Cost of living crisis causes concern for Partnership Board members

Graham supports people to get involved in improving health and care services through the local Adult Social Care Partnership Boards. 

The five Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Partnership Boards work with the local councils to improve health and care services for family carers, people with physical, learning and sensory disabilities and older people.

The increasing cost of living is a worry for many

'Cost of living' - it is a phrase that is in the news on an almost daily basis. We hear about the rise in inflation.  We see it when we go to the shops to buy milk and other supplies to find they have gone up in price again!

For many people it means having to pay more for gas, electricity, petrol and food.

The purpose of this blog isn’t to scare people, it is based on what has been said at the Partnership Boards by our Independent Members.  They have been talking about the concerns that they have, either for themselves or the person they care for.

Worries about heating homes

We all know that it is going to cost more to heat our homes this winter and this is one of the biggest worries for the people we work with. 

Many older and disabled people ‘feel the cold’ and need to keep warm to stay well. Due to their disability, they may not be able to wear more layers of clothing, or more layers could cause extra challenges such as making it hard to go the toilet.

Yet not all can afford to heat their homes to the level they need. And whilst advice on wearing layers, just warming the room you're using and excluding drafts is useful, it's often not enough to keep people well. 

Older and disabled people often need to use more energy per person than most. 

• People with certain health conditions may have to do laundry on a more regular basis, due to sickness, incontinence, or sweating. 
• People who use powered wheelchairs need to ensure that they are charged up overnight for use during the day. 
• People also have medical equipment that must be kept on at all times such as hoists, or tube feeding at night or a CPAP machine for people who have sleep apnea.
• Some medications, such as insulin, must be kept in the fridge.

Sadly, older and disabled people are more likely to experience poor health as a result of not being able to afford to heat their homes properly.

The Independent Members have also talked about their concerns if there are power cuts and how this will impact on their equipment.

The price of food is on the rise 

The price of food is going up and for people with disabilities this can be a big issue, particularly if they have specialist diets such as gluten free, low sugar or low-salt.

Fresh fruit and vegetables are healthier to eat and provide essential nutrients.  But to reduce costs, people are looking at cheaper options which may not meet their dietary needs.

The cost of cooking food is also a worry and people have talked about how it is cheaper to cook using a microwave rather than the oven.

Affording increasing care costs 

Some people with disabilities may have support from Personal Assistants to help them with activities to maintain their independence and live their life their way.

This can include support in getting up, washed, dressed, preparing food and taking part in social activities.

Yet the cost of providing this care is also rising and people who work as Personal Assistants may ask for increased wages to cover their own costs. 

Some people with disabilities attend day opportunities – clubs and activities. Again, The Independent Members are concerned that prices they pay will need to go up. 

If you receive Direct Payments from Cambridgeshire County Council to pay for Personal Assistants and Day Opportunities and are experiencing financial challenges, do talk to your social care team.

Find out more about paying for care