Mum was admitted to care last December in view of her dementia. Clearly the care home experience is all new to my brother and I (particularly in view of the Covid restrictions), so we are finding our way around the system. Mum is paying for her care privately in view of her savings but they are likely to run out by the end of the year and hence we are trying to be extremely careful with her finances. However what is concerning me is the amount of her `extras`. For the period 1st Jan to date we have paid £300 for `extras`. These include her monthly costs for newspapers (£34) and I understand a chiropodist visit and more recently a hairdresser visit. In view of Covid there have been few professionals coming in, so I would have thought her expenses should be minimal. I have not been advised in advance whether I am happy for the chiropodist and hairdresser to visit Mum and I don`t receive any breakdown of the expenses incurred by Mum (I have however asked for this today). I am simply asked to provide £100 `as and when` Mum`s funds are running low. My other question is - is Mum compelled to use the home`s hairdresser and chiropodist or other professionals that come in, or can I use the professionals that Mum had when she lived at home? I don`t wish to cause problems but it appears to me that there is a total lack of transparency when it comes to these `extras` and wonder if anyone has experienced likewise and can offer me advice
CARE HOME EXTRAS
- Thread starter ChrissieM
- Start date
My partner and I are in a supported living flat. Christel did keep her old chiropodist and hairdresser, but since Covid they have had to fill out risk assessment forms and can't come into the flat. They have to use the same room as the "in-house" professionals. The ones who are officially sanctioned do display their prices on the door of that room, so I can't see why there would not be any transparency. Of course, we are slightly different, but you can always ask if there is flexibility with similar risk assessments and such like required.
In my experience, care homes can be somewhat remiss when it comes to charging you for stuff. In mum's case, we were invoiced for things like haridressing, chiropody along with the fees. My brother who lived at the other end of the country was dealing with the finances while I did the visiting. It was only when we checked it was discovered she was charged weekly for hairdressing, even on the weeks the hairdresser didn't come or was on holiday. I had to keep a careful eye on that. They did refund the money when I took them to task over it but I bet they charged every resident and probably got away with most of it.
I would certainly ask for a breakdown of costs - you are entitled! And you might want to arrange for your mum to see the hairdresser every two weeks rather than every week. For chiropody, ask what dates the chiropodist has visited then check!
I'm not sure about getting your own people in rather than having the services supplied by the care home but I really don't see why not. Your mum is not in a prison and should be able to have anyone she wants coming to see her. Oh wait - covid! Well post-covid that would be the case, till then you might have to go with their services. I arranged my mum's newspaper delivery till she started telling me people were stealing it or it was all in French or she wanted today's paper not tomorrow's paper...
I would certainly ask for a breakdown of costs - you are entitled! And you might want to arrange for your mum to see the hairdresser every two weeks rather than every week. For chiropody, ask what dates the chiropodist has visited then check!
I'm not sure about getting your own people in rather than having the services supplied by the care home but I really don't see why not. Your mum is not in a prison and should be able to have anyone she wants coming to see her. Oh wait - covid! Well post-covid that would be the case, till then you might have to go with their services. I arranged my mum's newspaper delivery till she started telling me people were stealing it or it was all in French or she wanted today's paper not tomorrow's paper...
Ask the Home if you would prefer your own professionals to come in. My husband used the chiropodist that visited the home and had a regular 6 week foot check and nail cut and she was slightly cheaper than the one who visited us when he was at home. Our daughter cut her Dad’s hair as she had always done it at home. It was a simple comb and clipper job, ladies hair can be a bit more complex. I was asked did we need to be put on the chiropodist list and also the barber’s list. I think it is very wrong of them not to have asked you. I have no idea if my husband’s nursing home allowed personal hairdressers or chiropodist to visit.
I would always ask the balance of his account and topped up when necessary. If he was taken to hospital then I was responsible for a taxi fare back to the nursing home for the career who accompanied him and stayed until I arrived. When He first entered the home he was able to go on trips out, this was also paid for from his account.
I agreed from day one what they could use his account for and I never had a problem. As I visited daily his treats and toiletries I took in. They would also print me off a copy of expenses when I asked.
I would always ask the balance of his account and topped up when necessary. If he was taken to hospital then I was responsible for a taxi fare back to the nursing home for the career who accompanied him and stayed until I arrived. When He first entered the home he was able to go on trips out, this was also paid for from his account.
I agreed from day one what they could use his account for and I never had a problem. As I visited daily his treats and toiletries I took in. They would also print me off a copy of expenses when I asked.
I get an email every three months outlining my mums extra expenses and what the balance is in her account. I pay in £50 each month at the moment and the only expenses is a daily newspaper as the hairdresser is not going in and mum has not seen the chiropodist. I guess I might need to increase the monthly direct debit if life returns to normal as they also use personal expenses to pay for certain trips out.
the amounts you quoted do seem high for just four months so you need to ask for a breakdown and explanation of any visits.
the amounts you quoted do seem high for just four months so you need to ask for a breakdown and explanation of any visits.
Many thanks all for your helpful advice. I have since posting, now received a statement (hand written - no computerised spreadsheet!) from the care home of all Mum`s expenses which appear to be legitimate. I do think I should have been informed in advance of the costs of the chiropodist and hairdresser and that the care home should not simply have assumed they would be OK!
My Mum had her hair shampooed and set every week and it cost £7.00. Perms cost £12.00. When she first moved in to the CH her own hairdresser went each week and used the hairdressing room by arrangement...no problem. Nails were done by the NHS chiropodist as they used to visit her at home. Because I lived 200miles away the CH never charged me for trips to the hospital at all. I didn't pay for the taxi or the Carers time which I thought was very kind of them . When we had a Christmas Buffet lunch for 5 in the family room they didn't charge me for that either.
As an update on personal expenses (I received the latest invoice today) - the care home is now charging £21 per week for Mum`s hairdresser appointment and £10 per week for the beautician. I can only assume the Beautician`s appointment is to have her nails painted. We never asked for the Beautician`s services to be carried out (mum never painted her nails when she was `normal`) and hence the monthly costs are now running at approx £120 without the cost of her newspapers. These costs seem to be excessive. Any thoughts anyone?
@ChrissieM - charges can be an area of confusion, and in some cases, sadly, income generation. I would say, talk to the manager. If you don't want manicures, can this be stopped? Bear in mind that your Mum may see other people having it, and have asked for it, even though it isn't something she would normally have. It would seem reasonable to me for the CH to agree with you what things will be charged for so there are not any surprises. I am not sure about the level of charging. Weekly hairdressing seems quite frequent, but this is often how CHs manage hair washing. Costs like these really mount up, so I would be talking to the manager to make sure they are clear about what is being charged for and whether you or your Mum want this.
Just to add that I considered continuing to use my wife's hairdresser and chiropodist when she moved into a care home 2 years ago. I met the hairdresser the home uses by chance one day and was able to see how good she was as a hairdresser and dealing with the sometimes fractious residents. What she charged was significantly less than the hairdresser we had used previously. This was also true of the chiropodist. I was happy to use their services and pay via petty cash held on my wife's behalf.
She doesn't read newspapers so I would raise a query if she was charged for those.
She doesn't read newspapers so I would raise a query if she was charged for those.
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When the hairdresser started going into mums care home again last month, I had a phone call from the home to ask how often mum would like her hair done. I suggested monthly as she did not go to her own hairdresser on a regular basis, just when it needed cutting. I have not had an invoice since then so don’t know the cost but I am aware that the £50 currently put into her personal account will need increasing once she also uses the chiropodist and dentist. At the moment though there is a healthy balance accumulated over the past year.
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You're paying the bill (or your mum is!) so you are in charge. Dealing with care homes can be both intimidating and frustrating (because they never get back to you or do what they say they will...) but develop a thick skin and keep sending emails so that everything is in writing.
Nail painting isn't compulsory so get it stopped! However, bear in mind it has other purposes. The activities lady used to do it at mum's CH (a beautician seems somewhat unnecessary!) and although mum always complained it was 'rubbish', it meant some good one-to-one time for her. Mum stayed in her room and never joined in so having herr nails done was a good 'excuse' to get her talking to someone.
£21 seems a bit dear for a hairdo. I think mum paid about a tenner or £15 if the hairdresser cut it as well. But I found that fortnightly was enough. Again, it was good one-to-one time for her and she liked the hairdresser. You might want to find out how much a visiting hairdresser would charge instead, though as @northumbrian_k has said, the important thing is how good they are with people with dementia.
On a related note, when I go the hairdresser (which I haven't for well over a year!) they always do a really good head massage after washing. It would be worth going just for that as it feels wonderful! I've often thought it's something that might be appreciated by people in care homes...
Nail painting isn't compulsory so get it stopped! However, bear in mind it has other purposes. The activities lady used to do it at mum's CH (a beautician seems somewhat unnecessary!) and although mum always complained it was 'rubbish', it meant some good one-to-one time for her. Mum stayed in her room and never joined in so having herr nails done was a good 'excuse' to get her talking to someone.
£21 seems a bit dear for a hairdo. I think mum paid about a tenner or £15 if the hairdresser cut it as well. But I found that fortnightly was enough. Again, it was good one-to-one time for her and she liked the hairdresser. You might want to find out how much a visiting hairdresser would charge instead, though as @northumbrian_k has said, the important thing is how good they are with people with dementia.
On a related note, when I go the hairdresser (which I haven't for well over a year!) they always do a really good head massage after washing. It would be worth going just for that as it feels wonderful! I've often thought it's something that might be appreciated by people in care homes...
I have a notion that the more 'high end' places are likely to charge for more things considered to be extras as well as charging more for them. My wife has had her nails painted a few times (full marks to the person who got her to sit still) but was not asked to pay. Hair washing is part of normal bathroom routine carried out by care staff, doesn't need a hairdresser and does not incur extra charges. Covid restrictions have meant that the visits from the hairdresser have been curtailed but care staff have been trimming my wife's fringe. The trousers I took in may be slightly long so one of the staff is going to put in some tucks. This personal attention may be considered as an extra but no-one has suggested charging for it.
Also I think the charges probably depend on what part of the country your care home is in. Mum's was in Greater Manchester where costs are lower. The CH Manager employed the Hairdresser as a member of staff so she didn't have any outside clients and Mum got her hair done every week and at £7 it was a bargain.
i must admit that when i worked in the care home cutting filing and painting them was one of the activities that i as care staff used to do. hand massage was another one. with the hair dresser was mainly shampoo and set with maybe a light trim here and there. the chiropodist only did feet. seems a lot of money. maybe you need to question the carehome manager and think is it really necessary every week
Of course if it is a visiting hairdresser I expect you are having to pay for extra sanitation processes between clients due to Covid which would be added to your bill.
My mum has her hair done about once a month and the chiropodist once every six weeks or so. I've never been charged for her nails as that seems to come under one to one activities. I was asked if I wanted her teeth done by the visiting hygienist but said no as mum has false teeth and wouldn't comply anyway.
I'd talk to the care home and cut back on the expenses. Does your mum actually read the papers for a start?
I'd talk to the care home and cut back on the expenses. Does your mum actually read the papers for a start?
Thanks everyone. I will have to talk to the care home about all these expenses. I pay for Mum`s papers now and get them on subscription so it`s cheaper than the care home organising them. I think Mum generally looks at the pictures only if I`m honest but part of her daily routine is to receive her daily paper so to stop them at this stage will cause possible unrest.. It seems that I make savings in one area (newspapers) only to incur additional expenses in another area. Before dementia, her weekly treat was to have her hair done so it`s likely this will continue but I think the nail painting can be done once a month. Another e-mail en-route to the care home!!
