Dreading Thursday - The Axeman Cometh

[Scarlett123]

if you've not seen the factsheets please read them before the meeting:

Paying for care
http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=2710

Benefit rates
http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/factsheet/431

You still seem to think that you can be asked to pay for his care from your money; you cannot be asked to pay for his care, unless they try to foist a top up on you.

They tried it on me and I put in a complaint to the council and they backed down. Basically, my mother was in the cheapest nursing home in the area and they still tried it on!

Thank you so much for this info, it's very kind of you. It is the top up fee that is worrying me, but I shall take all your advice on board, and that of all my other lovely friends on TP.

On Thursday, in my imagination, I shall be dressed in my army uniform, ready to do battle, and singing Jerusalem, Fight the Good Fight, and other rousing songs. I've taken careful note of the fact you put in a complaint to the council, and I also have downloaded a fact sheet that says if this doesn't work, you can take your complaint to a Magistrates Court.

 

[thebes]

I will be thinking of you and cheering you on with a calm assertive approach to your visitor. Just remember as I understand it they are not entitled to any of your income or savings much as they in their cash strapped services would like to believe differently.

 

[truth24]

Hi Scarlett. Things went as anticipated today and financial assessor left with my 6 months bank statements plus details of Fred's private pensions. It seems, in our case, that the care home will accept LA rates and that, together with his small saving pot, under £14000, means that he will ONLY contribute his state pension and 50 pc of his private pensions, leaving me with the other 50 pc. Luckily I have a state and small private pension of my own which, with the 50 pc, means I should be OK. That is in the sense of paying household bills and living expenses - not extravagant living! That's until I start getting house maintenance bills, etc in which case I will be digging into my savings. I asked my son what would have happened if I hadn't had my private pension because then things would have been very difficult and he said that they would have applied for pension credit as they MUST leave YOU with a sufficient income on which to live. Will get final figure after it has gone through Finance Dept but son and assessor did a a rough calculation and gave me the approximate sum that will go by monthly direct debit to the care home. Think I have been fortunate in that, because of the difference in our ages, Fred always insisted that most of our savings in later years went in my name to make things easier for me if he 'goes first'. It seems he was very wise. Thank you my love.

Hope things go well for you and that all your hard work prevails.
Verity
sent from my GT-N5110

 

[LadyA]

Hi Scarlett. Things went as anticipated today and financial assessor left with my 6 months bank statements plus details of Fred's private pensions. It seems, in our case, that the care home will accept LA rates and that, together with his small saving pot, under £14000, means that he will ONLY contribute his state pension and 50 pc of his private pensions, leaving me with the other 50 pc. Luckily I have a state and small private pension of my own which, with the 50 pc, means I should be OK. That is in the sense of paying household bills and living expenses - not extravagant living! That's until I start getting house maintenance bills, etc in which case I will be digging into my savings. I asked my son what would have happened if I hadn't had my private pension because then things would have been very difficult and he said that they would have applied for pension credit as they MUST leave YOU with a sufficient income on which to live. Will get final figure after it has gone through Finance Dept but son and assessor did a a rough calculation and gave me the approximate sum that will go by monthly direct debit to the care home. Think I have been fortunate in that, because of the difference in our ages, Fred always insisted that most of our savings in later years went in my name to make things easier for me if he 'goes first'. It seems he was very wise. Thank you my love.

Hope things go well for you and that all your hard work prevails.
Verity
sent from my GT-N5110

Wish it was like that here - all our savings ("all"! under €10,000 between us, most of it earmarked for necessary work on the house!) are in my sole name. But when it comes to financing care, every single cent we have in either of our names, plus the value of our home and any other assets, is counted and used to determine how much I'll have to pay! There's even a clause that says "any assets you may have deprived yourself of in the previous five years" - which covers them if they think you disposed of land or property in order to lessen your liability for care costs!

 

[Just thinking]

Hi having just been involved in top up fees, I thought I would clarify the situation
for you. As long as you let the LA choose the home top up fees are not needed (provided savings etc are under £23000.00) but if you choose a home yourself which is more expensive then someone has to pay the difference between what the LA will pay and the cost of home Top up fees

Thanks for that but I'm still confused. When looking at info on some homes it's stated sometimes that they're LA approved so I assumed this would mean if a person is already in a place that they'd pay if your own money dried up regardless of the fees and whether they originally chose the place or yourselves.

I think I need to do a refresher course for myself and read up on the fact sheets but thank you for taking the time to answer.

 

[truth24]

Sorry LadyA. You are really having a tough time all the way round. We seem to be more fortunate here in care for the elderly. It surprises me as when I was staying in Co Cork with a friend some years ago she was making us envious with all the more generous allowances received by senior citizens than we received here. Obviously the financial crash caused more pain to you than it did to us on the whole although our LAs are always looking for ways to cut costs so that might alter, particularly with the changes in funding coming in in a couple of years time when the NHS start getting involved. Hope your efforts for William work and you get a positive response soon. Verity

Sent from my GT-N5110

 

[Scarlett123]

I'm so glad that things went well for you, truth. And I'm still shocked by your situation, LadyA. We're all exhausted and living on our nerves, as it is, but to have the added financial worry seems so unfair.

When we had Bertha, over the weekend, my heart went into my mouth, as I was sure the roof was going to suffer. Part of our bungalow was extended, and that part has a flat roof, which had to be replaced about 5 years ago, at nearly £3,000.

Nineteen hours to go ..........

 

[truth24]

Will be thinking of you Scarlett.

Sent from my GT-N5110

 

[bemused1]

I am keeping fingers crossed for you today Scarlett, hoping things. come to a sensible and workable conclusion

 

[onlyme247]

You will do fine today .Your organised calm and remember only asking for what is needed to care for someone you love.Thinking of you today.

 

[hokeycokey]

Good luck for today and tomorrow.

I too am awaiting CHC ratification which they said was a week and is now two! Then I've got the trauma of the next stage ....

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[LYN T]

Good luck Scarlett

I will be thinking of you all day. I do so hope it's not too stressful for you

Love from

Lyn T

 

[jeany123]

Sending luck, I hope it goes well xx

 

[Scarlett123]

You will do fine today .Your organised calm and remember only asking for what is needed to care for someone you love.Thinking of you today.

As most of you know by now, I have a very vivid imagination. So I shall imagine myself backed up by my silent and invisible army of TP friends, urging me into battle.

According to a report by The Independent, many local authorities, including my own, , are ignoring the rules regarding top-up fees, and trying to foist these onto relatives, and apparently, most relatives are paying up, without a quibble, because they either think that they have to, and/or they just want their loved one settled.

I am glad I gave the Care Home's invoices to the Social Worker, when we had our meeting, at the Care Home, a few weeks ago. She told the Manager to send all further invoices to her, until the finance is sorted.

Less than an hour to go, and I have spent most of the last 2 hours feeling sick, or wee-ing!

 

[2jays]

Not sure if you know... But I always bring biscuits to these type of meetings. Today I have chocolate chip

xx


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[MrsTerryN]

Hope it goes well for you

 

[truth24]

Fingers crossed Scarlett

Sent from my GT-N5110

 

[CollegeGirl]

I have everything crossed for you Scarlett. Good luck, you know you have right on your side, stay strong x

 

[thebes]

just checked in to see if any news from you yet - been thinking of you and sending support through the airwaves -I do so hope its being a good day for you.

 

[jeany123]

Has the Axeman beeneth, I hope you got everything sorted x