Deprivation of Liberty (DOL'S)

Quizbunny

Registered User
Nov 20, 2011
156
0
Had a call yesterday from the independent assessor to say she had visited mum last week to assess her. She seemed surprised that neither I or my sister, we both hold LPA for both finance and welfare, had not been informed by the carehome that they had applied for this.
My question is this, why would the home have instigated this? Mum barely gets out of bed and she is far from a problem resident. I am worried that there may be a financial motive here and that they could be about to ask for more money. Mum is cared for at the LA rate, no top up is required and she has lived there for 4 years.
 

jaymor

Registered User
Jul 14, 2006
15,604
0
South Staffordshire
I am sure it is nothing to worry about. I think care homes are being very cautious now following a couple of court cases. My husband has had the same done, the first time I was not there, the second time I was. It appears to me it is just another box ticked excercise. Nothing has changed for my husband at all. The first one he was mobile the second one he had progressed and was bedbound.

If I am wrong someone will but me right and give you more details but I am sure it is nothing to worry about.
 

Beate

Registered User
May 21, 2014
12,179
0
London
From all I've heard it's standard now for care homes and nothing to worry about. It certainly won't affect the fees he is paying!
 

canary

Registered User
Feb 25, 2014
25,018
0
South coast
Mum is in a locked dementia unit. It is the best place for her and although she cant walk so far now she has a DOLS - just like all the others in her CH. It is a legal requirement for everyone in a locked unit and I think it is becoming routine in other CHs too, so I wouldnt worry about it, its not an excuse for raising fees.
 

Summerheather

Registered User
Feb 22, 2015
160
0
It's not just care homes - my SW is doing one in a couple of weeks because my Mum lives with myself and my husband and daughter and although we have carers in twice a day, 4 days a week whilst I'm in work - when they leave my mum is on her own. Apparently it was changed last year or so to be for everyone - it covers you if say, she tells the post man she's being held against her will and the police are called and all that.
 

Witzend

Registered User
Aug 29, 2007
4,283
0
SW London
My mother was assessed just a couple of months before she'd died, though the SW did tell me she was going to do it, with a psychiatrist. It was a pure formality really, since by then my mother was 96, with advanced dementia - she could hold no conversation at all and would not understand any question, or be able to reply. At that stage she had been in her CH nearly 8 years.

Please don't worry about it - as far as I know it's something they are now obliged by law to do if the person is in a secure unit, i.e. they cannot come and go as they please. Whether the person could even hold an opinion on this any more, let alone be capable of taking themselves in and out, would seem to be beside the point.
 

Bessieb

Registered User
Jun 2, 2014
107
0
I've been told the same. That the law has changed and that DOLS must be in place if the person is in a secure unit or considered not to have capacity so that CH staff (or carers at home) are within the law if they try to stop someone from wandering or leaving a premises to keep them safe.
It doesn't make any difference to CH fees , it's just a legal requirement and part of the assessment process.
 

Quizbunny

Registered User
Nov 20, 2011
156
0
Thank you for your wisdom on this matter. It's very reassuring to know that the care home is not likely to have any ulterior motive for this. I still think they should have discussed this with us before they initiated the process though.
 

flowerpot

Registered User
Jul 27, 2010
2,450
0
65
Rural North Northumberland
This is in the process of being done for my MiL and my OH has PoA. Apparently it's because she has to be hoisted and has bed rails! So in a way she's confined without her own permission being given and as she can't make decisions for herself anymore this has to be done legally!

Obviously to cover the care home legally as I suppose some people could complain about what they see happening to some of the residents ie: being hoisted etc.

It's just another lot of red tape to get tied up in!
 

Witzend

Registered User
Aug 29, 2007
4,283
0
SW London
Should have added, by the time the SW got around to phoning to tell me that in her opinion, and that of the psychiatrist, my mother was certainly in need of a DoL order - (this was several weeks after they'd seen her) - I was able to tell her that in fact it was no longer necessary since my mother had died.
Talk about wheels grinding slowly. Through the woman did have the grace to sound utterly mortified.
 

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