Another update, but this time with a positive result, at long last!!

Beannie

Registered User
Aug 17, 2015
94
0
East Midlands
Hi everyone,

Here is an update on my very long 'battle' with Social Services.

I have been told that my Local Authority will now be funding my husband's care home fees after fighting for what seems an eternity. It has taken so long to sort out and all my energy and left me with very little time to do anything else. I think I can now recite the Continuing Care Act off by heart. If anyone needs any help with this legislation let me know!!!!!!!!!

I have to say the Social Worker assigned to our case has been a breath of fresh air compared to the previous ones. She was sympathetic, caring and was a great listener and really did fight our corner, so my thanks to her.

I have also had a copy letter today from the Parkinsons Consultant my OH saw last week and it confirms he has advanced stage Parkinsons. Needless to say I won't be showing him that letter. His Alzheimers Dementia is also deteriorating, which is so sad to watch as he seems to be drifting further away from us each time we see him, although occasionally we see the 'old' OH we know and love and just momentarily his light has gone on but unfortunately it is soon dimmed again. Our daughter has asked how much longer we will have him and I just said 'how long is a piece of string'? I gently told her no-one knows so we must cherish the time we spend with him to shore us up later on.

Must say like all of you I am sure, sometimes I feel as if I am watching someone elses life and then something brings me back to earth and I realise it is my life and is something I cannot change.

Thanks for all your previous replies and if anyone needs any help in their fight please let me know and if I can assist I will.
 

Shedrech

Registered User
Dec 15, 2012
12,649
0
UK
What a difference, Beannie
so pleased the Social Worker turned out to be such a staunch ally and the outcome is so positive
Now your time and energy can spent as it should be, as you say to:
cherish the time we spend with him to shore us up later on.
Very best wishes
 

MorbidMagpie

Registered User
Nov 10, 2015
23
0
England
Well done Beannie :) it is sad that everyone can't be funded, it would make life a little bit easier when we already have enough challenges to be thinking about.


Living each moment life throws at me as a social worker and with a dad with younger onset dementia.
 

MorbidMagpie

Registered User
Nov 10, 2015
23
0
England
In my local authority the more appeals you have the more you chances of CHC funding improve because there simply isn't the man power to keep people assessing and reviewing one case over and over again and we know most people aren't going to stop appealing once they have started. If you feel someone qualifies for CHC from your interpretation of the criteria then I'd recommend to repeatedly request appeals and don't give up! When my dad gets to that point I will most certainly be doing that.


Living each moment life throws at me as a social worker and with a dad with younger onset dementia.
 

Beannie

Registered User
Aug 17, 2015
94
0
East Midlands
In my local authority the more appeals you have the more you chances of CHC funding improve because there simply isn't the man power to keep people assessing and reviewing one case over and over again and we know most people aren't going to stop appealing once they have started. If you feel someone qualifies for CHC from your interpretation of the criteria then I'd recommend to repeatedly request appeals and don't give up! When my dad gets to that point I will most certainly be doing that.


Living each moment life throws at me as a social worker and with a dad with younger onset dementia.

Hi Morbidmagpie

Thanks for that it must be difficult to read some of the posts when you are in the field yourself. Unfortunately, Local Authorities do not get their housekeeping in order and I know this first hand. At the end of July I was initially given 2 weeks funded respite care for my OH and I agreed to pay my share of this by signing and returning a form I was sent. To date I have not received an invoice for this. No business can run like this. The Local Authority had also not paid the care home the respite fortnight fees. I have worked in the financial sector all my working life in one way or another and it is imperative invoices are sent out on time, otherwise money flow cannot be maintained.

Unfortunately, LA's sometimes think it is their money and forget it is the public purse. We all know cuts have had to be made. I for one have had to drastically cut my spending. There is a glimmer of hope however, as The Chancellor has given the green light for Councils to increase Council Tax by up to 2% providing it is spent on Adult Social Care.

It is up to each one of us to make sure our Local Authority spends this increase the way it is meant to be. I for one will be asking for sight of their accounts under The Freedom of Information Act. Too often any extra money just disappears into the abyss and because we do not challenge them (who has time after all) they please themselves how it is spent or so it would appear!!

I hope anyone fighting for funding is successful and as morbidmagpie has said keep appealing.
 

MorbidMagpie

Registered User
Nov 10, 2015
23
0
England
Continuing Healthcare is NHS money though, not local authority money. We have a vested interest in getting CHC for people because it means the local authority doesn't pay.

You are right that the LA can be pretty poor with their finances though, ours certainly is and we often jump up and down about it because the consequence of wasting money is job losses!


Living each moment life throws at me as a social worker and with a dad with younger onset dementia.
 

MorbidMagpie

Registered User
Nov 10, 2015
23
0
England
I don't take to heart anything negative written about local authorities though, I had to reread your comment about that. It is a privilege to see both sides of the coin as someone caring for someone with dementia and as a social worker with other people living with dementia. I can see the frustrations of everyone this way and I can appreciate the efforts made on both sides.

Social workers ultimately don't make the decisions about the funding for residential or nursing care though, managers for social care or health care make those decisions and argue about it between themselves once we have done all the ground work. It can be very frustrating as a social worker to genuinely feel someone should be in care, and to be funded to be in that placement, and for it to be rejected by managers who haven't actually met the person.

Just need to keep trying though.



Living each moment life throws at me as a social worker and with a dad with younger onset dementia.