NHS Approved care homes/PCTfunding

[cliveo]

Hi

Would appreciate any advice please on my mother's care.

My mother has been in a secure NHS assessment hospital for older people since last August.She has vascular dementia and hears voices for which they have experimented with her medication and she seems to have calmed down.

The Hospital staff helped towards applying for NHS Continuing care and the forms were all sent off before Christmas.I had a call from the local PCT last week saying funding had been allowed and they now need the bed where my mother is and that I should investigate care homes with a EMI unit.This has happened all quite quickly

My question is (And I do appreciate we are lucky to get funding) as the funding is limited to a certain amount do we have to look at the care homes they specify.The problem being is that, only one is in the area that would be suitable for her elderly friends and relatives to travel to and from.I'm not sure what the local authority class as a reasonable distance to travel.They seem to want me to make a quick decision and have not even confirmed to me in writing her care plan and needs todate.

The distance is a concern as it means a once a week visit from her friends, compared to more regular visitis if the home was nearer.Hope I don't sound ungrateful but I have refused to look at the other distance homes at the moment, they tell me the other local homes that accept NHS funding are all full.


Any advice or information with similiar experiences appreciated.

Thank you
Cliveo

 

[Saffie]

I just want to say congratulations for managing to acquire CHC funding. My husband has severe vascular dementia, hallucinates and has multiple other major physical health problems but he was turned down - it never even went to the panel, so you have done well. I'm afraid I cannot help re. funding various homes as I had assumed that any EMI registered home would be acceptable.

 

[jenniferpa]

Hope I don't sound ungrateful but I have refused to look at the other distance homes at the moment, they tell me the other local homes that accept NHS funding are all full.

I think you are correct in taking this position - it makes a tremendous difference to a person's quality of life to receive regular visits from family and friends. I will say this though - it's not unusual for visits to tail off, sadly so do make sure that you place more emphasis on an area you can visit rather than considering friends, although this sounds like it might be one and the same.

I would also contact and arrange to visit all local homes that might be acceptable, whether they are full or not. Not to be too brutal, that situation can change overnight so you need to be prepared.

 

[sammie]

just to say congratulations on getting the funding its not an easy process i took the decision to panel three times i challenged them on everything to be honest i think they got sick of me and gave it to us . you shouldn't have to fight for it but i would say keep trying saffie your husband deserves the funding. challenge and question everything

 

[Saffie]

Thanks Sammie - I may go into it again later - too exhausted at the moment!

Cliveo, I would second what Jennifer has said about looking at homes even though they are reportedly full. I was told that there was no chance of my husband getting a place in the home he is now in as there was a long waiting list, but there he is. Sadly, it is the nature of the health of people in homes that things can change quite quickly.