Hi
Long story so I'll try and keep it short but would appreciate any advice. My partner and I have been caring for my MIL, who has Alzheimer's, for around 4 years, who lives independently in sheltered housing. Seven months ago we requested a care package to be put in place but due to an oversight by social services and frequent absences by MIL's assigned care manager, they have failed time and again to arrange the package.
We started speaking to an admiral nurse a few months ago, who has been brilliant. She has got on the SS team's case and they slightly upped their game, and agreed to fast-track the care package a week ago.
However in the last few months, MIL has gone downhill significantly and had two A&E admissions, both resulting in a few days' admission to hospital. The last time, we requested respite, but as my partner was available to care for MIL, the discharge team refused it and insisted on discharging her.
MIL went into hospital a week ago, due to aggressive behaviour and borderline psychosis, and is now on a dementia ward, and DoLS has been applied. We have refused to take her home until now, as we have serious safety concerns with her living independently, even with an emergency care package in place. She has been assessed as having no capacity.
SS however have deemed her safe to live independently with carers three times a day (based on two half hour meetings with her). We strongly disagree with this, and feel she needs 24 hour care - since being in hospital, and being cared for 24/7, she has calmed down significantly. I know that if she were to return home, even with three visits a day, it would be a matter of days before she returns to the state she was in before we took her to A&E.
Bearing in mind we have no LPA, and have had no carers until now, do we have a leg to stand on to insist on residential placement? Or do we need to try the care package with a view to returning her to A&E in a week or so? It's very worrying to have her alone for the best part of a day, when her mental state is so fragile.
They have assessed her as being 'at risk' but not so much as to cause concern! They have pooh-poohed any evidence we've provided so far, such as her walking in front of traffic, or the potential for wandering, with 'She hasn't got lost yet. Hang in there.'
We've requested a best interests meeting but need to prepare ourselves for the SS onslaught.
Long story so I'll try and keep it short but would appreciate any advice. My partner and I have been caring for my MIL, who has Alzheimer's, for around 4 years, who lives independently in sheltered housing. Seven months ago we requested a care package to be put in place but due to an oversight by social services and frequent absences by MIL's assigned care manager, they have failed time and again to arrange the package.
We started speaking to an admiral nurse a few months ago, who has been brilliant. She has got on the SS team's case and they slightly upped their game, and agreed to fast-track the care package a week ago.
However in the last few months, MIL has gone downhill significantly and had two A&E admissions, both resulting in a few days' admission to hospital. The last time, we requested respite, but as my partner was available to care for MIL, the discharge team refused it and insisted on discharging her.
MIL went into hospital a week ago, due to aggressive behaviour and borderline psychosis, and is now on a dementia ward, and DoLS has been applied. We have refused to take her home until now, as we have serious safety concerns with her living independently, even with an emergency care package in place. She has been assessed as having no capacity.
SS however have deemed her safe to live independently with carers three times a day (based on two half hour meetings with her). We strongly disagree with this, and feel she needs 24 hour care - since being in hospital, and being cared for 24/7, she has calmed down significantly. I know that if she were to return home, even with three visits a day, it would be a matter of days before she returns to the state she was in before we took her to A&E.
Bearing in mind we have no LPA, and have had no carers until now, do we have a leg to stand on to insist on residential placement? Or do we need to try the care package with a view to returning her to A&E in a week or so? It's very worrying to have her alone for the best part of a day, when her mental state is so fragile.
They have assessed her as being 'at risk' but not so much as to cause concern! They have pooh-poohed any evidence we've provided so far, such as her walking in front of traffic, or the potential for wandering, with 'She hasn't got lost yet. Hang in there.'
We've requested a best interests meeting but need to prepare ourselves for the SS onslaught.