extention

janetruth

Registered User
Mar 20, 2007
563
0
nuneaton
Hello everyone, this is my first post, so wont bother you all with too much detail this time. I just wondered if anyone out there has had an extention built on to their house funded by council, on the recommendation of social services. If so it would be very helpful to me if you could give me your experience of the pros and cons.
thanks.
p.s. I have read alot of past and present posts and have found them both helpful and inspirational.
 

jenniferpa

Registered User
Jun 27, 2006
39,442
0
Hello janetruth, and welcome to TP

I'm sorry i don't have any experience with what you're planning to do, but just wanted to welcome you. Also I note you're in Nuneaton: my mother is in Bedworth.

Jennifer

PS Have you contacted DIAL? http://www.nbdial.org.uk/faq.asp
 
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Grommit

Registered User
Apr 26, 2006
2,127
0
Doncaster
My friend round the corner has had an extension built by the council for his wife who has MS.

I could get to know more details about how it was funded and the fact that a sprinkler system has been installed in case of fire, follwed by the installation of electronic door opening so the carers can have free access.

Is there any particular aspect that is concerning you at this time?
 

janetruth

Registered User
Mar 20, 2007
563
0
nuneaton
janetruth said:
Hello everyone, this is my first post, so wont bother you all with too much detail this time. I just wondered if anyone out there has had an extention built on to their house funded by council, on the recommendation of social services. If so it would be very helpful to me if you could give me your experience of the pros and cons.
thanks.
p.s. I have read alot of past and present posts and have found them both helpful and inspirational.

Hi Jennifer, thanks for your reply,just to let you know, my mum is spending 10days in <<Message from Moderator: Care home name removed>>. I have yet to look through some of your many posts, but will try some time today.
Perhaps there is someone out there with experience regarding my extention query. bye for now, Jennifer.
Janetruth
 

janetruth

Registered User
Mar 20, 2007
563
0
nuneaton
Grommit said:
My friend round the corner has had an extension built by the council for his wife who has MS.

I could get to know more details about how it was funded and the fact that a sprinkler system has been installed in case of fire, follwed by the installation of electronic door opening so the carers can have free access.

Is there any particular aspect that is concerning you at this time?
Hi Grommit, thanks for your reply, in answer to the last part is Yes. My 82 year old mum who came to live with us and is very comfortable in one of our 2 spare bedrooms has been assessed by SS and they have recommended the extention to give mum more independance. The cost will be funded by the council and we know that it will be to mums advantage. But the more I read about Alzheimers and the inevitable prospect of ending up in a care home. the more I think the extention will be a waste of time, money and the upheavel of change to mums now structured routine.
At the moment my mum is sruggling with the last three steps at the top of the stairs due to really bad arthritis in both knees and we aren;t really sure what stage of alzheimers she is at. We rent a straight stairkift, our stairs have a curve at the top.Anyway she can;t use it by herself so I have to take her upstairs when she needs the loo and to go to bed, it's just those last three blasted steps that I watch her painfully climb, it must be like a mountain to her and is putting so much strain on her knees. I know she puts off going toilet till the last minute and occasionally has wet herself on the way. She has a commode at the side of bed as the walk to the bathroom is too much for her. I suggested mum using commode downstairs during the day but she will not entertain the idea, insists on going to the toilet. So I know it would be best for mum to have ground floor bedroom with en-suite but there are other issues as well. A curved stairlift would be the answer but they are expensive and out of our budget. Sorry for rambling and I know everyone out there will probably say, do what is best for mum.
bye for now.
Janetruth
 

Cate

Registered User
Jul 2, 2006
1,370
0
Newport, Gwent
Hi Jane

Just wanted to say welcome to TP.

It does seem a tat crazy to offer to build you an extension on your home for mum, when you would clearly prefer a curved stair lift. Begs the question why wont they fund the latter which would obviously be cheaper for the council than an extension, saving you the stress of an extension, and mum the confusion!!

Best wishes
Cate
 

Natashalou

Registered User
Mar 22, 2007
426
0
london
what worries me

what worries me about all this is what happens if things dont work out? My mother wants to come and live with me. She has enough money to pay for the house to be extended (stpp of course which takes months anyway) so public funding doesnt come into it, but if things really dont work out and she has to go back into a nursing home will she be considered to have disposed of her assets and I end up selling my house to pay the money back??
And if the council pay for people, does that money have to be repaid if the relation then cant cope and the person the extension is for then goes into a nursing home?
Id be interested to know the legal position on all of this.
i have worked in the social housing field, and while im not of course suggesting this applies to anyone here (including me) we often had very elderly people coming up as homeless where they had, in good faith, signed over a home to a son or daughter who then got fed up with them and chucked them out!
At that time there was very little to be done except house them usually in sheltered housing, and i know this isnt quite the same scenario, but I do wonder if this extension idea, however it is funded isnt going to have strings attached??
 

CraigC

Registered User
Mar 21, 2003
6,633
0
London
Hi Janetruth,

That is a difficult one and I'm pretty sure every council works differently unfortunately. I'd arrange a meeting with them and discuss it in detail. You will definitely get funded for any special modifications to your existing home or even adaptations to plans for a new extension BUT what you may find is that the council will take into account any capital that your mother has before the work starts.

When we spoke to our local council they spoke about assessing mum and dads assets and even considering our assets. I just decided it was going to be too painful. To be honest, the build was stressful enough without worry about whether the council were going to help fund it.

As I said, each council may take a different approach so it may be worth arranging a meeting. You may also want to check the position of VAT. New builds are VAT free but I'm not sure how it works with builds that are purpose built extensions for the dissabled etc. Your local housing association may also be able to provide advice (they tend to be very helpful and open).

Please do report back as this is an interesting area considering the increasing cost of care home fees. A little late for us, but others may be interested.

Kind Regards and Good Luck!!!
Craig
 

jenniferpa

Registered User
Jun 27, 2006
39,442
0
Actually Jane, I'm not sure we'd simply say "do what's best for your mum". I think most of us would say that you need to find a balance between what's best for your mother and what's best for you and the rest of your family. It does seem a trifle odd that the council are prepared to pay for an extension but not an appropriate stair-lift, but who knows how the minds of budget planners work? Having said that, though, you have to decide if you're going to accept the only thing they seem to be offering: the extension. You know, I don't think it is inevitable that someone with AD will eventually end up in a nursing home. To be brutally honest, at 82, there are a lot of other things that could happen before that becomes necessary. You say your mother has severe arthritis? My mother is now in a nursing home, but that's not primarily because of dementia (she has had several strokes). It is because due to her hip arthritis, she can no longer weight bear, has had several falls due to the arthritis, and is now wheel-chair or bed-bound. If it wasn't for her mobility problems, she would still be living in her extra-care sheltered housing apartment.

Sadly, when you're talking about dementia, confusion comes as part as the package, even confusion about things that are familiar. What I'm trying to say is that yes, moving from an upstairs bedroom to a downstairs one might increase her confusion, but staying in the upstairs one is no guarantee that confusion won't increase anyway.

Jennifer
 

sue38

Registered User
Mar 6, 2007
10,849
0
55
Wigan, Lancs
You may also want to check the position of VAT. New builds are VAT free but I'm not sure how it works with builds that are purpose built extensions for the dissabled etc

I think that generally extensions are not VAT free unless they provide a whole new dwelling. However there may be an exemption for these particular circumstances but I can't find it. I find VAT on property one of the most complicated areas of tax law (and that's saying something!)

I have a 330 page book optimistically entitled 'Understanding VAT on Property' which I have read several times (I really must get out more) and it's still as clear as mud.

Sue
 

Margarita

Registered User
Feb 17, 2006
10,824
0
london
When I move from a 3 bedroom flat / 2nd floor to a 3 bedroom house I thought life would be better for my mother moving hear, as the council who I was with said that they is no 4 bedroom council houses in our area, and would not consider mobility especially adapted house , because my mother can still walk , so I went in to 3 bedroom house with the privet sector houseing .

My mother still has to go upstairs as the bathroom is upstairs , they is a big toilet downstairs so she has a wash down , I have been told I can have extension done in the house , so mum has a shower unit in the down stairs toilet in the future, or stair life, but I would have to supervise it , I wonder sometime if is was all worth it this move , I would go for it , if they are offering it to you , your lucky that they are offering it to you to keep your mother with you just depends if you can take all the stress of it and its what you really want .
 
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janetruth

Registered User
Mar 20, 2007
563
0
nuneaton
extention reply

Thank you all for your views and info. We have had a letter from SS they have applied to the council for a grant and our case is now on a monitor list until the grant is awarded
yes, it would be a lot easier and cheaper for SS to ask for grant to have curved stairlift put in,but when I asked, They said It would not give mum any independance as sje could not use it by herself. The extention would still mean I have to accompany her, as she needs assistance to get about, so where is the logic in that. Who decides these thing anyway, obviously someone with no idea whats best for individual cases, not aevey case even though similar warrents the same solution, surely the main carer should be asked what would be the best practical and financial help would suit their needs. Has anyone else had the same problem.?.
Take care
Janetruth