Care home just come out if special measures!

[Rosserk]

Social services are trying to put my dad in a care home that’s just come out of special measures. There are also more than a dozen reviews from people who worked at the care home recently who are saying it is always understaffed poorly managed and unsafe!

My dad is in a wheelchair and is extremely frail he was given the last rights after admission but has rallied.

The hospital think he needs to be in a care home because they think it will be better for him to die surrounded by his things. The trouble is the LA are paying and they will only pay a set fee, which means he will be in a care home not equipped to give him the intensive care he requires.

The LA are not telling me anything because I don’t have Power of Attorney. I’m his only relative. I feel totally helpless.

 

[canary]

It may not be as dire as you fear @Rosserk.
As it has come out of special measures that means that it is actually improving. The reports you read were probably given at a time when it was in special measures, before it started to improve. Do you know if there has been a new manager appointed? If there has it can make a lot of difference.

Unfortunately, if the LA are funding, there is very little choice about where he can go. Keep an eye on things and see how it goes.

The LA are not telling me anything because I don’t have Power of Attorney.

Does anybody have POA/deputyship? Have you been asked if you want to go for deputyship, or is the LA going to be applying?

 

[Louise7]

The trouble is the LA are paying and they will only pay a set fee, which means he will be in a care home not equipped to give him the intensive care he requires.

Usually the care home will visit people in hospital to see whether they can meet their care needs - has the home done this? I think you previously said that your Dad is getting CHC, so the funding usually comes from the NHS rather than the LA but the LA may be responsible for finding a home. Maybe go to visit the home to see what it is like and speak to other relatives to see what they have to say about the standard of care provided. The problem when someone is not self funded is that if you refuse a home which is within budget and meets your Dad's needs then there is no obligation for the NHS/LA to provide another option, and from your previous thread you have already turned down one home. It's really difficult to argue that the home won't meet your Dad's needs if they say that they can so you will need to specific about exactly what intensive care needs won't be met.

It's a really difficult position to be in - we were in a similar position last year with Mum, and the LA didn't tell us anything either and we had health & welfare power of attorney. Unfortunately as Canary has said, choices are very limited for those who are not in a position to pay for their own care, but staying in hospital won't be good for your Dad either. I would try visiting the home to see what it is like before completely dismissing it.

 

[Rosserk]

It may not be as dire as you fear @Rosserk.
As it has come out of special measures that means that it is actually improving. The reports you read were probably given at a time when it was in special measures, before it started to improve. Do you know if there has been a new manager appointed? If there has it can make a lot of difference.

Unfortunately, if the LA are funding, there is very little choice about where he can go. Keep an eye on things and see how it goes.

Does anybody have POA/deputyship? Have you been asked if you want to go for deputyship, or is the LA going to be applying?

The reviews are recent spread across , July, August and September and are later than the last inspection.

No one holds POA.

My father was admitted to hospital with urosepsis and grade 2 & 3 pressure sores. He was not previously safe under the Councils guardianship and he won’t be safe now.

 

[Rosserk]

Usually the care home will visit people in hospital to see whether they can meet their care needs - has the home done this? I think you previously said that your Dad is getting CHC, so the funding usually comes from the NHS rather than the LA but the LA may be responsible for finding a home. Maybe go to visit the home to see what it is like and speak to other relatives to see what they have to say about the standard of care provided. The problem when someone is not self funded is that if you refuse a home which is within budget and meets your Dad's needs then there is no obligation for the NHS/LA to provide another option, and from your previous thread you have already turned down one home. It's really difficult to argue that the home won't meet your Dad's needs if they say that they can so you will need to specific about exactly what intensive care needs won't be met.

It's a really difficult position to be in - we were in a similar position last year with Mum, and the LA didn't tell us anything either and we had health & welfare power of attorney. Unfortunately as Canary has said, choices are very limited for those who are not in a position to pay for their own care, but staying in hospital won't be good for your Dad either. I would try visiting the home to see what it is like before completely dismissing it.

My father is funded jointly by the LA and NHS funding.. He has funds and could top up his care but he wouldn’t be allowed to pay towards his care because it’s illegal, third party top up would have to come from me and can only pay towards extras not the care he needs. Everywhere I turn I’m obstructed. X