LA not involving me in dads care!

Rosserk

Registered User
Jul 9, 2019
396
0
Hi my LA are currently looking for a care home for my dad.

My father has late stage dementia and is currently in hospital. The LA are sending care home managers to the hospital to assess my father without telling me. He has been assessed by two Care Homes that I know about. I wasn’t informed the assessments were happening nor was I invited to attend. Are they allowed to do this? My dad won’t understand what’s happening and I think it’s wrong he doesn’t have me there representing his interests. He has been really sick and was given the last rights in hospital last Saturday so he is extremely frail. I don’t seem to have any control over what they are doing and it’s really distressing. I am my dads only relative, my mum lives with me and also has dementia. I want to have a say in my fathers care but the LA are totally excluding me!
 

Bunpoots

Volunteer Host
Apr 1, 2016
7,342
0
Nottinghamshire
Hello @Rosserk

when my dad was in hospital last year the LA decided on which care home my dad was going to. The assessments to find him a home were done without my input and I also had no control over the situation apart from being able to insist that he was not fit to return home at that time.

Once he was in the carehome for a 4 week assessment period I was informed of what was happening by his social worker. I think that if you’re reliant on SS for care you won’t have much say, if any, on where your father is placed. I hope it all goes well for you.
 

Jessbow

Registered User
Mar 1, 2013
5,678
0
Midlands
What are they actually assessing?
its probably their ability to care for him as he presents now.

I'd say it was normal for homes to go and assess by arrangement with the ward- without you nessessarily being there, or being aware. In short, yes they are
 

Philbo

Registered User
Feb 28, 2017
853
0
Kent
Hi @Rosserk

My wife went into a nursing home 4 weeks ago. Prior to this, she'd been in a LA run care centre for assessment, after getting a UTI whilst at that centre for 2 weeks respite.

The LA appointed a case worker (they no longer have dedicated CWs or SWSs but allocate someone to deal with issues as they arise), who gathered all the reports and input from the care centre, hospital etc. She then arranged to meet me (and my son and DIL) at the centre, spending around 3 hours assessing my wife's needs plus our views and background information on my wife.

The outcome was we all agreed that residential nursing care was most appropriate and this decision was submitted to the LA adult care "panel". As my wife was just at the upper threshold level for capital assets (house disregarded whilst I live here), the LA provided a (very short) list of NHs with vacancies.

I chose the only one in our area (the rest were over 20 miles away - hadn't realised there are only 3 nursing homes in our area, only 2 of which take LA funded residents) and they completed an assessment and agreed to take my wife.

I have to say that we have been kept advised at all stages, which after reading many comments on TP, was somewhat unexpected. The CW is visiting on Friday to complete a final review on the level of care, suitability etc.
 

Rosettastone57

Registered User
Oct 27, 2016
1,839
0
Hi my LA are currently looking for a care home for my dad.

My father has late stage dementia and is currently in hospital. The LA are sending care home managers to the hospital to assess my father without telling me. He has been assessed by two Care Homes that I know about. I wasn’t informed the assessments were happening nor was I invited to attend. Are they allowed to do this? My dad won’t understand what’s happening and I think it’s wrong he doesn’t have me there representing his interests. He has been really sick and was given the last rights in hospital last Saturday so he is extremely frail. I don’t seem to have any control over what they are doing and it’s really distressing. I am my dads only relative, my mum lives with me and also has dementia. I want to have a say in my fathers care but the LA are totally excluding me!

My mother-in-law was self funding and was in hospital last year waiting for a suitable care home. We also had POA for health. We had found the care home ourselves and the home manager went into the ward to assess my mother-in-law without us being present. The manager wanted to get an idea of how my mother-in-law presented on her own. It also gave her the opportunity to speak to medical staff without us. The manager later contacted my husband to tell him what had happened. I think this is pretty normal practice for care homes
 

canary

Registered User
Feb 25, 2014
25,018
0
South coast
When my mum ended up in hospital after a TIA she went into a care home for reablement/assessment for 6 weeks. She did not have to pay for this, but, equally I had no say about where she went. After six weeks there was a Best Interest Meeting to deicide on whether she was able to return home with a care package, or whether she needed a care/nursing home. During these six weeks I looked at other care homes, but in the end everyone was in agreement that mum should stay at that home. After the six weeks was up, mum was self-funding. If I had wanted her moved I dont think there would have been a problem, even if she had turned out to need LA funding
 

Jale

Registered User
Jul 9, 2018
1,138
0
When mum was in hospital and being assessed we didn't know it was happening at the time. One care home turned her down because they couldn't meet her needs, and a nursing home accepted her, she is not self funding, although we pay a top up. We were told that the people doing the assessing prefer to see the PWD on their own so they can see what they are like with no family around, how true that is I don't know. Mum wouldn't have had a clue as to what was happening, it was after she had been accepted that we were told the name of the home and we went to have a look round to see if we were happy.

To be honest I was glad in a way that I wasn't present at the assessment as I know I would have struggled knowing what was going to happen to her.
 

Susan11

Registered User
Nov 18, 2018
5,064
0
The manager of the Care home we liked went to visit Mum in hospital. I didn't sit with Mum as i felt it was important that they assessed Mum as she actually was so they knew what to expect. It's no use If they don't have a realistic view as it might cause problems later.
 

Rosserk

Registered User
Jul 9, 2019
396
0
The manager of the Care home we liked went to visit Mum in hospital. I didn't sit with Mum as i felt it was important that they assessed Mum as she actually was so they knew what to expect. It's no use If they don't have a realistic view as it might cause problems later.
What concerns me is all the care Homes assessing my father will agree they can meet his needs because they want the security of regular payments. The reality is that once he’s there they won’t be able to manage him x
 

Sirena

Registered User
Feb 27, 2018
2,324
0
I can understand why you are concerned, but I don't think that is true. CH placements are over-subscribed and there are often waiting lists, so care homes can choose who they accept - there will be plenty of others needing placements. It would be counterproductive to deliberately take someone with high needs which they cannot meet - why not choose someone easier. I am not sure if you have visited any of these CHs but if not it would be a good idea to do so.
 

Rosserk

Registered User
Jul 9, 2019
396
0
I can understand why you are concerned, but I don't think that is true. CH placements are over-subscribed and there are often waiting lists, so care homes can choose who they accept - there will be plenty of others needing placements. It would be counterproductive to deliberately take someone with high needs which they cannot meet - why not choose someone easier. I am not sure if you have visited any of these CHs but if not it would be a good idea to do so.

Thank you what you say makes sense. I can’t visit the care homes because the LA haven’t told me who they are. X
 

Sirena

Registered User
Feb 27, 2018
2,324
0
As soon as they tell you, make a visit - hopefully you will be pleasantly surprised.
 

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