If your cousin is facing homelessness then please refer her to the link I have attached below, she will need to complete this herself (you are welcome to support her). Once this has been completed and documents have been sent over, she will be booked in for a telephone appointment and our officers will do their assessment.
Until we have the necessary signed permission from the applicant we cannot discuss this matter any further with interested parties.
https://www.tendringdc.gov.uk/housing/housing-options-advice/homelessness-advice
Kind Regards,
Housing Solutions Team
Interesting that I should receive this just after a telephone conversation with her about how she can’t manage the appointments by telephone.
Needs led? This arrived just after I’d finished on the phone where she’s telling me. I need to see someone face to face, I can’t do it on the phone.
I’ve just got in, been with her all morning. She’s worried about a Doctor’s letter she’s received, panicking about cancelling other appointments. No it’s ok the appointment isn’t on that date, it just says if you haven’t heard by that date give them a call. Oh alright then. A little bit calmer. The, I won’t be long turned into all morning. Lovely carer there too. Went to get signed permission but this forgotten as I get caught up in her distress.
She’s in such a muddle with medication. We’re already several tablets over, too few of some. Weekly prescription not enough support. We go over them again, check understanding, what needs to be taken when. Put them in a doset box I bought in pound land. Carer reassures, mentions how her Mum uses one, how it works a treat.
The all white boxes are adding to the confusion. Feeling unsafe filling it there. With that constant talking, carer tries to distract so I can concentrate on what I’m doing. Dad used to do this for my aunt, then me when Dad could no longer drive to be with her.
She seems muddled about the set up we go through it again. I’m not sure she’s getting this. She’s not great with change, getting in a fluster. We might have to leave it for now.
Have a cup of tea, return to it when everyone’s calmer. I think we’re ok now. Check she can open it. All ok. Will have to follow up later.
Spent the time discussing the need for a different plan with the surgery, liasing with the pharmacist. Yes, let’s sort it for the week after next.
Boots don’t have capacity to safely provide a blister pack, we can move over to prescription for you to get a blister pack. £5 something a month. She won’t agree to pay, worried about increasing expenses just lately. More tears and distress.
Try to reassure. I’ll pay. Do you pay for your cousin’s prescriptions? Why not?
But how do people manage who can’t pay, don’t have anyone?
I bumped into two people I’d met volunteering. One at the chemist. They tell me a story of woe. Show me a wound on their leg, sent out because they didn’t have a mask. I’d offer to buy one but don’t have any cash on me, they go off. Looking ropey. A person who is a drug user with a history of childhood trauma, the life horrors not for me to share. Last I heard still living with their abuser. Please consider the power dynamics when you tell someone off, zero tolerance of abuse works both ways. (Yes that includes me) They suffered from professionals homophobia. Their problems flagged up to safe guarding, while I was volunteering. Perhaps things are different now.
The other person tells me about problems they had when I was volunteering, problems I’d flagged up with their GP. No, they are yet to be resolved, medical problems hard to get to the bottom of. Says they are ok but I watch them frail and blown about in these high winds, looking precarious as they walk the street. A fall likely, wonder if they’d feel safer with a trolley can’t imagine they’d agree to it. Not the coolest thing when you’re only young, but has their mobility been assessed? Offer to give a lift, no they’ve got chores to be done before they go back on the bus. I know they live alone. Wondering how they might manage on the bus. Manage with bags of shopping?
There’s coping and not really coping. Not sure they’re thriving.
Anyway I’m home now. Perhaps we need to reflect. Is medication important or not?
She’s met up with some strangers, says they can only stay with her until 3pm. This just feels so unsafe sometimes.
Adult social care have finally confirmed that her case has been allocated. We have a named person. But we’ve been down this route before.
Phone, asking what she should do. The people have left and she’s not got another phone call for a few more hours. I comment how windy it is suggest go home, give that crossword puzzle book a go, watch a bit of telly?
Yes you can ring me later…