Care funding generally and Section 117 of 1983 Mental Health Act

[Emily M]

Thank you everyone for your helpful comments. It was a relief when I was informed that Mum will be going into a home as hopefully she will get better care, however, it looks like it may not be the end of our worries. I don't know how it is going to pan out. I don't know if she is going to go willingly or have to be taken against her will and therefore probably sectioned. I am sure she will be very upset and disorientated at first. On balance I am inclined to agree that this type of care should be state funded and families should not have to endure the kind of anxieties that many of you are enduring. Best wishes to you all. EM

 

[realist1234]

If its nursing care she requires, then the LA will automatically pay around £100 per week as the nursing element of the fees as this is NHS funded. Her income such as pensions will pay towards the balance up to the max the LA pays for 'residential' care. In NI this is currently £480 per week so I assume its roughly that in England. If the residential element alone is say £550 per week, then as things stand family would have to pay 550 - 480 = £70 per week. I would suggest you look at the regulator's inspection reports on any homes you are considering. If the minimum standards are being complied with then the home should be ok, but you need to do some research - social workers etc dont normally help much. Its a very stressful time trying to find your loved ones a decent place to live, so I feel for you. But long-term hopefully it will be the best for your mum.

When I say £600, it was £500 and something. I didn't quite catch the figure, but think it was nearer £600 than £500 - it might have been £550 - I just can't remember. It is all a bit of a shock that she is really going. I have been told it will be enough. The main concern is that she is cared for, it's clean and one would hope that care should be to a standard in all the homes - Mum will not notice how plush her surroundings are. How on earth do people play for these fees when they don't have the money?

 

[Emily M]

An update

Just to update everyone that posted on this subject, Mum has been in an EMI nursing home for 2 weeks now. It is private, but it is on the LA approved list and has very good reports. Both the home and the staff are lovely. The home was prepared to take Mum for the fees that the LA were prepared to pay. Hopefully Mum will spend the rest of her days there.

EM

 

[jenniferpa]

Thank you so much for posting an update Emily and so pleased you have found a good home for your mother. I take it she didn't need to be sectioned in the end?

 

[Emily M]

Thank you so much for posting an update Emily and so pleased you have found a good home for your mother. I take it she didn't need to be sectioned in the end?

No Jennifer, she has not been sectioned. We didn't know how we were going to get her into the car and drive her to the home. I had to coax her out the door on the pretence that we were taking her to see the nurse. It was awful; she trusted me and I had to trick her into leaving the home she had lived in for many years. We were allowed to give a higher dose of Risperidone to perform this act! Strangely after an evening walking around "looking for her home" she seemed to forget that two days before she had been anywhere else. She has had a few violent outbursts and hit staff and other residents. I was very concerned about this and was worried that if she got too bad she wouldn't be able to stay there. However, her husband has now signed a covert form so the medicine can be given to her disguised in a drink. It is a special EMI home so I am sure they can deal with it.