My Changing Care Package – Heather Murrant

I have had a care package for the last 20 years and as my life as changed so my package has changed. It started as a small package of care with an agency. However this didn’t fit into my life at all and it had a big impact on my daughter who was then only a year old, as we never knew who was coming through the door next. 

My friend told me about Direct Payments and the Independent Living Fund and this was the start of a great journey to freedom for both my children and me. At this time there were only 3 people on direct payments so I was asked to help write the remit for the Council as the Government said this was the way to go. So, we had several meetings with members of Wired, the Council and myself. During this time I had employed my first PA and found it worked well. We had children of a similar age so we all went for days out etc. My life started to open up and I came to the NMC.

Then followed college a couple of times a week where I met my next PA. She has become one of my best friends. I have found most of my PA’s through friends or acquaintances. 

As I have got older my needs have changed and so has my package. It is quite a large package now as I cannot turn in bed etc. so I have night care (which can be difficult to find). There have also been a couple of instances where my PA’s have been off on long term sick and this did put added strain on my girls and I, so 18 months ago I made the decision to combine using an agency and PA. 

As I work from home I have to be able to guarantee that I am up and ready for work so I use an agency. When I am out and about and have night care I use PA’s and when it comes to holiday cover I ask the PA’s first and then if they can’t cover I ask the agency. I find that by combining an agency with PA’s it works quite well and it does not leave me vulnerable. It also gives me more freedom. 

When I was younger, I was very reliant emotionally and physically on my personal assistants and very close to them. They become like family and sometimes could over step the mark, which was a fault on my part too for not instilling clear boundaries. 

I now don’t need that support. I make my own decisions and I feel quite happy to have time on my own. I am not frightened to live my life independently. My children are grown up and I am looking forward to the freedom the package will allow me in the next phase of my life