Cold Comfort

There is still snow on the ground. The air may be warming but the shade is not. This lack of urgency to begin to return to "normal " has been a strong sense in the overall temperament of the UK. Reluctant school teachers and needless to say, school children, hope that the days of winter would continue; as the hours edge closer to the half-term school break. The weather induced apathy may be snow induced, but the chilling financial crisis and the deepening gloom of recession forebodingly lurking in the background has a sense of fateful eeriness.

I too watch the slow, inevitable creep toward recession with bewildering unease as I contemplate my personal situation and that of my business and charity. The battle for survival in these harsh times is made even more pronounced by the current stage of the business and charity. The care training business (Aide de Vie) has a wonderful opportunity to capitalise on the trend toward more home-based care work and the ageing population with commensurate age related illnesses. We (Aide de Vie) are motivated to improve care quality by improving training quality. The government, distracted by financial gloom, speaks empty words and seeks only to lower expenditure. They do this through devolving responsibility for care to the end users who don't really appreciate the subtlety of care standards but only know the effects of poor quality care. This will eventually result in a slide of care standards and consequent "dumbing down" of the care industry.

As a person receiving 24hr care I am acutely aware of how my happiness and well-being are affected by the quality and professionalism of the person/s providing the care. The relationship is sensitive to the interaction of the care giver and care receiver This relationship is underpinned by knowledge. Knowledge needs to be gained through experience and training. Unless standards are enforced and monitored, professionalism will not result.

So Aide de Vie must succeed and must grow. It's a battle too big for 1 small startup and it needs a voice or supporter at a higher level in government.

Open Roads, our charity with the aim of "Changing the perception of disability " has an equally difficult task to establish itself in the current environment. Budgets are cut and charity is the first to suffer as we struggle on only on the strength of the active members.