Tomorrow will be 4 years since diagnosis. It has just been my husband and I. Lately I have become increasingly anxious thinking about what will happen to him should I become ill. There is no family who could step in. Our Alzheimer's support worker offered to arrange a meeting with social services to put in place a contingency plan. We arranged for me to have POA health and finance, and our wills were updated at the time of diagnosis. However, the big elephant in the room is what next? Those of you, where it is you and your spouse/ partner, what arrangements have you made should you no longer be in good health? What are your experiences with contingency planning involving social services? The prospect of them becoming involved with his life terrifies my husband, not least because he was a social worker.
You've raised an important issue and something which I've been thinking about myself lately. My husband is 18 months post diagnosis, although I believe the dementia was there for 2 or 3 years before.
Social Services did a needs assessment for him last summer and a couple of months ago I received a copy of his care plan which included contingency plans if his main carer (me) is ill. It said that if I was ill at home they would provide 3 visits a day (meals and meds). If I have to go to hospital, they will take him to respite care for 3 nights. Not sure what happens after 3 nights if I'm still ill, or how they would get him into respite as he's still physically active and unlikely to agree.
Apart from a brother who lives about 45 minutes drive away, it's just the 2 of us. I was alarmed to see in the plan that if I'm in hospital, I have to somehow provide accommodation for my dog! Obviously I need to have a plan which includes both husband and dog and I've started by making sure my brother has a spare key, so at least someone can get into the house.
It is a worry when it's just the two of you. Personally I think it's worth involving Social Services to help with a contingency plan.