Over The Sea To Mull

The following article was received from James McKillop and describes his recent short break to Mull. The trip was arranged with the help of the UK charity PSS (Personal Service Society). James is over 60 years of age and has Dementia.

"I have just returned from a week's respite and am still shuddering.

Replaying back to May 2006, my wife Maureen asked our Social Services for a week's respite. They took months to reply as they were never in to answer or return calls. Eventually after involving our MSP we received a written reply from the Head of Social Services offering us eight weeks respite in a care home.


This was totally unsuitable as I really need to be galvanised to keep abreast of things and had heard horror stories of unsuitable respite, where people came home traumatised and the carer had to spend weeks picking up the pieces.

In April I went to Shared Care Scotland's conference in Dunfermline and met up with Donald and Diane from PSS Kirkintilloch who had a stall. They told me of a respite scheme which Glasgow City Council funded and had already bought weeks which were underused. It was my wife's responsibility to get me to the pick up point and return for me, or arrange with the carer to pick me up, paying for their time and transport. Phillip and I visited the PSS premises and were satisfied it was worth pursuing. There were various places available and I opted for Mull. I had to get an assessment from my Social Care Worker and PSS came to my house to go over my care plan, and we agreed I would try it out.

My son Ross and his girlfriend Natalie drove me to Oban where he handed me over to Carol and Peter, who took me on the boat to Craignure in Mull, then drove me to their house which operates as a B&B. I had my own room with a large TV with SKY, video player and videos and a small library. My window overlooked sea Loch Scridain. They had three cats and three dogs which I knew about before I went. They kept hens which ensured a fresh egg for breakfast. If I went out I had to pay for both myself and Peter and again this was explained before I went, as it was reasonable he was not out of pocket.

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