Cost of care homes?

[netsy22]

Can you give me some idea of how much it would cost for mum to be in a care home per week? Obviously it varies but I have no idea at the moment, just beginning to take tentative steps. (She would be self-funding.) Also would she need a SS assessment first?

 

[nitram]

Weekly costs vary dramatically with area.
If you post the first part of the relevant postcode there could well be some members who can give you the range for the area.

As a self funder there is no need to involve SS although in theory they should be able to provide a list of homes.

 

[Oh Knickers]

Hi Netsy,

Care homes is a big old subject. The first thing you need in place is AA (Attendance Allowance). You can do it online or you can get help from CAB or Age UK. (See below). The importance of this is that it is the threshold to alert SS (Social Services) that the person receiving it is vulnerable.

Should your PWD be self-funding for a period you need to alert SS when the pot of money is nearing £23000ish. That is when Council funding is neeeded.

Age UK
http://www.ageuk.org.uk/

I have done a lot of research into care homes. I just put 'Care Homes' and mother's town into Google. It has been a big research job. I found care home costs ranged from £600 pw to £2000pw - so a big range. (This is in Essex) The lower priced one was a quirky one I found having been influenced by Ann Mac (So bizarre thread). They seemed very switched on and realistic with the advantage that, should mother's money run out, she would go onto the Local Council rate. It is an independent.

The expensive one, initially, seemed an all singing all dancing dementia-friendly home with nursing care should it be needed. However, one year on it was looking frayed round the edges in terms of the furnishing and also in terms of care. It failed its CQC. New management and the fees leapt.

I had a look for independents that I would be happy with and chains with nursing care. I have found 3. Not only checking on the website, by telephone, CQC report and yet to do a physical visit. I would strongly recommend a physical visit. One home that had a good CQC (sorry, that is Care Quality Commission report - similar to an OFSTED report) was a horror! It stank of stale urine, all the residents were like zombies and wearing joggers, the vinyl flooring was curling up and we were distinctly unwelcome!

The main criteria I checked for was that when mother's money ran out what the situation would be. All three would then move mother on to the Local Council rate. It is lower than the individual rate as the councils will have a bulk buy thus getting a discount. Should it be needed (mother has pension income) she would then also get the Care Home contribution from the council of £475 pw to cover the remaining costs. None of us are in a position to provide top ups and mother does not own her flat.

Your local Alzheimers is another good source of local knowledge,:
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/

Good luck in your search and hope the above helps.

 

[lemonjuice]

Nursing Homes and Dementia specialist Homes with 'lockdown' facilities will be more expensive than Care Homes.

If you're in the South I doubt you'd find any Homes charging less than £700 pw up to £1500.

 

[Kevinl]

Not a clue
North/south divide counts for a lot, more prosperous area cost more within each region, costs in Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland vary. Your personal perception of what meets your standards will be a big factor.
Is a care home a residential home just some assistance with day to day living which is much cheaper than and EMI nursing home where there is a high staff to resident ratio and always a qualified nurse on shift, between these 2 there are other types.
I would doubt you could get anything for under £500 a week and I have seen posts on here of people paying nearly £3,000 a week, "you pays your money and you takes your choice" as they say.
You don't need an assessment if your mum's assets; house, savings, premium bonds and the like are over £23,500 as she'll be self funding, if they're a bit over that, say under £50K then the LA will be involved soon so you may as well get an assessment done now so you're on the radar for the future. If she owns a half million pound house and has a stash in the bank then the LA are unlikely to ever be involved so why bother with an assessment that can't help her?
An average of the dozen or so I looked at (in Greater Manchester) was about £850pw when I looked a year ago, but I do know the LA funded rate is just over £400pw, how that works I don't know.
K

 

[Pete R]

(She would be self-funding.) Also would she need a SS assessment first?

If your Mum owns her own house and you need the funds from that to pay for care but do not wish to sell then you can ask your Local Authority for a Deferred Payment Agreement.

For that you would need them to conduct and needs and financial assessment.

 

[Pear trees]

In the Berkshire area costs range from £700-900 per week for homes offering good basic care in older properties to purpose built complexes offering every comfort and activity for at least £1200-1500 per week. At an eyewatering £72000 a year my mum's savings and house would be gone in less than 3 years!

 

[lemonjuice]

In the Berkshire area costs range from £700-900 per week for homes offering good basic care in older properties to purpose built complexes offering every comfort and activity for at least £1200-1500 per week. At an eye-watering £72000 a year my mum's savings and house would be gone in less than 3 years!

Indeed. My mother has been in her NH for 5 years now. Costs have obviously increased and her needs increased so higher rates, but we're now over the £200 000 mark and running out of money. I never thought it would be this long, so do think ahead and it might be wise to involve SS, if you need a deferred payment or need to involve to involve them.

As someone else has said the LA rate is roughly half (or under) what a self-funder pays, so you might need a move at such a point.

 

[Toony Oony]

Hi there

In the last 2 weeks I have been looking into residential care for my Mum too, who will be self-funding (for as long as her money lasts!) This is in SW London/Surrey as I intend to move Mum nearer to me. It is expensive, but I was surprised that the costs nearer to her current home in Hampshire hardly differed from those close to me.

I have now viewed 5, a mix of Residential only and Res/Nursing, obviously all offering dementia care. Costs ranged from £1100 - 1550 approx. The difference in attitude and facilities was staggering. The most expensive (which was the nearest to me) was the worst - indifferent staff attitude and zombie old people in bed or hunched around a TV and seemingly no respect for residents. The cheapest had a nice ambience and was the most accommodating - but knowing Mum, who is a bit OCD about cleanliness and tidiness still, it would not be for her. The one I liked best (which comes highly rated and recommended) are doing Mum's assessment today. (She's agreed to respite and I will undoubtedly be posting later, as my intention is to make the move permanent - HELP!)

One thing that you may not be aware of is that some places ask for evidence of funds for 2 years.

Good luck!

 

[Ginny Hendricks]

I take it, Netsy, that your mother hasn't been assessed for full NHS care? It's always worth doing (though much more onerous in some areas than others, I think) because although full funding's unlikely, she might qualify for nursing care (currently £156 pw) which is worth having of course. Good luck.

 

[nitram]

"I take it, Netsy, that your mother hasn't been assessed for full NHS care? It's always worth doing (though much more onerous in some areas than others, I think) because although full funding's unlikely, she might qualify for nursing care (currently £156 pw)"

I don't think the OP should put much faith in obtaining FNC as the mother is currently in a sheltered flat.

https://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/sho...n-care-homes&p=1423697&viewfull=1#post1423697

 

[netsy22]

Thanks for responses.

Wow I did not think it would be as much as that. (I was thinking £400 per week!!!)We live in MK41 (Bedford) so any advice from people who live in the area would be gratefully received. She sold her flat 3 years ago and from that has only around £70,000 which is invested in savings. That will not last long will it!
She still potters around getting her own ready meals microwaved, making cups of tea and usually remembers to take her meds correctly. She doesn't need any physical care (apart from washing hair and showering). So is she ready or not? She says she hates it where she lives and is lonely, reliant emotionally and for everything else on me, so I don't know. I think perhaps I want it for my sake, to take the burden away from me. I have to go every day. She will take some convincing though she thinks her rent is extortionate as it is!!
Anyway, I am going to look around and see what is out there.

 

[Beate]

Netsy, I have no idea what care your mother has already in place, but if you don't want to make the care home step just yet, why don't you start with a morning carer for the showering and hair washing, and get her into a day care centre for the day to combat loneliness? It would also give you an idea how she might fare in a care home. If she refuses the above, you'll have trouble getting her into a home as well.

 

[nitram]

Have you considered a befriended, someone who visits and provides company but does not do any personal care.

You could put your full postcode in
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIyOL6kcHj1AIVhrDtCh0Lsgv0EAAYASAAEgLMPfD_BwE
it might not bring up a befriending service but could give some leads to ask about one.

Has your mum obtained AA https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIyOL6kcHj1AIVhrDtCh0Lsgv0EAAYASAAEgLMPfD_BwE
if applying get help from CAB or AgeUk

 

[MaNaAk]

Have you considered a befriended, someone who visit and provides company but does not do any personal care.

You could put your full postcode in
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIyOL6kcHj1AIVhrDtCh0Lsgv0EAAYASAAEgLMPfD_BwE
it might not bring up a befriending service but could give some leads to ask about one.

Has your mum obtained AA https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIyOL6kcHj1AIVhrDtCh0Lsgv0EAAYASAAEgLMPfD_BwE
if applying get help from CAB or AgeUk

Dear Netsy,

I was just browsing through this thread after having to endure dad asking me endless questions about this house again and as I am getting a carer in for dad for the first time it is worth considering what Nitram has just suggested. I think befriending is a brilliant idea and I am going to look into this service for my area.

Good luck

MaNaAk

 

[Toony Oony]

Hello again Netsy

Yes the costs are scary aren't they? Care just chomps through savings at a terrible rate.

My Mum has her own flat in assisted living. She was fine and could manage all the things your Mum does, and shower herself. As time progressed I arranged 30 mins care morning and evening merely to prepare breakfast and supper as Mum wasn't bothering. As the months have gone by other tasks have been incorporated by the carers as Mums abilities have decreased. I have tried to keep Mum independent for as long as possible, mainly for her, but I have to admit that, even taking the cost of the carers into account, every month of Mum remaining in her own flat meant over £4000 saved!
I have now come to the point that Mum is frightened on her own and needs more ongoing care and attention than 2 visits a day and so I am now starting the process of moving her into full time care.

All the great suggestions here re carers; befrienders; day centres etc, may enable you to hold back on moving Mum into care. This would give you some more time, give Mum some new people to interact with and the savings would only be needed when it becomes absolutely necessary.

 

[netsy22]

Netsy, I have no idea what care your mother has already in place, but if you don't want to make the care home step just yet, why don't you start with a morning carer for the showering and hair washing, and get her into a day care centre for the day to combat loneliness? It would also give you an idea how she might fare in a care home. If she refuses the above, you'll have trouble getting her into a home as well.

And she has flatly refused any of these, Beate, and won't join in with anything in her building, so I'm thinking it's too early. My strategy is to start drip-feeding the idea of carers coming in - she accepted these when she came out of hospital (re-enablement team). What I have asked for is someone to come in whilst I am on holiday next week for 2 days until my cousin arrives to house-and-mum sit for us the rest of the week. The trouble is that she has become too reliant on me - I want to extract myself bit by bit so I get my life back. So I will then try to increase the care to a couple of days a week - I have been going every day since she had her spell in hospital.

 

[netsy22]

Hello again Netsy

Yes the costs are scary aren't they? Care just chomps through savings at a terrible rate.

My Mum has her own flat in assisted living. She was fine and could manage all the things your Mum does, and shower herself. As time progressed I arranged 30 mins care morning and evening merely to prepare breakfast and supper as Mum wasn't bothering. As the months have gone by other tasks have been incorporated by the carers as Mums abilities have decreased. I have tried to keep Mum independent for as long as possible, mainly for her, but I have to admit that, even taking the cost of the carers into account, every month of Mum remaining in her own flat meant over £4000 saved!
I have now come to the point that Mum is frightened on her own and needs more ongoing care and attention than 2 visits a day and so I am now starting the process of moving her into full time care.

All the great suggestions here re carers; befrienders; day centres etc, may enable you to hold back on moving Mum into care. This would give you some more time, give Mum some new people to interact with and the savings would only be needed when it becomes absolutely necessary.

Tony this is just what I am going to do - brilliant advice, thanks. In fact I have copied and printed out your post! Will keep posting on progress.

 

[netsy22]

"I take it, Netsy, that your mother hasn't been assessed for full NHS care? It's always worth doing (though much more onerous in some areas than others, I think) because although full funding's unlikely, she might qualify for nursing care (currently £156 pw)"

I don't think the OP should put much faith in obtaining FNC as the mother is currently in a sheltered flat.

https://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/sho...n-care-homes&p=1423697&viewfull=1#post1423697

No chance of this - have looked at the criteria.

 

[LilyJ]

Have you considered a befriended, someone who visits and provides company but does not do any personal care.

You could put your full postcode in
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIyOL6kcHj1AIVhrDtCh0Lsgv0EAAYASAAEgLMPfD_BwE
it might not bring up a befriending service but could give some leads to ask about one.

Has your mum obtained AA https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIyOL6kcHj1AIVhrDtCh0Lsgv0EAAYASAAEgLMPfD_BwE
if applying get help from CAB or AgeUk

We've tried twice for the Befriender scheme but nobody ever gets back to us, so I wouldn't necessarily depend on that I'm afraid.