Hi
I am new to the site although not new to AD / VD. Mum was diagnosed 6 years ago so we have been living with the disease for some time now. Before I start, I would just like to say that this is a great forum and it is nice to be able to go somewhere where others know and understand what you are going through.
Dad had been the main carer but after 6 years mum has recently gone into a NH. It all happened quite quickly after Dad had to go into hospital for a double hernia operation and was unable to take care for her during this time. Her condition had deteriorated quite dramatically over the past 6 months - I believe mainly due to poor medication prescibing (but that is another story). We were lucky to find a good NH not far from Dad so we are able to get in there 3 - 4 times a week (and to be honest the quality of time spent with her is better then it was at home). We can go back to being the loving family rather than dealing with the day to day practical activities which at times proved to be very stressful and sometimes dangerous for my 81 year old father.
My question relates to the financial assessment that I feel should have taken place before she went into the NH. My parents are fortunate enough to be able to pay for mum and have choices in her care probably for the next two years without having to ask for social services contribution. However it was my understanding and this was confirmed it yesterday's Daily Mail, that regardless of whether or not you needed financial assistance - social services should still have come in and done a financial assessment on my mum. If this is not done at the beginning it could prove to be problematic when the time comes that the money has run out. I questioned this with the social worker just before mum went into the home and she said that it was not needed until we came close to the low savings threshold and at that time I should contact them for the assessment. I am not sure that this is right and has more to do with the fact that we unfortunately had a very lazy and incompetent social worker handling our case. Can anybody give any advise on the situation either through experience or knowledge of what is required?
Many thanks
LovingDaughter
I am new to the site although not new to AD / VD. Mum was diagnosed 6 years ago so we have been living with the disease for some time now. Before I start, I would just like to say that this is a great forum and it is nice to be able to go somewhere where others know and understand what you are going through.
Dad had been the main carer but after 6 years mum has recently gone into a NH. It all happened quite quickly after Dad had to go into hospital for a double hernia operation and was unable to take care for her during this time. Her condition had deteriorated quite dramatically over the past 6 months - I believe mainly due to poor medication prescibing (but that is another story). We were lucky to find a good NH not far from Dad so we are able to get in there 3 - 4 times a week (and to be honest the quality of time spent with her is better then it was at home). We can go back to being the loving family rather than dealing with the day to day practical activities which at times proved to be very stressful and sometimes dangerous for my 81 year old father.
My question relates to the financial assessment that I feel should have taken place before she went into the NH. My parents are fortunate enough to be able to pay for mum and have choices in her care probably for the next two years without having to ask for social services contribution. However it was my understanding and this was confirmed it yesterday's Daily Mail, that regardless of whether or not you needed financial assistance - social services should still have come in and done a financial assessment on my mum. If this is not done at the beginning it could prove to be problematic when the time comes that the money has run out. I questioned this with the social worker just before mum went into the home and she said that it was not needed until we came close to the low savings threshold and at that time I should contact them for the assessment. I am not sure that this is right and has more to do with the fact that we unfortunately had a very lazy and incompetent social worker handling our case. Can anybody give any advise on the situation either through experience or knowledge of what is required?
Many thanks
LovingDaughter
