Elderly people to be cared for by foster families in Leicester

Leicester City Council is trialling a scheme where elderly people will be looked after by foster families.

Under the initiative, families will be paid £224 a week to take elderly people into their homes.

The council will also pay for modifications to the foster family’s home and has said carers will be carefully vetted before being approved and will be monitored regularly.

Rita Patel, assistant city mayor for adult social care, said: “It's not suitable for everybody but for people who want to be in a family environment, who want to be taken care of on an individual basis, it's a fantastic scheme.”

The council currently runs a Shared Lives scheme where people with dementia, disabilities or mental health problems can live with foster families for daytime support or a short respite break and this initiative is an extension of that.

The scheme is backed by Shadow Care Minister Liz Kendall MP, who said: “I’m absolutely delighted that Leicester Council is extending the city’s Shared Lives scheme to include people aged over 65. I’ve been urging the council to take this step, because I’ve seen for myself the very real benefits of Shared Lives carers taking people into their homes and their lives. I’ll continue to do everything I can to back the work of Shared Lives Plus, both as a local MP and in my national role as Shadow Minister for Care and Older People.”

Davina Ludlow, director of homecare.co.uk also called the initiative a “wonderful idea” saying it enables older people “to live with a family and be cared for at the same time”.

Age UK has raised concerns over the scheme with Leicestershire Age UK telling Leicester Mercury that the scheme should be approached with a "degree of caution as it would involve placing potentially vulnerable people in homes with strangers".

But Ms Ludlow said: “I am sure Leicestershire City Council will act very responsibly and vet the foster family very rigorously.”

Carol Wright is currently a Shared Lives carer and she shares her family home with three people. She said: “In some ways I am like a stay-at-home mum, the difference being I care for adults. As a human being the pleasure is immeasurable when you see your child achieve even the smallest step in life, and the same can be said of the adults who live with me.

“They can often do many things for themselves but may just need a little extra support and guidance to give them the confidence to try.”