Moving into a 'Granny Flat'

[Smiffy73]

Hi, my Stepdad who is 79 and currently in hospital has been assessed as losing capacity so they're not sure he can return home. We are awaiting a 'best interest' meeting. An increased care package at home isn't really an option as he doesn't like carers coming in & is quite rude to them after about 15mins of them being there. At the minute he needs supervision rather than anyone helping him to wash & dress etc.
I am considering using his money to build a self contained 'Granny Flat' on the back of our house as opposed to him going into a care home. As he would be self funding, the cost of this would equate to approx 8months care fees. I would rent out his current home also to generate income for him.
Has anyone done anything like this??
I'm a bit worried about later down the line & feel if he got aggressive or needed a high level of nursing care then he would have to move to a care home. Would it be unfair to move him twice?

 

[Amethyst59]

I think it would be best to get legal advice before you do anything. I wonder if using his money to ‘increase’ the value of your home, might be a problem if he needs help with funding in the future. Also, if you have LPA for finance, there will be a problem with using his money to build on to your home. But I’m no expert.

 

[Smiffy73]

I think it would be best to get legal advice before you do anything. I wonder if using his money to ‘increase’ the value of your home, might be a problem if he needs help with funding in the future. Also, if you have LPA for finance, there will be a problem with using his money to build on to your home. But I’m no expert.

Thanks.. I will get legal advice if I decide to go ahead.. Its just an idea at the minute..
I don't have the room to have him just move in so would need to adapt if we were going to do this.
He would still have substantial funds left as well as a house so unlikely to run out but I suppose no one knows how long things could go on for.

 

[Witzend]

The problems usually discussed with this sort of plan are that a) the person eventually needs 24/7 care in a care home anyway, there are now not enough funds and the local authority considers it deprivation of assets that you have enlarged your home using the person's funds. However, it sounds as if this is unlikely to apply in your case, if there will still be plenty of funds available.

b) regardless of funding issues, sooner or later, and sometimes sooner, the situation is no longer tenable because the person does now need 24/7 care and supervision, and/or starts wandering and getting lost, or constantly coming over to the main house at all hours of the day and night, because they are no longer able to understand that they should not..

I have a friend whose mother with dementia lived in an annexe which they already had, for her last few years. In that case it worked quite well, since her mother was very placid and compliant, liked the carers who came twice a day, and in any case spent most of her time in bed.

However, every case is different, and many cases may well be very different from my friend's.
I hope this may help a little..

 

[Smiffy73]

The problems usually discussed with this sort of plan are that a) the person eventually needs 24/7 care in a care home anyway, there are now not enough funds and the local authority considers it deprivation of assets that you have enlarged your home using the person's funds. However, it sounds as if this is unlikely to apply in your case, if there will still be plenty of funds available.

b) regardless of funding issues, sooner or later, and sometimes sooner, the situation is no longer tenable because the person does now need 24/7 care and supervision, and/or starts wandering and getting lost, or constantly coming over to the main house at all hours of the day and night, because they are no longer able to understand that they should not..

I have a friend whose mother with dementia lived in an annexe which they already had, for her last few years. In that case it worked quite well, since her mother was very placid and compliant, liked the carers who came twice a day, and in any case spent most of her time in bed.

However, every case is different, and many cases may well be very different from my friend's.
I hope this may help a little..

Thanks.. I wanted others opinions as there may well be things I haven't considered or thought of.

 

[Sirena]

Leaving aside the legal implications, you could find events overtake you. While this may seem a good solution right now, it may not be a solution in 6 months. By that time he may need higher levels of supervision and care. Of course if he can afford to fund that care at home in addition then that isn't a problem (my mother's carers were £22 per hour, £24 p.h. at weekends). I found there came an interim stage when it was difficult to find a solution that fitted, as my mother really needed a lot of supervision but wasn't quite ready for a care home... and then, suddenly, she was.