Lost in a sea of red tape and bureacracy

marsbar

Registered User
Aug 19, 2014
10
0
Mom fell down and broke her hip nine weeks ago. She has been in hospital since and her physical condition is as good as its ever going to be now, she can get around with a walking frame but scared of falling again. She has been on the point of discharge for two weeks now and we have had a meeting with Discharge nurse, ward sister, OT nurse and social worker. We are now caught in the mad mad world of awaiting the official needs assessment report to get to the local authority finance dept so we know at what level of funding we can afford. Social worker says she is awaiting some more info from Hospital, hospital pushing for us to find a care home, care homes we looked at are quoting top up fees we cant afford for Alzheimer patients. Mom has no property or assets. Why does it feel everybody has lost sight of the fact that an 86 year old lady who brought up a family of seven who all but one are in work and contribute to society. She herself worked part time all her working life to help provide and now needs help.
Social worker says she only needs basic residential care as she is not showing any behaviour issues and is compliant.... her sons and daughters may start showing these issues and will be far from compliant if we don't see an improvement soon. It just seems as though we have to fight for our rights and information.... this cant be right or proper in a world we are told by politicians should be open and transparent ! Sorry for rant.
 

la lucia

Registered User
Jul 3, 2011
592
0
Mom fell down and broke her hip nine weeks ago. She has been in hospital since and her physical condition is as good as its ever going to be now, she can get around with a walking frame but scared of falling again. She has been on the point of discharge for two weeks now and we have had a meeting with Discharge nurse, ward sister, OT nurse and social worker. We are now caught in the mad mad world of awaiting the official needs assessment report to get to the local authority finance dept so we know at what level of funding we can afford. Social worker says she is awaiting some more info from Hospital, hospital pushing for us to find a care home, care homes we looked at are quoting top up fees we cant afford for Alzheimer patients. Mom has no property or assets. Why does it feel everybody has lost sight of the fact that an 86 year old lady who brought up a family of seven who all but one are in work and contribute to society. She herself worked part time all her working life to help provide and now needs help.
Social worker says she only needs basic residential care as she is not showing any behaviour issues and is compliant.... her sons and daughters may start showing these issues and will be far from compliant if we don't see an improvement soon. It just seems as though we have to fight for our rights and information.... this cant be right or proper in a world we are told by politicians should be open and transparent ! Sorry for rant.

I know exactly how you feel... The red tape, bureaucracy and multiple layers of government and outsourced departments is too often a Kafkaesque horror that just makes caring for a relative ten times more difficult and exhausting.

And the paperwork..... argh! I literally had to do an Ikea-run recently just to buy another set of shelves and cardboard files to try and keep it in some semblance of order.

Finally the jargon..... 'eligible needs'..... 'wellbeing' ...?..

On a more practical level - please don't let the hospital bully you into anything - just give them the phone number of whoever is assessing the funding.

And whatever level of funding is finally 'approved' it has to match the cost of what is available, suitable for your mum, AND accessible to you for visiting. If that is more expensive than the funding then in my understanding the Council has to top it up not you.

It may help you to find somewhere if you can talk to other carers in your area - a dementia cafe or carers group? I finally found a place for my father in 2011 (likewise with the hospital ringing me at work daily) via a taxi driver who was taking me from care home to care home and listening to my gasps of horror when I came out from looking.

Best of luck - you are right - the reason for all this, a vulnerable person, is too often overlooked in the funding, budget cutting and box ticking.
 

marsbar

Registered User
Aug 19, 2014
10
0
Thanks

thanks for the replies,it does make me feel better. We will continue to do our best as that is what mom did all her life for us.
I forgot all about the local Alzheimers office, they were very helpful when she was first diagnosed.. I'll be there in the morning !
 

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