Hello all! My mam has alzeimers and went into nursing home one yr ago,had annual review last tuesday and guess what? assessor said she is no longer entitled to it! Mam is completely off her legs now(went in fully mobile with zimmer)and transfers with 2.She has lost 10kg which the matron said was not unusual,she also said mam is a good eater! Mam is very settled in the home but that is because she has 24hr care.It seemed that they were doing their best to put her in the low category in all things! Mam is doubly incontinent and cannot wash or dress herself.She will not eat unless reminded to and drinks only when encouraged to.I will not be able to manage her at home as she cannot walk!I will have to leave her in bed all day and can see lots of ambulance call outs! Sorry to be rambling on but I cant understand how that now her needs have increased,she doesnt fit the criteria.Has anyone appealed chc review and how long did it take? Thanks for listening x
new and frightened
- Thread starter maggiemoo
- Start date
this sounds horrendous. I am so sorry you are in this dilemma. I honestly have no experience so cannot help you . Just sending a hug
Jeannette
Jeannette
I am so sorry to hear of this great worry. Your mum's current situation works well. Someone wants to upset the apple cart to save money. You do wonder how they can sleep at night doing a job like that, trying to turf vulnerable people out of a place where they are safe by pretending that they have somehow 'got better' since they went into residential care. There is a phrase you may find helpful and keep repeating it to any of these numpties: A Managed Need is Still a Need. Your mum is clean, fed and content because she is looked after so well.
She has a high level of care needs - she cannot walk, is doubly incontinent and unable to wash herself, dress, prepare food, etc. etc. So she cannot survive without constant supervision and support. You cannot be forced to be her carer. They cannot make you take her home. If this assessor thinks she doesn't need to be in residential care then what is the alternative being proposed? A sheltered flat where she sits all by herself waiting for carers to come in 4 times a day, and then being left for 10 hours on her own overnight? How safe would she be then, unable to walk, unable to get to the toilet?
The issues I would emphasise in fighting this ridiculous assessment are:
Safety, health, dignity and respect, socialisation and freedom from fear and loneliness.
In addition, a reminder that your mum suffers from a progressive illness. If she needed residential care a year ago, she needs it even more now. People don't recover from dementia, they just improve their health and wellbeing when they receive the optimum support from a team of people 24/7. Since the only team available 24/7 in the community are family carers, you can see where they want to transfer the burden and costs. Don't let them try it.
P.S. Having read your message again, I see that your mum is in a nursing home. Is it perhaps the nursing side of things that is being challenged? Perhaps the assessor is saying that she only needs to be in a care home and doesn't have special nursing needs?
She has a high level of care needs - she cannot walk, is doubly incontinent and unable to wash herself, dress, prepare food, etc. etc. So she cannot survive without constant supervision and support. You cannot be forced to be her carer. They cannot make you take her home. If this assessor thinks she doesn't need to be in residential care then what is the alternative being proposed? A sheltered flat where she sits all by herself waiting for carers to come in 4 times a day, and then being left for 10 hours on her own overnight? How safe would she be then, unable to walk, unable to get to the toilet?
The issues I would emphasise in fighting this ridiculous assessment are:
Safety, health, dignity and respect, socialisation and freedom from fear and loneliness.
In addition, a reminder that your mum suffers from a progressive illness. If she needed residential care a year ago, she needs it even more now. People don't recover from dementia, they just improve their health and wellbeing when they receive the optimum support from a team of people 24/7. Since the only team available 24/7 in the community are family carers, you can see where they want to transfer the burden and costs. Don't let them try it.
P.S. Having read your message again, I see that your mum is in a nursing home. Is it perhaps the nursing side of things that is being challenged? Perhaps the assessor is saying that she only needs to be in a care home and doesn't have special nursing needs?
Hi Maggie and welcome to Talking Point 
.
I'm sorry to hear that your mum has been assessed as no longer entitled to CHC funding.
Firstly, the fact that the CHC funding has been withdrawn shouldn't necessarily mean that she can no longer stay in the care home. Her care will now have to be funded by the Local Authority (rather than the NHS which it has been up to now) unless she has sufficient savings to be self-funding. See this factsheet on When does the local authority pay for care?
Secondly, the decision to withdraw CHC can be appealed. The fact that your mum's needs are now being managed should not in itself lead to the withdrawal of funding. A well managed need is still a need. You might want to give the helpline a call to see if they can put you in touch with people who can advise you on an appeal.
.I'm sorry to hear that your mum has been assessed as no longer entitled to CHC funding.
Firstly, the fact that the CHC funding has been withdrawn shouldn't necessarily mean that she can no longer stay in the care home. Her care will now have to be funded by the Local Authority (rather than the NHS which it has been up to now) unless she has sufficient savings to be self-funding. See this factsheet on When does the local authority pay for care?
Secondly, the decision to withdraw CHC can be appealed. The fact that your mum's needs are now being managed should not in itself lead to the withdrawal of funding. A well managed need is still a need. You might want to give the helpline a call to see if they can put you in touch with people who can advise you on an appeal.
Thankyou for replying x Mam was assessed as needing EMI Nursing as she was well known to the mental health team,they put her on aricept,trazadone,promazine and mirtazipine.I have since learnt that she has been taken off trazadone and promazine.
The nurse in charge told me today that as her mobility has "gone" they will use the hoist soon.I have no objection to this but am amazed she didnt say this to the assessor last tuesday!
Thankyou again for taking the time to reply to me,I cant stop crying(will have to pull myself together) xxx
Hi there,
sorry to hear that your mum is not to good at the moment. as others have said a MANAGED NEED IS STILL A NEED. i would start the appeal know. I read about the changes in your mums health and cannot for the life of me see why they have removed the CHC.
Life in the NHS is sure a post code lottery. Do not be affraid to appeal others have done this and won. they hope that people cannot face the fight. it may take a while but your mum is worth it.
jan1962
sorry to hear that your mum is not to good at the moment. as others have said a MANAGED NEED IS STILL A NEED. i would start the appeal know. I read about the changes in your mums health and cannot for the life of me see why they have removed the CHC.
Life in the NHS is sure a post code lottery. Do not be affraid to appeal others have done this and won. they hope that people cannot face the fight. it may take a while but your mum is worth it.
jan1962