Ongoing cost of care

[Padj]

Hello

I am new to this site and will probably be asking something already covered, but I will go ahead anyway.

My mother in law has had Dementia for many years now and has been in a care home for 8 of them. She has totally with drawn into her self and rarely interacts or speaks with anyone anymore.

Recently the funds being used to pay for her care have been exhausted and after some time deliberating her case the council have said they are not willing to cover the full cost of her care.
They are coming in £220.00 per week short.
The options they have given my wife is to pay the extra ourselves or move her mother to a cheaper home.

Can anyone help us understand if this is correct and are these our only options?

We have a young family and do not have a spare £1000.00 a month to pay for care and we both feel moving my wifes mother in her current state would have a very bad outcome.

As I am sure everyone here understands, putting this burden onto my wife and her family is very upsetting and we are at a loss as to what our options are.

If there is anyone that could point is in any direction we would be very grateful

Many thanks in advance

 

[HillyBilly]

AFAIK those are the options - 3rd party "top ups" or a cheaper home. I think I've heard of instances where the LA have come to "an arrangement" with the CH which I'm guessing means that the CH effectively reduces their fees.
If you and your wife can get the CH manager (maybe GP?) on board, on your side, stating that a move would be detrimental, that might swing things in your favour.
The LA has to come up with an alternative CH that provides the same level of care.
Best of luck, it must be very stressful for you all.

 

[Beate]

Now mind, I'm not an expert. But afaik all they have to do is provide you with one care home that is within their budget and meets her needs. If they can do that but you don't want to move her there, you will, as I understand it, have to pay the difference. I would ask for the names of the care homes they would fully fund and check them out. It could be that none of them actually meets her needs, or it could be that no care home out there is within their budget which would mean they'd have to increase it. Also, after 8 years in the same care home you could make a case that a move to another home would be detrimental to her health. And of course you could also ask the care home whether they would be willing to accept the LA rate.

 

[Kevinl]

Hi Pasj, welcome to TP
As has been said the LA have to offer you one option that can meet her needs and is within budget, call their bluff and ask for the name of the home then go and look at it, see what you think. Places that take the LA rate can sometimes be a bit grotty so I'm told but the home my wife is in takes the LA rate and I'm more than happy with it.
If you ask them where they would move her too you may find they stall a bit, not too many places will take the LA rate and some will only accept it if the person is already a previously self funding resident, so the LA will have a job on their hands to find somewhere that takes their rate and has a vacancy given that a lot of homes have a waiting list.
The LA's easiest option may be to negotiate with the home and if you can provide evidence that it will be detrimental to her health then they may have to compromise and up their budget, but don't expect them to do this without putting up a fight, it's taxpayers money and times are hard.
You cannot be made to pay a top up and before you can enter into the arrangement the LA will have to do a financial assessment on you to ensure that you are able to make the payments and any possible future increases, if you simply say you're not able to enter such an agreement financially and prove it then the ball is back in their court.
Many LA's get care home fees at a preferential rate so they're in a better position than you to negotiate with the home, the rate quoted to self funders is usually much higher than the LA rate the LA pay.
It's an ugly game of poker given the stakes are someone's care but if Oxford LA pay £XX for care other than the possible health implications why should you get more than that
K