Help! Opinions needed Re: elderly grandmother & homelessness

[Auto]

Hi.

I'm new here so I'm sorry if I make mistakes with my posts or anything.

Without giving you my whole life story:

Me and my mother are caring for my 95yo grandmother (suspected mid-stage dementia but never been diagnosed) and we are technically homeless (all three of us living and sleeping together in our car. NOTE: my grandma was fine when we moved in to the car (1 year ago now) but has progressively worsened over the last couple of months)

We are both gravely concerned about what could happen to her if someone reports her/us (we both love her so so much, but it has become quite difficult to control her outbursts)
and we REALLY don't want her to have to move to a care home away from us 24/7 (for all sorts of reasons I won't go into here) and for this reason (among others) we have never dared go near the doctor with her for a diagnosis. (Luckily she is in good health otherwise and has not needed to see a GP anyway).

We are worried we can't make it into accommodation in time before someone says something and this got us thinking:

Does anyone know if an elderly person (w/ or w/o dementia) has priority for a council housing waiting list? If so, could we possibly manage to get a council house on the strength of her illness and her being homeless with us as her recognized carers? (POA) (if diagnosed, but we basically know she has it)

(Also, separate question here: God forbid, could the council/police/social services accuse us of neglect of her just due to us having been living like this with her for so long now? Heard horror stories of stuff like this in the past with people!)

Please, any knowledge anyone can shed on this situation we are in would be so appreciated.
Thank you

 

[sdmhred]

Gosh what a complex and difficult situation! I feel for you as I imagine life hasn’t been easy for the 3 of you to be living this way.

Yes to both counts I think. Your grandma would get priority for housing but as this takes time my thoughts would be she would Be put into emergency accommodation in the meantime. She would most likely have an emergency social services assessment and either put in to hotel, B&B or a care home. What they would do for you as her carers i don’t know. There is a possibility she would be given a 2 bedroomed property but these things don’t happen quickly

I think if authorities found out about your Grandma a safeguarding issue would be raised and neglect considered. Does she have the capacity to decide for herself where she wants to live?

My suggestion is you speak to an organisation like Shelter who are experts in this area. You are much more likely to be seen as helpful to your Grandma if you are taking active steps to get her appropriately housed. Her dementia will progress and managing incontinencE, infections and the cold weather in a car is not sustainable - but I am sure you know that.

Im sorry things are this way for you all.

 

[Chizz]

Hello @Auto
Wow, what a story! and you haven't told the half of it!
Welcome to Talking Point forum.

I don't profress to know the answers, but my thoughts are:
A local authority has the duty to house someone who is homeless, unless they made themselves homeless.
A person with dementia (PWD) (which is a progressive deterioration of the working of the brain) will, sooner or later, if they haven't already, lose the mental capacity to make decisions for themselves. If the local authority adult social services knew or found out that your gran has dementia, then I think they would put her into care, as they would not regard living in a car as a suitable place for a habitation for health and safety reasons.

Thus, if your gran still has mental capacity to make rational decisions, she can decide what she wants to do and express this. If your gran doesn't have mental capacity, then if your gran (or you or your mum on your gran's behalf) applies to LA to be rehoused, it won't take v long for them to discover how confused she is and whisk her away to a care home - payable by the LA unless your grant has assets of more than £23,250.

People with children would have priority for council housing before single adults (eg you and your mum)

Best wishes

 

[Jessbow]

to an extent I think it would depend on your reason for having become homeless, as to who would be entitled to what.
I am almost certain your Gran would be considered vunerable and would be placed somewhere .
Where abouts in the UK are you?
how do you mange basics such as eating, laundry and keeping clean?
plese speak to shelter and see what they suggest