AN at-risk couple have been left sanitising their home after care visits, with claims that Glasgow’s Home Care Service are sending twelve different members of staff into their home per week.

Jimmy Sweeny, 76 from Criagton, has mulitple sclerosis and says he is worried about the amount of people that the service, formally known as Cordia, are sending out on a weekly basis.

He said: “Last week we had 12 carers come into the house, as opposed to the normal two or three.

“Although they are wearing masks and protection, it is scary that we have twelve different people coming into the house when we are trying our best to stay safe at the moment.”

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Jimmy and his wife, Patricia, are also worried over the whether the carers are being tested or not.

“My wife Patricia, who has parkinson's, then has to go around the house cleaning and wiping everything once someone leaves to make sure that the house is safe.

“Our concern is that we don’t know if the carers coming in are getting tested.”

In response to these claims, a spokeswoman for Glasgow’s Health & Social Care Partnership said: “While it is perfectly understandable that people are nervous, at the moment, about different people going into their homes to provide support and assistance, we can assure everyone that all our Home Care staff are equipped with PPE and infection control practices will be used every time they visit.”

Jimmy also claims that he and Patricia have to leave their front door unlocked, as they are not told by Cordia who will be coming to help them that day.

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He said: “We have a wee keybox with a code on it that our normal carers know the code to but when we have twelve different people in during a week, we don’t want to be giving out that code to everyone.

“Our normal carers are able to see a difference in us too. The last time I was sent into hospital, it was because my carers noticed a difference in me. If we are getting twelve different people every week, how are they supposed to recognise those changes?”

“The carers themselves do a fantastic job, I really can’t fault the level of care that we are getting and I really appreciate all the help that they are giving us.

“It is the management that is the problem, there is little communication. The way it is organised is ridiculous.”

The home help service has been scaled back during lockdown, with Home Care reducing outreach to 1600 people in Glagsow during the past four months.

In March, the Glasgow Times reported that the home care service reduced back to a ‘critical care’ service in response to the coronavirus lockdown, in which the most vulnerable users were offered a reduced service, with others asked to rely on family members and loved ones for immediate care.

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Valerie Livingstone, who has been diagnosed with fibromyalgia and osestroarthrtis, had her care plan voluntarily paused as she originally relied on her daughter in Largs for care, moving in with her as lockdown was announced.

She returned home to Craigton on June 8, after circumstances at her daughter’s home became unmanageable and with her family starting work again, they were not able to care for her in the same way.

In emails seen by the Glasgow Times, it was confirmed that Valerie paused her service while she stayed with her duaghter, and that advice was given that the service could be re-started again should she move back home during lockdown.

She said: “My daughter dropped me back home in June when it looked like my service had been confirmed to start again. It was only once I was home and settled that I was told that I wouldn’t be receiving the home help.

“They said that I had been assessed by a social worker, which helped them make the decision, but I hadn’t been assessed in two years.

“The only times I am able to get a wash or changed is when my daughters come to see me – one lives in Largs, which is not five minutes down the road, and the other is shielding.

“Cordia say that they are here to help you get on with life, but we are at their beck and call at the moment.”

Valerie claims that she has since had an emergency assessment from an occupational therapist on July 15, with a reduced care plan of one visit per week due to begin again today.

A spokeswoman for Glasgow’s Health & Social Care Partnership said: “Due to the global Coronavirus pandemic and the number of staff off work because they had to self-isolate, services were focused on our most vulnerable, priority one service users.

“Despite reduced staffing levels throughout this challenging time, our dedicated teams have delivered more than 1000,000 Home Care visits since March 20.

“As the country gradually recovers, services are being resumed where possible and when staffing levels allow. More than 70% of Home Care visits have now resumed.

“Ms Livingstone cancelled her Home Care service and moved in with relatives at the start of lockdown. She later informed us she was moving back home. Amid this unprecedented emergency, an email was missed and we have apologised for that mistake.

"Her condition has since been assessed by an occupational therapist and she will now receive help to shower once a week."