It's not just the elderly who are suffering. I am bed-bound and cannot even turn over without assistance, let alone prepare meals or use the bathroom unaided.

My partner and sole carer is going in hospital tomorrow, and I am going to be all alone. I qualify for free care 24 hours a day, according to the social worker, Social Services Occupational Therapist and the Council's finance officer. However the Council has stopped all assistance apart from those whose life is in danger. Apparently I have to make do with cold drinks and a loaf of bread as my only sustenance, no baths or washing and no using the toilet until my partner comes home next week. I guess I can go without proper food and drink for that long but when I questioned how I would use a toilet, I was told to either put down incontinence sheets and 'let it flow' or ask the GP to catheterise me and send a nurse every day to empty the bag! I won't be able to even clean my teeth so have mouthwash and a bowl at the side of the bed. When I asked what would happen when my partner comes home, as she'll be unable to lift me for a while after surgery so will not be able to change wet and soiled bedding, etc, I was told we''d have to muddle through as best as possible on our own.

The social worker told me she was not happy giving this advice and has invented some paperwork I need to do every day my partner is in hospital, so that she can pop round for an hour every day to help out wherever possible. If she's found out, she'll be in trouble, but she's a really nice person just trying to help in spite of the Council's new rules to save money.

By the way, like most disabled and sick people (going by the low levels of fraud for DLA, ESA and the old IB), I am not a scrounger or benefit scum. I worked full time for almost 20 years after becoming ill, then worked part-time for a few years until my employer sacked me - he thought it would not look good for one of his reps to be in a wheelchair! The Union advised me to take him to a tribunal, so we started the process but the stress made me worse and I soon became too ill and tired to fight any more. Since then, nearly 4 years ago, I have been bed-bound as my illness has rapidly progressed these past few years.

I've never had any help, even though I've had two strokes and have disintegrating bones in my back. Then again my mum never had any social help after fourteen strokes and becoming bedridden, so in thirty years nothing has changed except for it to get worse. Older people dont count in this country unless you have money you are f****d....... Never mind we will all be dead soon !!!!!

my gran was very ill and she never got any help

I'm tempted to emigrate tbh

I write on these pages to stop myself going bonkers as trying to reason with the so called social workers is a nightmare, these recent employees of social services seem to be obtained from one of three places, ie.. ex parking wardens, ex baliffs or ex inland revenue, most have no idea of care work they only enter a premises with one goal in mind and that is to cut support packages down to the bone and then some. This article says cuts of around %5 but in our area it's not uncommon for cuts of 30-50% to be made, and their excuse is ''we only pay for essential care as laid down by the council'', an example of non essential care is that someone who has advanced dementia and is very prone to falls, only needs a buzzer fitted to the bed to tell when they have got up , and a chair that is difficult to get out of, to take place of a carer, whilst their spouse (main carer) goes shopping or takes a rest even though they are both coming up for 80 and have worked all their lives. Tell me, as a society how can this be right?

Name and shame the Councils who have cut back most, but do it per capita. Some areas will have more needs than others.
There will be waste and inefficiencies, but once the figures are clear and efficiency gains have been made, then we can all share a set of common facts. Hopefully more money ends up at the front line.