Dementia: Lead on the evening news

[Rosettastone57]

Are we talking per week or per month ?

my husband has had dementia for about 8 years now. I was quoted £850 per week for respite and the minimum they do is 2 weeks at a time.

It’s diabolical really. I think we should get 6 weeks free respite per year. I think that’s what they get in Ireland and all care is free in Scotland

My mother-in-law paid £1350 a week in a care home in south London. That was 2018, so it's probably more now

 

[Tiller Girl]

My mother-in-law paid £1350 a week in a care home in south London. That was 2018, so it's probably more now

Wow! That’s astonishing. I wonder how they can justify that ?

 

[nitram]

Once again can I emphasise that the only free care in Scotland is for personal care where there is a referred need and covers washing and dressing in the morning not live in care.

100% agree, constant sloppy media reporting does not help.

Wales also has some differences to England (don't know about NI) but these are in the nitty gritty and don't make for easy dramatic statements.

 

[Tiller Girl]

Well I’m sorry if I’ve been misinformed.

 

[Rosettastone57]

Wow! That’s astonishing. I wonder how they can justify that ?

That was about the going rate for care homes in her area it wasn't a nursing home it was a dementia unit within a care home. There were others that I was quoted which started around £1,600 a week. From an economic point of view it was actually much better value for my mother-in-law be in a care home than in her own home with carers visiting. The private care agency were charging her £22 for half an hour at weekends. For full-time 24/7 supervision which she needed it worked out at about £9 an hour by paying the care home fees . It was money well spent as far as I was concerned to keep her safe

 

[Vitesse]

Wow! That’s astonishing. I wonder how they can justify that ?

I’ve been trying to decide about respite care for my husband. The nearest CH to our home is newly opened, very nice and smart, but they quoted me £1250 per week plus 10% with a minimum of 2 weeks. Savings don’t last long at those sort of rates!!

 

[Sirena]

There is a new care home near me which has all the bells and whistles and their average room price is £1200 p.w. Often they provide facilities which PWDs will not be very interested in - a cinema, a beauty salon, a high end restaurant. Hopefully you should be able to find placements which are less expensive though. My mother's CH, £800 pw, is 'homely', definitely no cinema (which she wouldn't use) but has superb care. I found it via carehome.co.uk which gave a good summary of care provided and average room rates.

In the Daily Mail today, one of the couples on the BBC have also featured , with the wife saying she can't afford the £7000 a month care fees for her husband. She has told the newspaper she has to take out a loan against her house to pay for his care. It's giving the impression that this is the only way to get the help he needs. No mention of financial assessment, social services....

That is so infuriating. But as it's the Mail I am not surprised the issue isn't properly reported.

Re your other post, my mother lived in London and had carers in each day and yes it was £22 p.h. (and £24 p.h. at weekends) very very expensive.