Respite Urban Myth?

[Bassetlaw Badge]

Evening all,

Ever noticed how hard it is to get information out of folks wh n it comes to dementia? Especially when it involves money?

I've often been told that you can get up to 4 or 6 weeks paid respite, regardless of funding status, but when my father had to go into respite recently following a fall was pretty much laughed at when I asked. Three times by three different people I was told that it simply doesn't exist.

Does it?

Jx

 

[jaymor]

https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/downl..._replacement_care_respite_care_in_england.pdf

Take a look here.

 

[Kevinl]

Respite care is for the benefit of the carers, going into a care home after a fall isn't really respite as such it's more like a recuperation period or nursing care.
People on her do get funding so the carers can get a break I know I was told I could apply if things got too much, I never did but I did get the offer.
K

 

[marionq]

It is not the same in all parts of the Uk. In Glasgow two weeks respite will be part funded but is means tested. In nearby Stirling it is four weeks. Because the LA is doing the finding each LA has its own rules.

 

[kindred]

Evening all,

Ever noticed how hard it is to get information out of folks wh n it comes to dementia? Especially when it involves money?

I've often been told that you can get up to 4 or 6 weeks paid respite, regardless of funding status, but when my father had to go into respite recently following a fall was pretty much laughed at when I asked. Three times by three different people I was told that it simply doesn't exist.

Does it?

Jx

all sympathy. I found the whole respite business full of mystery and false promises. Never did get it. Was offered a hot stone massage to cheer me up, though. You just have to keep asking. Thank you for posting.

 

[Bunpoots]

I recently asked for a carers assessment and was awarded £650 for respite care for my dad. That wouldn't even buy a week in a care home

 

[Beate]

Every council handles this in their own way. Some of my carers friends were awarded 8 respite weeks a year - I was given 3. Maybe they calculated the other help he was already getting against it. We weren't financially assessed but there was (probably still is) a rule that you were charged but only a certain amount that last time I looked was about £130 a week - so vastly reduced to what a care home really costs.
I must add that I never really used my respite weeks as I found it difficult to find a home I was happy with and that accepted just one week at a time. Most care homes want you to commit for a minimum of two weeks.

 

[Fullticket]

Our council are obliged to offer respite at a rate of x and client tops up, for x weeks a year. No means testing and the amount they will pay/time they will offer depends on circumstances. In reality they have no money to do this so, if you want the respite, you have to pay the full whack. Like Beate, it is often difficult to find a suitable respite home. In my case I was happy with the home but they could only have mum when they had a bed. So any respite was a case of me expressing an interest, them ringing me saying we have x days next week/next fortnight if I wanted them. So no 'planned' holidays abroad, no cruises (!) etc, just grabbed days or a week here and there. Also, a word of warning, you cannot book the PWD ahead. If you do manage to find somewhere that will accept your booking, you run the risk of being bumped off the list at the last minute if they have a permanent client who can come in to take the room.

 

[Beetroot]

This too is my experience - self funding. I now discover there is one home in the area tha comes highly recommneded by a friend whose husband was in there, albeit it's very shabby, but spotlessly clean. That has a respite bed you can book well in advance, so I've done that and have actually booked a holiday for myself. Otherwise the notice I've been offered (and I've spoken to nearly every home in a ten mile radius) has varied from a week at some homes to a couple of days at others.