day centres

[LAP]

Is there a system for gaining access to day centres. My Husband diagnosed 2 years ago with Alzheimers and I feel that he would benefit from a short time [possibly half day once a fortnight or even a week] and this would also naturally be of benefit to myself.
We do not see anyone now, with regard to his Alzheimers, I just arrange for more tablets [Aricept] whenever he needs them.
I feel so alone. In the past 4 months I have picked up a nasty tummy bug twice, my daughter says that I am feeling the strain and am worn out. She is right.
Although mild alzheimers diagnosed 2 years ago I have seen a deterioration in the past 12 months. He goes to bed ok at night as normal, but is often up 3/4/5 times during the night for no apparent reason. He says that he is living in the dark and gets very upset at times. He now gets up at the latest 7am but more often earlier. This morning I was given a cup of tea at 6.10am and told that the bathroom was free for me to have my shower!!
Sometimes when he is up during the night, he goes into another bedroom and doesn't realise where he is. So lacking in sleep is getting to me
I also look after my elderly father [he is 97 but very independent] and I child mind my grandson a couple of days a week after I have picked him up from nursery.
Sorry I seem to have rambled on.
Lillian

 

[Izzy]

I'm sorry things are so bad for you Lillian.

Have you got in touch with the local Alzheimer's Society. There should be someone there you could talk to about what's available.

http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/c...hp?postcodeSearch=true&postcode=Tyne+and+Wear

I also wondered if you had had a Carer's Assessment. It's part of the Community Care Assessment process and you are entitled to one. I phoned the SW department and told them I wanted one. This fact sheet explains the process-

http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/download.php?fileID=1812

The other option would be a local Carers Association.

http://www.carers.org/carers-services/find-your-local-service

Sorry to bombard you with all these links. I hope you can get a Day Centre Place for your husband soon.

 

[Lilian&Dave]

Hi Lilian, in my experience if you are self funding you can contact any day centre in your area and see if they have any vacancies ( Age Uk seem to operate in many areas). If you are entitled to help with the cost you need to talk to Social Services or local Adult Helpdesk and need a Financial assessment to see how much they will contribute towards the cost. Personally I approached Age UK self funded for one day immediately then went down the financial assessment and social services route and they helped towards a second day. Good luck, we all need sometime to ourselves

 

[Merrymaid]

Oh Lillian you do have your hands full. You are doing a wonderful job caring for so many but you do need to look after yourself too. The previous advice given by others should help with the practicalities of accessing daycare. I understand how lonely it can get sometimes being a carer. I managed to get Mum in for two days per week and have made the effort to do something for me on those days, hopefully you can do the same soon. best wishes x

 

[2197alexandra]

Even though my dad is self funding when we had a care assessment done he was scored highly so we got 2 days at daycare one a specialist dementia day centre and the other is just an ordinary one. I think they cost about £50 a day but like I say we had an assessment of needs and dad just contributes £51.50 a week to all his care package that costs £254 a week.

I really value the days that dad is at day care because it means foe those 6 hours I know he's safe, warm and being well looked after. He has really settled into them well even though he thought I was raving mad suggesting he goes to DAY CARE "thats for babies" he said.

You have to ring your local social services to do this. Some self funders don't like to have social services involved in their care but to be honest Social services have been wonderful to me and my dad and I really don't know where I would of been without them.

 

[Feline]

Even though my dad is self funding when we had a care assessment done he was scored highly so we got 2 days at daycare one a specialist dementia day centre and the other is just an ordinary one. I think they cost about £50 a day but like I say we had an assessment of needs and dad just contributes £51.50 a week to all his care package that costs £254 a week.

I really value the days that dad is at day care because it means foe those 6 hours I know he's safe, warm and being well looked after. He has really settled into them well even though he thought I was raving mad suggesting he goes to DAY CARE "thats for babies" he said.

You have to ring your local social services to do this. Some self funders don't like to have social services involved in their care but to be honest Social services have been wonderful to me and my dad and I really don't know where I would of been without them.

Hi Alexandra,
Can I just ask, which care assessment did your Dad have and how is it scored. Do you know if it is just in your area or across the whole country?
I am interested because we are self funding and have to pay full whack for Day Care. I therefore only take him twice a week at present. I have to be with my husband 24/7, so imagine he would have a high score if assessed.
Hope you don't mind me asking.

 

[2197alexandra]

Hi Feline

Following an accident last year where my dad attempted to ride a bike with flat tyres on the main road and fell into the path of a police car resulted in myself, the police and the hospital all putting an urgent care assessment in with the social services.

At the time I was caring single handed for my dad and was approaching a carer breakdown. From that moment on we had an assessment to see if dad fell into the threshold level of care set by Our Local City Council (not sure if I'm allowed to say who they are) which at the time was set at severe cases only. Dad fell into this area so we were offered a free re enablement package for 6 weeks. Very soon into the package it was clear that dad was not going to regain any ability to look after himself without significant help so we were re assessed again.

This time we were scored a to d on about 10 different questions in about the same amount of sections. They all added up to a RAS score???? The code at the bottom of the report is adultsocialplan_2. This was the amount of funding social services and various other money pots would contribute towards the level of care my father required to enable him to stay within his own home. He scored 170 -190 whatever that means and I know his social worker jiggled it a little to get us the extra day.

I also had a full carers assesment and scored high on needing a lot of support as I have a young family of my own (4 children). I also have my own social worker though dad who is always there at the end of the phone to help.

They then sent a financial assesor out and they went through all my fathers incomings and outgoings. His savings were about 17k and he owns his home out right. He has a normal pension and a small private one. After many forms and proof of all the above they decided dad should contribute a maximum of £51.50 towards his care each week and social services meet the rest.

I'm not sure if the assessment had any particular name or if it was just part of the process involved when asking for help from social services. I can ask my social worker if it does when i speak to her.

 

[Lindy50]

Hi all

Feline, I think what you are referring to is a Community Care Assessment, which is carried out according to nationally applicable criteria (known as Fair Access to Care or FACS). This is under pressure of budgets and each local authority can fund different levels of service. See >>> http://www.communitycare.co.uk/2010/12/17/is-fair-access-to-care-services-dying/

The assessment, as you say, comes up with a RAS score (or Resource Allocation Score). The result is fed through a computer system to come up with a personal budget. This is the amount that the local authority decides the person's care should cost.

Then comes the parting of the ways!!!

* If 'the patient' has more than £23,500 in savings (not including the house they live in), then it's up to the patient to pay the full cost of care.
* If, however, they have less than £23,500, then they are not fully self - funding. There will be a financial assessment to determine how much 'the patient' should contribute towards their care (more 'fairness'....this one's called Fairer Charging!)

There are Alzheimers Society factsheets on all this......which is just as well, because I doubt I'm making much sense!

Hope it helps, anyway

All the best

Lindy xx

 

[2197alexandra]

Yes lindy that is exactly what I was meaning. Thank you I knew someone would explain it more clearly.

I would strongly advise you give it a try feline if you feel you may qualify for some assistance. I'd truly be lost without it. We also get four care visits a day with the care package.

This means that between us dad gets to stay at home for as long as possible before he eventually moves in with me.

Sent from my GT-I8190N using Talking Point mobile app

 

[Feline]

Yes lindy that is exactly what I was meaning. Thank you I knew someone would explain it more clearly.

I would strongly advise you give it a try feline if you feel you may qualify for some assistance. I'd truly be lost without it. We also get four care visits a day with the care package.

This means that between us dad gets to stay at home for as long as possible before he eventually moves in with me.

Sent from my GT-I8190N using Talking Point mobile app

Thank you both Alexandra and Lindy, I will look into this, I don't hold out too much hope because our circumstances apparently are complicated according to a financial assessor, She did however point me in the direction of benefit based on N I contributions,( 4years too late but there we are). Rob will be 65 this weekend so of course that will stop. It's all quite a mine field and is a job in itself. We hadn't thought about those benefits because we were more concerned with who would do all Robs work in the business, which is continuing with my Son at the Helm. Once again thank you,all the best, Jane xx

 

[Scarlett123]

Thank you both Alexandra and Lindy, I will look into this, I don't hold out too much hope because our circumstances apparently are complicated according to a financial assessor, She did however point me in the direction of benefit based on N I contributions,( 4years too late but there we are). Rob will be 65 this weekend so of course that will stop. It's all quite a mine field and is a job in itself. We hadn't thought about those benefits because we were more concerned with who would do all Robs work in the business, which is continuing with my Son at the Helm. Once again thank you,all the best, Jane xx

Although it is hard work, and excrutiatingly difficult to sort out, it is well worth getting in touch with Social Services and having a care assessment carried out, which will be eventually followed by a financial assessment.

Our savings are plummeting at an alarming rate, but once it's decided how much you need to pay, the amount stays the same for a year, no matter how much extra help you need during the year.

 

[Feline]

Although it is hard work, and excrutiatingly difficult to sort out, it is well worth getting in touch with Social Services and having a care assessment carried out, which will be eventually followed by a financial assessment.

Our savings are plummeting at an alarming rate, but once it's decided how much you need to pay, the amount stays the same for a year, no matter how much extra help you need during the year.

Thank you Scarlett, I will contact social services, re care assessment.
Best wishes, Jane. xx

 

[Beate]

I think every borough has different funding criteria. I live in Tower Hamlets and are in the fortunate position to have day centre organised for 5 days a week plus quite a few hours with Age UK sitting service, both through social services. The total? Nothing, apart from the £3 lunch money he has to pay to the Day Centre for a daily meal. I think that's a steal and I am very grateful to our Social Worker for all he has done but I had to fight hard for it and undergo several assessments plus assist in writing a Support Plan for OH detailing what care I give him and what care he needs from others. I work full-time and I couldn't have him be on his own anymore. When I learned that OH in his trusting way answered the phone and the door to cold callers, that was it - I rallied the troops and finally got him the help he needed. His Day Centre is specialised for dementia sufferers and he absolutely loves it there. He waltzes in every morning singing!