Kate Garraway: I have huge debts from husband's care

Kate Garraway reveals she faced enormous financial burdens while covering her late husband Derek Draper’s care costs, amounting to £16,000 monthly.

The GMB presenter says she had to pay £16,000 a month on care costs for her late husband Derek Draper.

In her most recent documentary titled “Kate Garraway: Derek’s Story,” she addressed the audience. Draper, who passed away at the age of 56 due to the enduring impacts of Covid in January, was featured in the documentary. Despite acknowledging the substantial pay from her role as a presenter on GMB, Garraway revealed that the monthly care expenses of £16,000 exceeded her ITV salary.

During the program, Draper’s voice is heard on camera for the first time in the series. He expresses, “I want my story to be heard… I want to share my voice.”

The documentary delves into the final year of his life, with Garraway shedding light on the challenges within the care system.

Prior to her husband’s passing, she expressed, “The cost of Derek’s care exceeds my ITV salary, not to mention our mortgage, household expenses, and our children’s needs. We’re facing a critical juncture. I’m accumulating debt trying to manage Derek’s care, and the funds I have aren’t even available for his recovery, as they’re constantly allocated to essential expenses.”

She stated, “I won’t feign dissatisfaction with my pay. I have a fantastic job that I adore, and it’s well-compensated, but it falls short.”

In her latest ITV program airing on Tuesday evening, the presenter recounts her experiences caring for her husband in previous documentaries, “Finding Derek” and “Caring For Derek.” Expressing frustration with the system, she shares, “Repeatedly, we’ve been told that Derek’s condition isn’t severe enough to warrant funded care. Despite appealing, we’re still waiting for a resolution two-and-a-half, almost three years later. If this is my experience, one can only imagine the challenges faced by others.”

She emphasizes: “Action must be taken, or the entire service, its personnel, everything, is on the verge of collapse. Derek’s essential care, excluding any additional therapy which I’m willing to cover separately, costs nearly £4,000 per week. How can I manage that? How can anyone manage £16,000 per month?

“We heavily rely on exceptional caregivers, yet the system they operate within is excessively convoluted and inadequately funded, struggling to address an overwhelming demand.”

“Why is it that when individuals become too ill to remain in the hospital, returning home often feels akin to plummeting off a precipice?”

Kate Garraway is not the only one facing the daunting financial burden of continuous caregiving. As the population ages and the number of individuals with complex conditions rises, there has been a persistent call for reform in how adult social care is financed. However, successive governments have consistently avoided addressing this pressing issue.

During times of crisis, families often encounter a complex and unsupportive system. Eligibility for council-funded care is limited to those with high needs and assets below £23,250, a financial threshold that has remained unchanged for over a decade.

While individuals with severe disabilities or extensive health needs may qualify for NHS funded care, obtaining assistance has become a growing challenge, as reported by numerous sources to the BBC. This system often leaves family caregivers feeling financially and emotionally neglected.

The beloved TV presenter recently opened up about the massive financial burdens she’s been facing due to her husband’s ongoing health struggles. It’s a heartbreaking situation that sheds light on the often unseen challenges that come with being a caregiver for a loved one. Kate’s courage and honesty in sharing her story have resonated with many people, sparking important conversations about the financial and emotional toll of long-term medical care. Her openness serves as a reminder that we must continue to support and uplift each other through life’s most difficult moments. Our thoughts are with Kate and her family during this challenging time.

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