THOUSANDS of disabled older people could be “fostered” with members of their local community, if councils adopt a radical approach that has been hailed for its potential to fill the gaps left by austerity cuts.

Shared Lives arrangements see people recruited to look after elderly and disabled people in their own homes, as an alternative to day care, for short “respite” breaks or for long-term placements.

There are only 11 such schemes in Scotland, supporting fewer than 400 people. However, experts estimate that, if every council adopted the approach fully, another 3,500 older people could be matched in shared lives arrangements.

Peter Farley’s mother Sheila moved from Stockport to live in Elgin with his family after her husband died five years ago.

When she moved to live with them in Elgin Mr Farley’s relationship with her changed.

“It became carer and cared-for, rather than parent and son,” he said.

Shared Lives has helped Peter and his wife cope. Without it, he believes his mother would be in a home without her twice-weekly breaks with Rosemary Young, who works for Moray Council’s Shared Lives service, which supports about 90 people.

Diane McLeary, the council’s Shared Lives manager, said: “For some relatives it is a huge issue to let go and let your mum walk off with someone they don’t know. But the carers have the luxury of time and build up a relationship of trust with the family.”

Among other benefits, it can help prevent people ending up in care homes, keeping them active and stimulated and easing the strain on relatives and carers, she said.

Ben Hall, of Shared Lives in Scotland, said the approach has been shown to help people live at home for longer, in better health, and therefore could save money. But Scotland is behind the curve. While there are already 12,000 such arrangements in England and Wales.

“There are an estimated 93,000 people with dementia,” he said. “Shared lives schemes can work and support with a lot more people, delivering care in people’s own homes, but we are waiting for a Scottish Government decisions on more support.

“It can fill the gaps where cuts have undermined what councils can offer.”