Debra Edwards is a social housing tenant in North London, avid care technology user, and co-production advocate. Here Debra shares her thoughts on the new government and the implications for people who draw on social care services.
I’m a single mum of five children and grandmother to eight grandchildren. For nearly ten years I worked as midwife, but in 2012, I became ill with lupus and rheumatoid arthritis and had my spine rebuilt. I now use a wheelchair.
You don’t go through something like that without it affecting you mentally. I had a nervous breakdown and was admitted to a mental health facility.
So, I’ve experienced health and social care from both sides – and I can tell you, as someone who draws on care and support, I’ve never known things as bad as they are now.
Older and disabled people tell me they feel like a burden: disempowered and unvalued. No-one asks what they think, quality of care is often poor, prescriptive, and they feel like a fraud – having to convince ‘professionals’ of their disability to access support.
My hope is that this new government takes a completely fresh look at social care because we can’t just have more of the same, with a few tweaks. There has to be wholehearted change.
For me, that must start with perception, both of social care and also the people who draw on it.
I’ve lost count of the articles I read about social care with photos of older people’s hands, held by someone ‘looking after them’. This is such a negative and narrow depiction.
The new government must recognise that social care is so much more than keeping people safe, getting them dressed and emptying their commode.
After my breakdown, care workers helped me rebuild my confidence and identity and begin a new life, volunteering as a co-production champion.
I became a member of Haringey Council’s ‘Resident Voice Board’ (RVB) and I volunteer at the biggest food bank in Haringey.
Simple devices such as the fob lock on my door, voice-controlled curtains and my personal alarm all sit in the background, helping me get on with my day.
Home adaptations like my rise and fall kitchen worktops mean I can still cook for family at home. And apps like YouTube help me follow my passions. I taught myself to sew by watching videos and I love making clothes from African prints.
This is the social care story the next government has to make possible for people who aren’t as lucky as me. It’s the story where people feel optimistic, where they flourish and feel valued.
But there are some cornerstones to making this a reality.
Technology enabled care, (TEC)is one. I’m a big digital user and it’s frustrating to see gym sessions prescribed by GPs but not voice-assistants or fall detectors. Why can’t devices be integrated into health and care pathways?
TEC boosts independence and it helps people to access support in their community. It keeps people out of hospital and if they are admitted, it gets them home quicker – something I know from experience. And it gives peace of mind and reassurance to families.
Co-production is another ambition. I want to be included in all the decisions concerning my health, housing and care. I want to be valued for my opinions and thoughts. I want to be given choices and personalised support that isn’t just the norm.
Take it from me, when meaningful co-production happens, when older and disabled people are listened to, then lives improve, and money is saved.
So, my main message to the government is one of potential and hope. With the right focus and the right investment, social care can support people to live fulfilling lives, in the places they call home, with the people and things they love.
housinglin.org.uk/TAPPI
