My mother

[LeaWM]

Good Evening,

I am looking for some advice and understanding my mother aged 61 was diagnosed with vascular dementia in June 2017. This absolutely broke me. I am learning to deal with things and try not to envisage what will happen further down the line. My mother really struggles with short term memory and struggles with daily tasks now and again. She has always worked and been employed however, she was made redundant in March last year, I am struggling to get financial support for her as she still drives!!!! I am just so confused at how to manage this and my own thoughts and feelings along with those of my father and young children

 

[YorkshireLass]

Hi Lea, welcome to Talking Point. My advice would be to seek advice from the Alzheimer's helpline. I'm sure they can advise on financial issues. I soldiered on alone caring for my mum and although I sought help from Social Services and the Carers Support in our area I never investigated the Alzheimer's helpline after diagnosis. I did phone in desperation before mum had an official diagnosis and all anyone seemed to want to know was the diagnosis that at the time wasn't official. I didn't bother again sadly! Try and get ahead. Sorting the financial situation helps but the one thing I was so pleased we had completed before was LPA for both finance and health. Goodness knows how I would have managed without. I'm sure many more members will be offering help soon xxxx

 

[SandyH]

Hi Lea my Mother was diagnosed early last year with dementia we were told to let the DVLA know and the insurance company we downloaded forms from the DVLA website and sent them off my Mother signed them and gave them consent to contact her doctor we listed all her medication on the form, we also informed the insurance company and they made a note on her records. The DVLA have come back to us and will allow her to keep driving until her licence is to be renewed and then the will issue it on a yearly basis my Mother is 73 but at the moment we do not want to take the independence off her as it is hard enough for us all to try and come to terms with what is happening to her without taking away the last bit of independence she has. We monitor her driving and make sure she has a mobile phone with her when she goes out. If the weather is bad we pick her up but even letting her drive a short distance is an achievement as we know at some point this will be taken away.

 

[Shedrech]

hello @LeaWM
a warm welcome to TP
not an easy time for your mum - if she is able to take care of herself ie personal care, cooking etc then she is restricted in applying for some benefits
might this site help
https://www.gov.uk/browse/benefits
and
http://www.ageuk.org.uk/money-matters/claiming-benefits/benefits-calculator/
could she visit the local jobcentre, and CAB, to discuss her situation - maybe also AgeUK
you say she was made redundant - it may be worth going back to her employers, especially if she was in a company pension scheme, and explaining that shortly after the redundancy, she was given a diagnosis and this would explain any shortcomings at work - they may consider looking into altering the redundancy to early retirement, but it's a long shot
do look into organising Lasting Powers of Attorney for both your mum and dad, these will help in the future and be there for 'just in case'
please make sure that both know that the marital home is disregarded in any financial assessment for your mum's care fees, should she need any care ie it does NOT need to be sold to pay for her care
I hope that TP will be a source of information and understanding for you and your family

 

[JaneyA]

Good Evening,

I am looking for some advice and understanding my mother aged 61 was diagnosed with vascular dementia in June 2017. This absolutely broke me. I am learning to deal with things and try not to envisage what will happen further down the line. My mother really struggles with short term memory and struggles with daily tasks now and again. She has always worked and been employed however, she was made redundant in March last year, I am struggling to get financial support for her as she still drives!!!! I am just so confused at how to manage this and my own thoughts and feelings along with those of my father and young children

Hi. I have just joined. Age UK were my port in a storm last year. They were fantastic. They advised me about so much. I can't thank them enough.