Hi from new poster - help needed

[sue785]

Hi, I've been a carer for my 83 year old dad for the last eight years. He was originally diagnosed with Alzheimers. Until recently he had been relatively stable (he's been on Aricept) but about two months ago his condition rapidly deteriorated. After a fall during a two week stay in respite, he was admitted to hospital with a suspected stroke. A CT scan showed no sign of this and he has been diagnosed as having dementia with Lewy bodies.
He is now in his fifth week of hospilisation and I am in the process of sorting out a place in a nursing home. He will be fully self-funding.

We saw a solicitor about six years ago to arrange EPA but until this happened I never realised it had to be registered. I contacted our solicitor who has sent the original EPA off to be registered but was told it may be some time. Reading some earlier posts I now realise this is the case.
I am really worried about how his care is going to be funded as I presume I have no access to his finances until the EPA comes back.

I'm wondering if anyone else has been in this situation and what options are available. I'm making myself ill with worry as we also moved into my dad's bungalow to take care of him.

Many thanks

 

[Amy]

Hiya Sue,
Have you tried phoning the Alzheimers Help line..they will be able to give you some advice? They will be able to advise you of your position with regard to the bungalow,and may be able to tell you what you will and wont be able to do without the EPA..

I know when my father was ill last year, we wrote to a bank with a copy of the EPA and they registered it on their records so that we could conduct his finances...it has not been registered wit Court of Protection. It may be worth going to spea to someone at your father's bank.

Welcome to TP....I hope that we can help answer some of your questions, and offer you some support at this time.

Best wishes, Helen

 

[sue785]

Thanks Amy,

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction. As his decline has happened so quickly it has come as a big shock and has felt like I've been swimming through treacle and not really getting anywhere. It's all so very sad and I just want the chance to sort things out quickly so that I can get on with coping with my emotions for the Dad that I feel I am losing.

I will certainly contact the Alzheimers helpline too.

 

[jane@hotmail]

Hi Sue,

I was in a similiarish situation in February. My dad passed away suddenly and my mum was left in her house with a carer, but she's in the later stages of Alzhiemers, so unable to manage her affairs at all. Bank accounts were in joint names and although we'd been to the solicitors, like you it hadn't been registered with the court of protection. So like you, we had quite expensive outgoing to be paid for, but unable to access the money.

They had various funds in 3 of the high street branches, 2 of which, would not as much as discuss it until the P.O.A was registered. But 1 was great, they checked the unregistered document, checked our identities and allowed us access.
I suppose I'm not allowed to tell you which was the helpful bank, and to be honest, it makes no difference unless you're with them.

Also one of the problems with the unhelpful banks, was that I wasn't a customer... I think if you bank with the same bank as your father, it's easier for them to check up on you.
We obviously registered the P.O.A straight away and it took about 8-9 weeks.

Don't be scared to go and plead you case, it may get you somewhere.

Good Luck..................Jane x

 

[sue785]

Thanks Jane,

You've given me hope as I do use the same bank as my Dad. Goes way back to my first bank account..thanks to my Mum and Dad. It might show that loyalty does pay in this day and age after all!!

You've hit the nail on the head with the comment, "Don't be scared to go and plead your case" because that's exactly how I was feeling...scared. It's all part of being normal I suppose.

Helen (aka Amy) I took your advice and have written down the contacts for the helpline plus bank. I will contact them tomorrow.

Jane I will take your advice too It's a horrible feeling to think that I might have left it too late and blown things. I know every case is different and I wish I'd looked at this forum before. When something like this happens you can't see the wood for the trees.

My mantra at the moment is the old cliche, "It's never too late".
At least I will know I've tried my best just like I have with my Dad.