The need for Bridge(s)

Assessment of Need and Care Planning

The Journal of Social Work (Baxter, 2021) highlighted the skills that are required for individuals who organise and fund their social care needs.

• Have an understanding of support needs.

• Resourcing. 

• Manage and navigate several sources of information in large volumes.  

• Comparing and contrasting options.

• Manage money and a budget.

• Contingency planning.

• Administrative skills to arrange and manage support.

In general, the evidence showed that people that were eligible for council funding received help with support planning from professionals whereas self-funders received limited, if any help.

Difficulties

• Being overwhelmed with a mass of information or not knowing where to look.

• Objectivity is challenging when decisions are emotive.

• Decisions are often undertaken at a time of crisis when people are already emotionally drained.

• There is evidence that people with low to moderate care needs are often ‘lost to the system.’ 

• There is no statutory duty to organise and review care packages or care home placements for people that self fund their care.

• Delays in asking for help for as long as possible - until the need for support became urgent.

Benefits of Bridge support

• Assessment, review and recommendations tailored to individual needs and preferences. 

• Proactive and preventative. 

• Creative approach to implementing support. 

• Identification of short and long term goals.

• Providing hand in hand, hand over and hands off support.

• Enhance sustainability and cost effectiveness of solutions.

• Collaboration with health professionals, third sector, statutory services and benefit agencies.