Couple's fears over care for disabled daughter
AN elderly couple who look after their disabled daughter at home have criticised a council for not returning their calls to arrange care in the event of their deaths.
Alan Warner, 74, and wife Patricia, 72, are full-time carers for their daughter, Fiona Cullumbine, 52.
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Alan and Pat Warner are full-time carers for their daughter Fiona Cullumbine, who has cerebral palsy.
Fiona suffers from severe cerebral palsy and her parents do everything for her – wash, dress and feed her.
Fiona has been assigned a social worker from Derbyshire County Council to help arrange respite care but Mr Warner said he and his wife had phoned the council numerous times about trying to arrange care in the event of their deaths and not had any response.
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He said: "We spoke to the social worker last July after weeks and weeks of calling but that was the last time.
"We are getting old and my wife is worried about arranging care for Fiona if anything happens to her. But we just haven't been able to speak to the council to sort this."
Mr Warner, of Codnor Denby Lane, Denby, also said the council had not responded to his requests to have his daughter's respite care at a location closer to home in Alfreton.
Fiona receives two weeks of respite care a year.
This was at Challenge House care home, Beeston, for several years but the care home closed for refurbishment and, in October, Fiona's respite care took place at a care home in Alfreton.
Mr Warner said he wanted the council to switch his daughter's respite care permanently to Alfreton.
He said: "We live in Denby, so getting to Alfreton is a lot easier.
We spoke to the social worker about it in July. She showed my wife around a possible new respite care centre in Alfreton but since then we have not heard anything.
"We have no idea where she might be going for respite care. We don't want her to go back to Challenge House.
"On top of that we want to plan with the council about what will happen to Fiona if anything happens to us.
"My wife is really worried. She has had to look after Fiona her whole life, it's full time.
"We are just angry with the council for not being there, for not talking to us about this."
A spokeswoman for Derbyshire County Council said the authority was prepared to talk Mr Warner to try and help his family.
She said: "Fiona will continue to receive respite care. We will be contacting Mr Warner to address any concerns he may have."
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