Financing a nursing home

[widget]

Hi again

Now that my Aunt's consultant has said that she won't be able to go back home after her brain haemorrhage what are the ins and outs of financing it? I'm getting conflicting information from different people.

If my aunt HAS to go into a nursing home (we don't have any say in the matter...) does it get funded by the NHS or my Aunt? She has around £22,000 savings in her account. Or does she only have to pay if she or my uncle has elected for her to go into one?

This is yet another chapter just beginning...
Thanks guys

 

[jenniferpa]

Unfortunately, the reason you're getting conflicting advice is because the situation is as clear as mud. As I understand it, the determination of whether your Aunt recieves fully funded NHS care is up to her local PCT (which one is that?) and not up to her consultant. Obviously, his input is important, but not the whole ball of wax. For that reason, I'm going to assume the worst case scenario - that the PCT will manage to wriggle out of this care, and funding will come from elsewhere.

As it stands with £22000 in assets your Aunt has £1000 more than the upper limit, so that will be spent first (less than 2 weeks in a nursing home at current rates). Once she reaches £21000 the calculation goes as follows -
21000 - 12750 = 8250
That £8250 is presumed to generate £1 per £250 in income per week.
So she will be deemed to have £33 + state pension (does she get a full state pension?) plus 50% of any private pension that she has.

You add all those number together to get her weekly income, then deduct the "personal care allowance" currently £19.60. Also add in Pension credit or Income support(if she's not getting this, now is the time to apply for it). The number you come up with is her contribution to the cost of her care.

The LA may try to make your uncle come up with a liable relative payment - this LRP is something you should always argue about - it's abolished from next April, the government have told LA's that they shouldn't assess it now AND have given them money to make up the shortfall. So don't pay it.

Where it gets particularly sticky is if you want her to go to a nursing home where the fees are more than the LA is prepared to pay - that's where top-up come in. Essentially you have to find that money from other sources.

This is the worst case scenario - where there is no nursing component and no NHS funded care.

Jennifer

 

[Kayla]

Registered Nursing Care Contribution

If your Aunt needs nursing care for supervision of medication, an unstable condition or other medical reasons there is a Nursing Care Contribution which is paid by the PCT regardless of income. The medium rate is £83 a week and seems to cover physical conditions rather than mental health problems, but it is worth asking about. The payments do seem to be very haphazard, but over £320 a month is definitely a great help!
My Mum was assessed when she first went into the NH and again three months later, but now it will be every year. She has vascular dementia, can't walk after breaking her hip and has severe rheumatoid arthritis, so the payment is more for her physical problems than for the dementia, which affects mainly her sense of time. Her depression has been controlled more or less by a closely monitored drug regime.
Kayla

 

[widget]

Hi guys, thanks for the replies.

She's in Wolverhampton, has Alz (was responding very well to Ebixa) and is now paralysed down her right side due to the brain haemorrhage.

My Uncle told me he was going to visit the C A B today for a bit of advice on it, and i'll let you know what they said when i find out later.

This life is never easy is it?

 

[Helena]

Theres actually no legal reason for any dementia/brain damaged patient to ever pay nursing fees

The NHS and SS are unlawful in the means test and the continuing care criteria

see www.************

theres thousands of legal cases in the pipeline for recovery of illegally charged care home fees

 

[Amy]

Hiya Helena,
How is your mum doing? Is she still in hospital?
Love Helen