paying for care

[dizzy1!]

My father clearly has the onset of dementia but is not yet diagnosed. He has a small care package but its not working . Is it possible for me to give up my job and be paid to look after him, to allow a better care package?

 

[caring a]

sorry to hear of your possition,
to your question,,id say no,,,,,unless you could live of the £61.00 carers allowance you might well be eligible for if you carerd full time for your dad,,,,
i think you could also earn up to 30 and still qualify,,but im guessing wouldnt come close to what youd lose giving up your job,,
az certainly not just puts the suffer into problems as ive witnesses personal,,
good luck going forward,,
xxx

 

[jenniferpa]

Hi dizzy.

Are you asking if you could be paid by the LA? Or are you asking if your father could pay you? Because those are two rather different things.

 

[lexy]

deleted

 

[opaline]

Dizzy, you need to get your dad assessed and also a carer's assessment for yourself. You may well find they will implement a different care package which may help. Please, please think long and hard before you give up paid employment. What happens when he dies? Will you be able to slot back into the workplace? And would you honestly be able to cope caring for him full-time on your own? There are many disadvantages to be seriously considered before you take such a big step. Good luck, xx

 

[Navara]

Frankly I'd say don't do it!

While my mother's been in hospital recently I have passed the time talking to two different men who live with their mothers and did just that. However, at the end of the day, in late stage dementia most patients will need to go into a nursing home - often after a crisis lands them in hospital - and when that happens, your Carers Allowance ends and you find yourself having to look for a job again (sometimes not easy if you're not a spring chicken yourself).

Care packages seldom work for people with dementia in my opinion - so to anyone who has savings or can sell a property/consider downsizing I'd say do it so you can then make your own choices and start thinking about residential care independently from social services and the nhs!

 

[WILLIAMR]

Frankly I'd say don't do it!

While my mother's been in hospital recently I have passed the time talking to two different men who live with their mothers and did just that. However, at the end of the day, in late stage dementia most patients will need to go into a nursing home - often after a crisis lands them in hospital - and when that happens, your Carers Allowance ends and you find yourself having to look for a job again (sometimes not easy if you're not a spring chicken yourself).

Care packages seldom work for people with dementia in my opinion - so to anyone who has savings or can sell a property/consider downsizing I'd say do it so you can then make your own choices and start thinking about residential care independently from social services and the nhs!

Hi Navara

You are correct.
I claimed carers allowance for a time but I had been retired early so I was getting an occupational pension.
I already owned half of my parental bungalow and the other half was willed to me so I knew the LA could not take it in to account had my father needed care.
My father's problems were physical.
The LA wanted the bungalow sold when my step mother got dementia but I just stood my ground and it never happened.

William