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Cazzita

Registered User
May 12, 2018
617
0
Mum, 82, bvFTD, has just had a week's respite care and is home now (she thought she was on a cruise the whole time!) Now that temporary respite is done, I am chasing a long-term caseworker and trying to get some care at night as mum is deteriorating and has started to wander out late at night, something I never, ever thought she would do!

My questions:
Does anyone have night care? Someone to put their PWD to bed or stay through the night? Not sure where to look for someone to do this. Mum has carers at midday for an hour and teatime for an hour and a half but they don't work in the evenings.

I had a financial assessment via phone today and was disappointed that mum still has to pay 600 pounds per week for her care - she is under the upper threshold now and slightly above the lower - and they say her pensions are high so she has to pay it. Seems unfair to me but I guess nothing can be done unless the government make changes soon...
So, they asked for mum's bank details which I gave, do they actually check the accounts to verify the figures given? This seems like such an invasion of privacy to me.

Thanks :)
 

Rosettastone57

Registered User
Oct 27, 2016
1,839
0
Mum, 82, bvFTD, has just had a week's respite care and is home now (she thought she was on a cruise the whole time!) Now that temporary respite is done, I am chasing a long-term caseworker and trying to get some care at night as mum is deteriorating and has started to wander out late at night, something I never, ever thought she would do!

My questions:
Does anyone have night care? Someone to put their PWD to bed or stay through the night? Not sure where to look for someone to do this. Mum has carers at midday for an hour and teatime for an hour and a half but they don't work in the evenings.

I had a financial assessment via phone today and was disappointed that mum still has to pay 600 pounds per week for her care - she is under the upper threshold now and slightly above the lower - and they say her pensions are high so she has to pay it. Seems unfair to me but I guess nothing can be done unless the government make changes soon...
So, they asked for mum's bank details which I gave, do they actually check the accounts to verify the figures given? This seems like such an invasion of privacy to me.

Thanks :)
Others will be along soon with better advice, but if social services are paying, then in our area,SS will not pay for overnight care. It's too expensive. Hopefully you will get responses soon
 

marionq

Registered User
Apr 24, 2013
6,449
0
Scotland
So for 2 1/2 hours a day for 7 days your mother is being charged £600? Roughly £30 an hour? That sounds outrageous. She would be better in full time care with no household costs and a safer environment.
 

Rosettastone57

Registered User
Oct 27, 2016
1,839
0
So for 2 1/2 hours a day for 7 days your mother is being charged £600? Roughly £30 an hour? That sounds outrageous. She would be better in full time care with no household costs and a safer environment.
I've reread this post and I agree with @marionq. Honestly, if your mother is wandering at night, it's very difficult to deal with and a care home setting would be appropriate. Again, if SS are paying, it will probably be a different story. My mother-in-law had a care agency privately and one off night care started at over £200.
 

myss

Registered User
Jan 14, 2018
449
0
Hello @Cazzita I can't fully answer your questions as my dad is self-funding and the only care we had looked into was private care but I can empathise with your concern of your mother wandering as my dad used to do so too, sometimes not fully dressed either.

I thought that £600 figure sounds expensive too but I wasn't sure if that was for the care your mum gets now or to include the night time care. I know when I looked into someone to stay overnight, it was pretty expensive; some agencies said they would needed two carers to be employed on any one night so that one can take over when the other needs rest.

I personally would ask questions as to what this figure includes. If that is for the care your mum gets now, I also feel that it's way expensive and would contemplate paying for private home care as it may be cheaper IF your mum has to contribute that much and IF she cannot obtain a care home space.
 

Cazzita

Registered User
May 12, 2018
617
0
Hello @Cazzita I can't fully answer your questions as my dad is self-funding and the only care we had looked into was private care but I can empathise with your concern of your mother wandering as my dad used to do so too, sometimes not fully dressed either.

I thought that £600 figure sounds expensive too but I wasn't sure if that was for the care your mum gets now or to include the night time care. I know when I looked into someone to stay overnight, it was pretty expensive; some agencies said they would needed two carers to be employed on any one night so that one can take over when the other needs rest.

I personally would ask questions as to what this figure includes. If that is for the care your mum gets now, I also feel that it's way expensive and would contemplate paying for private home care as it may be cheaper IF your mum has to contribute that much and IF she cannot obtain a care home space.

Thanks and yes, wandering is a nightmare! We have cameras and are having an alarm system fitted this week so we know when she opens the door in the evening but all very stressful.

No, that £600 does not include nightcare - madness!
I am going to enquire into another care provider and see how much they charge - looks like it might be cheaper to have a live-in carer.

Yes, they need breaks and someone would take over - not sure exactly how that works but will find out.
I can't see a private home in this area (Northants) which is cheaper than 600 per week - they are all over 850. It's a minefield isn't it?

I have had a letter breaking down exactly why they have made the decision - pension is too high apparently - but still, it seems unfair to take almost all of her money when she is under that threshold.
Hope things are better with your father.
Thanks for responding :)
 
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Cazzita

Registered User
May 12, 2018
617
0
Others will be along soon with better advice, but if social services are paying, then in our area,SS will not pay for overnight care. It's too expensive. Hopefully you will get responses soon

Isn't it ridiculous that SS won't pay for overnight care? I can't believe that this statement is even possible but then I am clearly very naive at this point. Mum is clearly ill and can't look after herself properly but they won't fund care for her. What a country! :(
 

TNJJ

Registered User
May 7, 2019
2,967
0
cornwall
Isn't it ridiculous that SS won't pay for overnight care? I can't believe that this statement is even possible but then I am clearly very naive at this point. Mum is clearly ill and can't look after herself properly but they won't fund care for her. What a country! :(
Yes it is isn’t it!So it always ends up with family caring and then a crisis!
 

Cazzita

Registered User
May 12, 2018
617
0
So for 2 1/2 hours a day for 7 days your mother is being charged £600? Roughly £30 an hour? That sounds outrageous. She would be better in full time care with no household costs and a safer environment.

Hello Marion,
No, it's not quite like that. Mum pays 1800 every 4 weeks for her care at the moment but I need more care for her now. SS say that she has to pay almost 600 per week towards her care. Her 5 day respite was almost 600 and she has to fund that herself too. I guess I was hoping for some financial assistance at this stage but it doesn't look like we will get it.
Mum's current care manager thinks it's terrible that SS seem to focus on money, not the actual care that they need and has written a strongly worded letter to them to say so. Whether it will do any good or not, I don't know. x
 

Cazzita

Registered User
May 12, 2018
617
0
I've reread this post and I agree with @marionq. Honestly, if your mother is wandering at night, it's very difficult to deal with and a care home setting would be appropriate. Again, if SS are paying, it will probably be a different story. My mother-in-law had a care agency privately and one off night care started at over £200.

OMG, 200 pounds for one night! Oh to be rich... :(
 

Cazzita

Registered User
May 12, 2018
617
0
Hello @Cazzita I can't fully answer your questions as my dad is self-funding and the only care we had looked into was private care but I can empathise with your concern of your mother wandering as my dad used to do so too, sometimes not fully dressed either.

I thought that £600 figure sounds expensive too but I wasn't sure if that was for the care your mum gets now or to include the night time care. I know when I looked into someone to stay overnight, it was pretty expensive; some agencies said they would needed two carers to be employed on any one night so that one can take over when the other needs rest.

I personally would ask questions as to what this figure includes. If that is for the care your mum gets now, I also feel that it's way expensive and would contemplate paying for private home care as it may be cheaper IF your mum has to contribute that much and IF she cannot obtain a care home space.
 

myss

Registered User
Jan 14, 2018
449
0
Hello Marion,
No, it's not quite like that. Mum pays 1800 every 4 weeks for her care at the moment but I need more care for her now. SS say that she has to pay almost 600 per week towards her care. Her 5 day respite was almost 600 and she has to fund that herself too. I guess I was hoping for some financial assistance at this stage but it doesn't look like we will get it.
Mum's current care manager thinks it's terrible that SS seem to focus on money, not the actual care that they need and has written a strongly worded letter to them to say so. Whether it will do any good or not, I don't know. x

Sorry but what?! Your mum currently pays £450 a week for care for 2.5hrs a day care?! And the SS want her to pay an additional £600 a week?? Is that right? So £1050 for the 2.5hrs a day care??

I live in London and thought the capital was where the highest prices for goods and services would be, but I can find private care at £17-22 ph. Even the £450 a week outside the capital is pushing it in my view.

Have you looked as what welfare benefits your mum (and - if you're caring for her - you) might be entitled to? For example Attendance Allowance as it isn't means tested.
 

Rosettastone57

Registered User
Oct 27, 2016
1,839
0
Sorry but what?! Your mum currently pays £450 a week for care for 2.5hrs a day care?! And the SS want her to pay an additional £600 a week?? Is that right? So £1050 for the 2.5hrs a day care??

I live in London and thought the capital was where the highest prices for goods and services would be, but I can find private care at £17-22 ph. Even the £450 a week outside the capital is pushing it in my view.

Have you looked as what welfare benefits your mum (and - if you're caring for her - you) might be entitled to? For example Attendance Allowance as it isn't means tested.

My mother-in-law was in the south east in a London borough and paid £17 for half an hour in the week. That was last year. She paid £21 for the same at weekends. When she had to go into care, the agency ( she was self funding) quoted £1200 for live in carer. She paid £1350 a week for a care home, which turned out to be a much better economical decision.
 

TNJJ

Registered User
May 7, 2019
2,967
0
cornwall
It also depends whether she has one or two carers .My dad has two in the am and two in the evening.He has one carer at lunchtime and teatime...Comes to 28 hours a week.It comes to over £2000 a month.I do caring with the other carer if I need to..;)
 

myss

Registered User
Jan 14, 2018
449
0
My mother-in-law was in the south east in a London borough and paid £17 for half an hour in the week. That was last year. She paid £21 for the same at weekends......
OMG :eek: We paid the £21ph at the time during the week in 2016 and went up to £22.50ph last year - and the agency called this rate 'higher than average' to match the top service they gave (and tbh the carers were very good).

Was it just the half hour your MIL signed up for?
 

Cazzita

Registered User
May 12, 2018
617
0
Sorry but what?! Your mum currently pays £450 a week for care for 2.5hrs a day care?! And the SS want her to pay an additional £600 a week?? Is that right? So £1050 for the 2.5hrs a day care??

I live in London and thought the capital was where the highest prices for goods and services would be, but I can find private care at £17-22 ph. Even the £450 a week outside the capital is pushing it in my view.

Have you looked as what welfare benefits your mum (and - if you're caring for her - you) might be entitled to? For example Attendance Allowance as it isn't means tested.

Hello,
Mum does get AA. No, the 600 isn't on top of what she already pays (I am clearly rubbish at explaining things properly) but the total amount that mum is expected to pay each week - so if I up her care to live-in or night care too, mum is expected to pay 600 per week in total, still a lot of money.
I do use a private company at the moment and they are very good but yes, expensive.
 

Cazzita

Registered User
May 12, 2018
617
0
My mother-in-law was in the south east in a London borough and paid £17 for half an hour in the week. That was last year. She paid £21 for the same at weekends. When she had to go into care, the agency ( she was self funding) quoted £1200 for live in carer. She paid £1350 a week for a care home, which turned out to be a much better economical decision.

Yes, that makes total sense financially but I really don't want mum to go into a home - not until she absolutely has to. x
 

Rosettastone57

Registered User
Oct 27, 2016
1,839
0
OMG :eek: We paid the £21ph at the time during the week in 2016 and went up to £22.50ph last year - and the agency called this rate 'higher than average' to match the top service they gave (and tbh the carers were very good).

Was it just the half hour your MIL signed up for?
@myss mother-in-law was on an hour's visit at lunchtime, which was about £25 at weekends. It was better value with the hour than the half hour, but she kept sending the carers away after 15 minutes so she was always overpaying . Their contract was that even with carers being sent away, for whatever reason, the full charge was payable. I settled for the half hour in the end . What with her paid sitting service, it became expensive.. far better value in the care home frankly