Finding a way through the funding system for care home, any suggestions please?

[MagG]

Hi everyone, since I last posted, my husband has been admitted to a nursing home after an emergency admission to the hospital with an infection and neutropeania. I was called one morning to say he was being discharged later that same day. I put my foot down and said I couldn't have him at home because he still wasn't well ( looked like Albert Steptoe and was very confused) and I was on my own with no other help. After much humming and haaing, the OT reluctantly agreed. Spoke to a doctor that afternoon when I was alloed to visit and she agreed he could stay for 24 hours to arrange admission to nursing home. I won't go into details, but I was horrified at the attitude of the hospital and to his transfer.
He's been in the home almost three weeks now and is so much better physically, but sadly not mentally. We are now, as a family, actively looking for him to stay there as long term resident. However, we are now faced with the hurdle that is getting funding from either the LA or SS which, as I'm sure many of you know, is a series of one hurdle after the other. The home has been very helpful in the advice they have given us, but I'm wondering if anyone out there has any advice on what/what not to do to get some funding. We can pay a top up from our own savings, but that won't last for an indefinite time! Then what happens, when our money runs out?
I should also add that the chemo for his melanoma has been stopped, because it hadn't worked ( Swelling where the original infected nodes were removed has returned and cannot be operated on again) and they're just keeping an eye on his CLL ( no drugs there either).
He seems quite settled where he is and now that he is out of isolation, seems to be a hit with the 'old dears' as he calls them. Reminding him to use his zimmer frame etc! And he is eating too, has developed a taste for old fashioned puddings and custard! Wouldn't eat anything like that at home!!
Thanks for reading this and any advice will be gratefully received!

 

[Grannie G]

Hello @MagG From my limited experience all you can do is h=keep badgering the LA and SS for a financial assessment.

Financial assessment for care in England

To help them decide who will pay for a person with dementia’s care, a local authority will carry out a financial assessment. The financial assessment for homecare is slightly different to the assessment for a residential care home.

www.alzheimers.org.uk

 

[nitram]

Hello @MagG From my limited experience all you can do is h=keep badgering the LA and SS for a financial assessment.

A financial assessment comes after a care needs assessment, has this been done?

 

[MartinWL]

Remember that any money or investments held jointly are 50% his. Your house isn't counted if you live there. Now has he got more than £23250 to his name? If so he is self funding. If not the local authority is going to have to do the needs and financial assessment.

 

[imthedaughter]

Him staying there isn't really up to you, social services have responsibility.
The home will assess him but the Local Authority have to do a needs assesment, then they will do the financial assessment. I don't know why it's that way round but there it is.
Assuming he is not self-funding, the local authority will place him in a band of funding dependent on his needs.
If the current home will not take the funding offered as it is too low you may be asked to 'top up' but I am wary of these as they will increase and could become unaffordable (depend on your circumstance).
Your other option is to move him to a home which will accept the funding. Social services provide a list and find available places.
My dad's home took the funding (the highest offered) so dad was able to stay there. He'd been self-funding previously.
Following the assessment, we now divert all my dad's income save £29ish to the local authority and they tell me if this changes (in line with his state pension etc).
It can seem like forever to be assessed but if you have applied for the assessment and supplied all the information social services and the local authority have asked for, that's all you can do.