A man with multiple sclerosis spends 16 hours a day in bed after being refused extra funding for his care. Dave Westley is 53 and currently has a carer for just eight out of 24 hours a day.
Dave no longer has use of his arms and legs due to his condition and relies completely on the help of his carers to get out of bed, washed, and fed. He relies on them for all aspects of his personal care and cannot move without their help.
This means he is in bed until his carer arrives at 9am in the morning, and is then put back in bed at 5pm, where he stays for the next 16 hours. He has asked for more hours for carers from social services but said he has been refused.
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Dave, from Aberdare, was diagnosed with MS in 2007. His condition has now developed into secondary progressive MS and over time he has lost the strength and use in his arms.
According to the NHS, Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition that can affect the brain and spinal cord, causing a wide range of potential symptoms, including problems with vision, arm or leg movement, sensation or balance. It's a lifelong condition that can sometimes cause serious disability.
Dave's carer Lynne explained that he was admitted to hospital in 2019 and when he left he was given a care package of eight hours a day. However, at that time, she explained he still had some strength in his arms and legs and could move from the bed without hoists. Now that function has totally gone, and carers can only move him with hoists.
She explained that this means doing simple tasks could take a lot of time. She said: "We have asked for more hours for his care in the evening but they said we (carers) need to split our hours. They suggest we go to him for two hours, then go home then return for two hours, but it can take a long time to get him out of bed, washed, dressed and fed in the morning."
On top of his personal care, the carers who tend to him are also responsible for washing and changing his bed sheets and other general cleaning for Dave. Dave said he likes to spend time on his computer in the day and can do that with the help of his carer.
Dave also added that he would like to go swimming so the buoyancy helps with his movement and rehabilitation. However this would require two carers, and the hours he has does not cover this.
"He is in bed from 5pm until the next morning," Dave's carer said. "He can watch TV as it is voice controlled, but he is put in bed when his afternoon carer leaves at 5pm and he stays there."
When asked what it would mean for him to have more caring hours so he would not have to go to bed so early, Dave said: "It would change my life."
A spokesperson for Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council said: “Whilst we are unable to comment in detail about individual cases, we are working in close collaboration with colleagues in the NHS to ensure that Mr Westley’s health and social care needs are met. We are in regular contact with Mr Wesley and are committed to ensuring that his views, and those of his carers, are part of this process’.
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