’s care and Peggy’s finances.

As Peggy herself observed this week ‘who knows what the future holds’, well in her case the script writers do! For family’s in similar circumstances, however, there is no script writer and so they are on their own, until, that is, they talk to a care fee specialist!

With the government’s Green Paper on Adult Social Care finally seeing the light of day we see a mixed bag of politically neutral proposals that face a longer journey into the light than the Green Paper itself.

As Karen and Tim outline below, the consultation period runs until November, we then await the White Paper, the publication of which may well follow a general election and change of Government.

This may sound an extremely bleak proposition but then, with the Government encouraging what it calls ‘The Big Debate’ on the the reform of Adult Care and Support in England, the electorate have the opportunity to turn this to their advantage.

By engaging in the debate, individual voices may shape the future. The results of the debate will provide fuel for any party’s manifesto into the next election, the *demographics tell us that by 2014 over 65 year olds will overtake under 16 in the UK and the over 65’s are the most likely to vote.  This fact will not escape the attention of any political party.

This presents each and every concerned care recipient, their family, care providers, charities and agencies to  make their feelings known and to drive home the need to make change to the care system a top political priority.

As a Care Fee Specialists, the prevailing comment we hear from  the families and loved ones of those receiving, or about to receive care, is the lack of a single agency to guide them through the practical process, let alone the funding.

The frustrations felt by having to deal with several different agencies, none of which seem to have the ability talk to each other, often leaves relatives drained having repeated the same story 2 or 3 times.  It is hard not to blame the individuals within these agencies but they are simply working within a system over which they have no direct influence.

You may be going through this process now for someone, you may be concerned for yourself or a relative, whatever your circumstances, your opinion matters.  Make your thoughts on the proposals put forward in the Green Paper count, The Wealth Care Partnership encourages everyone to engage in the debate.

I shall be lobbying my own local MP, Jeremy Brown, with my thoughts and am tremendously interested in hearing from you with your comments, indeed I’ll be happy to pass those on for the debate if you wish, you may contact me direct on rene@twcp.co.uk.

Remember you have until 13 November to make your voice heard and to ensure you influence the future of care in the UK, PLEASE don’t miss the opportunity.

*Government Actuary Dept 2003 projections