A bit of guidance after diagnosis please.

Rob B

Registered User
Jan 21, 2015
5
0
Hello,
My Stepfather was diagnosed with vascular dementia recently after being taken into hospital for an illness.
For the last 2 weeks he has been in a rehab unit, they now say he is ready to go home.
The problem being my mother is just getting over cancer and will be unable to look after him at home.
He is at a stage where he is hardly mobile & he can not use the toilet unaided. Hardly dress himself etc.
They live in a small house with the bathroom down stairs.
My two brothers, my mother & I are in agreement that he needs to go into a care home for his own benefit, Not an easy decision thats for sure.
We have read that there is funding out there on assessment but the social worker say we have to pay..we haven't the money to pay for care at home or a care home.

Some pointers in the right direction would be much appreciated as they want to send him home this week.

Thank you in advance
Rob
 

Pickles53

Registered User
Feb 25, 2014
2,474
0
Radcliffe on Trent
Rob, sorry if you already know this information, but thought you might not.

The financial side of things has nothing to do with your income or savings, or your mother's, only your stepfather's finances are relevant. If your mum continues to live at home your father's share of the house would also be disregarded if he moves into residential care.

Do not agree for your stepfather to be discharged until a full assessment of his needs has been done (starting with an assessment as to whether he is eligible for CHC funding). This will establish whether his needs can best be met in a care home (and if so what type of home). There should also be a finance assessment to determine what, if any, financial contribution he will need to make. You don't say if he already receives Attendance Allowance; if he doesn't he would be eligible if he has to self-fund his care in any setting.
 

Rob B

Registered User
Jan 21, 2015
5
0
Thank you,
my Brother is hopefully meeting with the social worker today.
I have said to him to see what plan has been put in place and whether the assessment has been done.
He does get attendance allowance.
He has a reasonable pension but my mother is worried they will take these away and she will lose the house.
 

cobden28

Registered User
Jan 31, 2012
442
0
Also, I think that a lot of the time the authorities assume that the spouse or family will automatically be not only willing but able themselves to care for their relative - and although this may be the case in an ideal world, it isn't always possible, for various reasons!

Who do the authorities think is going to be responsible for your stepfather's care when he's at home? Have you discussed your mother's situation with them?

Some years ago now my mother, then 73, had to have a hysterectomy and the authorities wanted to keep my stepfather (with two fractured hips and regularly falling over) at home but with care visits four times daily; no care visits at night which was when he really needed help. Mum had to really be persistent and get stepdad into respite care while she was in hospital - she couldn't confirm the date for this essential operation until stepdad's respite was organised and in place. Then on the date Mum was supposed to be discharged home from hospital, it was proposed to discharge stepdad home from respite on the same day, because he'd told the respite home that 'my wife is at home to care for me'. It was proposed to discharge stepdad home in the morning, with nobody at home and no care plan in place, and Mum wasn't due to be discharged till the afternoon of the same day - again, the hospital assumed her spouse could care for her :eek::mad: Mum had to really stick to her guns and insist she was unable to care for stepdad at home; he went into residential care and never came home again. He died in 2004.

No dementia was involved, but I've told this tale as a warning that at times you do have to be persistent in stating your caring abilities to the relevant authorities.
 

nitram

Registered User
Apr 6, 2011
30,081
0
Bury
"...my Brother is hopefully meeting with the social worker today..."

Your brother should stick to discussing care needs.
The SW should not ask for any financial information until the care needs have been agreed.
After the 1st April, when the relavant part of the Care Act comes into force, this will be spelt out clearly.
Before that date any recording ( and use?) of the information before the need for care had been established would contravene the Data Protection Act
 

LYN T

Registered User
Aug 30, 2012
6,958
0
Brixham Devon
Thank you,
my Brother is hopefully meeting with the social worker today.
I have said to him to see what plan has been put in place and whether the assessment has been done.
He does get attendance allowance.
He has a reasonable pension but my mother is worried they will take these away and she will lose the house.

Rob-your Mother will be allowed to keep half of any of your Step Fathers private/occupational pension.
 

Rob B

Registered User
Jan 21, 2015
5
0
I thought it was a bit odd that the SW said that my mother would have to pay £110 a week for a respite care home, or pay for care at home.
After her cancer op last week she has been told to have total rest for a few weeks not to have my father home.
 

nitram

Registered User
Apr 6, 2011
30,081
0
Bury
If the LA insist that your stepfather should return home inform them in writing that they have a duty of care to two vulnerable adults and you will hold them responsible if either of them come to harm because of the LA's failure to act appropriately.

Also verbally inform the SW of this intention.
 

Owly

Registered User
Jun 6, 2011
537
0
I thought it was a bit odd that the SW said that my mother would have to pay £110 a week for a respite care home, or pay for care at home.
After her cancer op last week she has been told to have total rest for a few weeks not to have my father home.

That sounds cheap, so I suspect what she/he is talking about is the top-up that some care homes request.

Say the weekly care is £750 a week, but the SS will only pay £600 a week for any care home. Most of them have a limit like that. The resident, or often their family, will be asked to make up the difference. If Dad has sufficient pension, or savings that could be raided, then I think there is no option but to pay that sum. I'm sure others will put me right if I'm wrong. Top-ups are a grey area. I do know that the rest of the family can never be legally asked to make up the difference, but I think the actual patient going into care can be asked.

Of course, Dad might be asked to pay all of it. It depends on his total income and his total savings. The house will be disregarded as your Mum is still living there.
 

Beate

Registered User
May 21, 2014
12,179
0
London
It honestly depends on the borough. In my London one the weekly rate for respite in a care home is £123.75 or so - don't nail me down on the pennies but under £124, no matter what the care home's real weekly rate is.
 

nitram

Registered User
Apr 6, 2011
30,081
0
Bury
"Say the weekly care is £750 a week, but the SS will only pay £600 a week for any care home. Most of them have a limit like that. The resident, or often their family, will be asked to make up the difference. If Dad has sufficient pension, or savings that could be raided, then I think there is no option but to pay that sum."

For residential care the resident is not allowed to pay any top up and others cannot be forced to do so. If the resident's capital was between the upper and lower limits and paid the top up it would reduce their capital and the LA would gradually have to pay more.

For non residential care and services LAs can charge some or all of the cost after a financial assessment.
 

Beate

Registered User
May 21, 2014
12,179
0
London
So that is the total that needs to be paid, Beate? :confused: I don't see how the homes could keep you for a week, for such a small sum??

I have found this factsheet about respite care.

http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=140

Evidently Rob will have to ask about the exact situation, in his father's case.

The total per respite week, yes. SS pay the care home whatever the rest is. That's why you have to apply for it and only get a set number of weeks granted. In fact, I have just been told about a local hospice that does respite for free in certain circumstances and if you only need a few days. I will have to investigate the details. We also only pay £3 a day lunch money for the day centre and nothing for any other service. That's why I am always so shocked when others around the country reveal their costs.
This does not apply to permanent care home stays of course.
 

Rob B

Registered User
Jan 21, 2015
5
0
Thank you for all your comments
We are still waiting to meet with the SS to discuss the care needs for starters.The rehab unit is off limits for the moment due to an infection on the ward.
At least now we have a lot more pointers thanks to the input from you all on here.