Council bosses said it was ‘inappropriate’ for carers to form too close a bond with their clients and told them to visit on official appointments only.
The ruling comes despite the fact that Miss Coker has known some of the carers for 15 years and saw them very much as friends.
‘I’m spending my birthday on my own, although I do have my dog. The carers are too scared of losing their jobs,’ said Miss Coker, a retired nurse who lives in Milton Keynes. Her brother is too poorly with cancer to visit.
Before the ruling, four carers used to pop in ‘out of hours’ for a chat or to help with shopping.
Anne Walker, council service manager for older people, said unscheduled visits went against their carers’ code.
In a letter she said: ‘I therefore feel that although the visits from home carers were acts of genuine kindness they are not appropriate.’
No comments:
Post a Comment