Is applying for CHC worth a go?

[Owlette]

My Mum is currently in hospital following a fall, and declined considerably in both mobility and cognition since , to the point we don’t think she will be able to come home. She would be self funding but I think she may qualify for CHC, just wondering if it is worth applying, as we have been told he wouldn’t qualify for funding as it is just social care needs and he has savings. Currently she can’t walk more than a few steps and only with help and verbal prompts. Can’t remember she needs to use a frame to high falls risk. She is unable to make any decision and doesn’t know how to or want to ask for help. Transferring is ideally a 2 person job. And basically requires 24 hours supervision for fear of neglect or fall. She is diagnosed with vascular dementia in last year but declined very quickly. Any conversion on the topic has been quickly dismissed as won’t qualify but I am not sure I am being fobbed off. On a separate question should I be looking at nursing care home or just care home please?

 

[SleeplessinNM]

My Mum is currently in hospital following a fall, and declined considerably in both mobility and cognition since , to the point we don’t think he will be able to come home. He would be self funding but I think he may qualify for CHC, just wondering if it is worth applying, as we have been told he wouldn’t qualify for funding as it is just social care needs and he has savings. Currently he can’t walk more than a few steps and only with help and verbal prompts. Can’t remember he needs to use a frame to high falls risk. He is unable to make any decision and doesn’t know how to or want to ask for help. Transferring is ideally a 2 person job. And basically requires 24 hours supervision for fear of neglect or fall. He is diagnosed with vascular dementia in last year but declined very quickly. Any conversion on the topic has been quickly dismissed as won’t qualify but I am not sure I am being fobbed off. On a separate question should I be looking at nursing care home or just care home please?

 

[SleeplessinNM]

Speak to the 'Care Navigator at your mother's GP practise. Be pushy. Check out online The decision support tool for CHC.
We too are having problems starting the process but I know it is possible

 

[Beate]

Doesn't sound like s/he would qualify and most people don't unless they have complex medical needs but it's always worth a try to go through the checklist. The same process decides on Funded Nursing Care (FNC) though that would mean residency in a nursing home and not a residential one.

 

[karaokePete]

You may find this thread to be of some use
https://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/threads/chc-continuing-healthcare-support-thread.86059/unread

 

[Prudencecat]

My mam was in hospital after breaking her hip she had a CHC checklist completed by the nurses which indicated she could be entitled. She is in the mid to late stages of dementia, very little she says makes sense, poor mobility, doubly incontinent, high falls risk and can't wash or dress unaided. We brought her home in October and had the DST in November. She was awarded joint funded care costs of 20% paid by CCG and as she is self funding the rest paid by her. We had a review last week and lost the funding. I haven't noticed any improvement but a different assessor has scored her lower. I am told that she didn't get CHC as she isn't violent and could be managed better in a care home so she wasn't as unpredictable.
Social Services can do a care assessment so you know what type of care home to choose. The Social Worker at my mums offered me a list of care homes and suggested I could think about renting out her house. Not a lot of help!

 

[Elle3]

My dad seems to have less needs than many cases I have read that have been refused funding. However, my dad was awarded funding due to scoring Severe with Cognition and Behaviour and High with Communication and Drugs, as well as Moderate, Low and No Needs on other domains.

He has no other medical or mobility needs and is pretty well apart from the Dementia. What seems to be a main consideration though is their unpredictable behaviour, which my dad is. He can be happy and content one minute and then the next he can be swearing, spitting and aggressive to staff and other residents without any warning or reason, this requires specialist care, hence why he was awarded the funding.

If you take a look at the CHC checklist and can gather evidence for each domain, it's always worth pushing for an initial assessment. We were lucky we had a very good Social worker who was fully supportive and a very supportive and experienced care home who have dealt with CHC funding assessments before so they know what evidence is required. If you can get a medical professional or Social worker to support you, you might stand a better chance of getting funding.

 

[Georgina63]

My dad seems to have less needs than many cases I have read that have been refused funding. However, my dad was awarded funding due to scoring Severe with Cognition and Behaviour and High with Communication and Drugs, as well as Moderate, Low and No Needs on other domains.

He has no other medical or mobility needs and is pretty well apart from the Dementia. What seems to be a main consideration though is their unpredictable behaviour, which my dad is. He can be happy and content one minute and then the next he can be swearing, spitting and aggressive to staff and other residents without any warning or reason, this requires specialist care, hence why he was awarded the funding.

If you take a look at the CHC checklist and can gather evidence for each domain, it's always worth pushing for an initial assessment. We were lucky we had a very good Social worker who was fully supportive and a very supportive and experienced care home who have dealt with CHC funding assessments before so they know what evidence is required. If you can get a medical professional or Social worker to support you, you might stand a better chance of getting funding.

Hi @Elle3, it's wonderful to hear that you have been successful and I am heartened, not least as my Dad presents a very similar profile (with the exception of Behaviour, which, had all of the information been available at the DST might also have presented as Severe). I feel very encouraged in pursuing an appeal, which I'm pretty certain I have grounds for. For me the process has been long and painful (taking 6 months from Checklist request to DST) and further complicated by some cross county border issues! Well done on getting for your Dad, I hope others are encouraged. Gx

 

[Owlette]

Thank you for the reply’s. no behaviour issues in our case. I guess I am hoping for a severe score on both mobility and cognition. With moderates on skin, incontience, communication. Biggest issue is the high falls risk (2 fractures in last year & hospitalisation & osteoporosis) combined with cognition - no ability to remember to ask for help or use frame. But mobility is now quite limited so mainly stays in one place. So I think they will “they” will rate mobility as moderate. Hummm. Not sure I have the energy to try.

 

[Prudencecat]

I know what you mean sometimes you just don't have the energy to fight for everything. On a positive note because my mam had a positive check list in hospital she was fully funded until the DST. So we should get all of the care costs back from leaving hospital to the first DST. At her most recent DST she did get a severe for cognition but was down graded from high on her mobility because after her most recent fall she has retreated to her bedroom so isn't as much at risk! I would give it a go hopefully you will be lucky.