Hi all,
I wonder if anyone has experience of the process of applying for Continuing Healthcare funding for their loved one? Seven years after diagnosis and almost five after moving into a residential home my Mum is in the advanced stage of dementia. Since then we have self funded her care but a few months ago the manager of the home suggested that we apply for funding as she felt Mum met all the criteria.
The process has been long and at times I've felt that it's been intentionally so - maybe driven by local authority cost challenges? Last week I was told that she did not qualify for funding because her needs were being met in the residential home. I challenged this, explaining that my understanding was that whether needs are met is irrelevant - it is instead whether those needs are present. I also questioned the assessment itself and after discussing the individual criteria it became clear that some key considerations had been missed and the DN and Social Worker agreed to undertake the assessment again later this week. One of those factors is that Mum is permanently catheterised and requires regular visits from DN's to re-catheterise along with occasional visits to hospital as they are not always able to do this successfully.
I received a further notification from them today advising that if the claim is successful they may insist that she is moved to a home with a resident nurse as the costs of providing ongoing DN care would be "taken into consideration". This feels like blackmail to me - continue to pursue funding and they'll force a move or drop the request and they will in turn drop the suggestion of a move.
Moving would be a huge upheaval for Mum and I'm convinced it may be the beginning of the end. I fear she would be gone within weeks.
Does anyone know whether the local authority / medical professionals can impose a move of home in this way?
I wonder if anyone has experience of the process of applying for Continuing Healthcare funding for their loved one? Seven years after diagnosis and almost five after moving into a residential home my Mum is in the advanced stage of dementia. Since then we have self funded her care but a few months ago the manager of the home suggested that we apply for funding as she felt Mum met all the criteria.
The process has been long and at times I've felt that it's been intentionally so - maybe driven by local authority cost challenges? Last week I was told that she did not qualify for funding because her needs were being met in the residential home. I challenged this, explaining that my understanding was that whether needs are met is irrelevant - it is instead whether those needs are present. I also questioned the assessment itself and after discussing the individual criteria it became clear that some key considerations had been missed and the DN and Social Worker agreed to undertake the assessment again later this week. One of those factors is that Mum is permanently catheterised and requires regular visits from DN's to re-catheterise along with occasional visits to hospital as they are not always able to do this successfully.
I received a further notification from them today advising that if the claim is successful they may insist that she is moved to a home with a resident nurse as the costs of providing ongoing DN care would be "taken into consideration". This feels like blackmail to me - continue to pursue funding and they'll force a move or drop the request and they will in turn drop the suggestion of a move.
Moving would be a huge upheaval for Mum and I'm convinced it may be the beginning of the end. I fear she would be gone within weeks.
Does anyone know whether the local authority / medical professionals can impose a move of home in this way?
