Should I be worried -Assessment

[kindheart]

hI Abbey

I think if my memory serves me (ha ha) there is a section on the second page of the fanancial assement form from social services (may differ from area to area dont know) where you can declare that his savings exceed the required amount and he would be self funding (pay for services he recieves from social services) but you do not have to disclose the amount of his savings.

This is how I completed the form for my mum 2 years ago.

hopes this helps

 

[Skye]

OK....Direct payments / self funding ? * best go do a search *
So, because dad is over their financial limit......have I the right not to disclose both his and my financial situation ?

Hi Abby

Can't help you on direct payments, but self-funding I think just means that you have funds over the limit, so will need to pay for any help.

If you know you are over the limit, you don't have to fill in the declaration, and you will be charged the full rate. It's only a problem if you're not much over the limit, so may have to claim in the future. In this case, it may be advisable to fill in the form at the beginning -- it's easier then to show when you need help.

Good luck, Abby.

Love,

 

[Gill W]

Abby,

Having read your first post again, I think that you've done the right thing in asking for help. If you're on the higher rate of DLA, as are me & my mum, then you'er obviously gonna struggle to provide ALL the care ALL of the time.

I think that SS will be coming to check you out in the context that you've asked for their help & they need to ensure that you definitely need it. My mum tried to explain to them that we need someone to help with Gran's hygiene, that she & I are on DLA & could end up in big trouble if we bath her ourselves, but they didn't want to know. Because we are there, we have to do it.

As I said the other day, I think that if Mum had had an assessment of herself by SS I think that their help would be a bit more forthcoming. As it is, we have to manage a lot of it ourselves, & its getting ridiculous. They shouldn't be investigating your finances, I think its more your capabilities they're looking at.

And where finances are concerned, I think the old adage of don't declare anything that you don't have to applies here?

Don't know if this has abated your fears any.

Gill
X

 

[ROSEANN]

Dear All just thought I`d give you a little smile.
I told you about requesting an assessment and the answer I got, Well today went to Alzheimers Cafe and was asked if I would be so kind as to take part in a survey our local council was doing to find out if people were satisfied with the help they were getting from their Social Services dept. This takes place in a few weeks time and I cannot wait to give them my answers, will let you know how I get on.
P.S. there is a God after all
All the best Roseann

 

[Skye]

Hi Roseann

That sounds like fun -- do they know what they've let themselves in for?

At least it's something to look forward to!!

Love,

 

[abby]

Update

Hello everyone.....

Well updating how I originally started this post, I had this assessment yesturday and can't praise them enough......within 24 hrs they have Dad referred to Meals on Wheels through SS. I have been assessed as to what I need from them to help care for Dad and both the lady and the CPN are meeting with dad and I on Friday to introduce themselves and get the care side moving. The help, info and paperwork she has given me is amazing....

This lady specialises in AD and their carers and is a pure font of info and advice. I assumed it would be a pen pushing situation and we would be in the ' pending file ' for a bit but no.....we are her case and she acted on it wih immediate effect and with results too. She herself runs a monthly meeting for sufferers and carers and covers just about all aspects of Dementia.

I really am so impressed. She is a lovely caring person and very efficient. She did indicate btw that we have more finacial resources here which allows her and her colleagues to do their job properly and offer what is actually needed NOT what's within the pre determind kitty.



Abby
x

 

[Gill W]

Hi Abby,

Goodness me! That's so up beat from your panic of last week, eh?

Great news all round then. Glad to hear things went well & results were got.

I wonder if I could use your info & prompt Social Services at our end of the country to get off their idle butts & help my Gran out in the same way.

Well chuffed for you!

Gill
X

 

[abby]

Hi Gill......

Thanks yes to say I am not empowered would be a gert big fat fib

I actually felt bad after posting.......I read back through the thread again and realised how many have to fight ( and still not get ) for any help...I actually felt a bit guilty saying my news

* of to email all info to SS t'up country *

Abby
x

 

[Gill W]

Hey Abby

Don't you feel guilty sugar plum, you just make good use of the help you get!
I am honestly well pleased things turned out for the best for you, given your trepidation about the assessment in the first place.

I'm kinda taking notes on what help people are getting and tryin to ram it under the noses of Social Services up here, in order that they can get their damned fingers out & get things sorted for my Gran.

You take care & let us know how it goes.

Gill
X

 

[Clive]

Just put my penny worth in.

SS told me mum would have to pay for any Carers and it would be best to just go to a private company. They gave me some phone numbers.

I said to the private company that all I really wanted (at that stage) was for someone to sit with mum and talk to her like a friend. After a very very long silence the lady said that was called Respite Care.

The result was that I was offered two hours of Respite Care. And Respite Care was free !!

After a couple of years I had found that you could get upto 8 hours a week free Respite Care. Ask to see if you, as a carer, can have free Respite care.

I ended up having about 20 hours a week of Care for mum (1 hour each, morning noon and evening) of which 8 hours was classified as free Respite Care for me. By careful planning I found that I could take most of my Respite time on a weekend in place of the normal double time. (The same group of Carers were doing both Respite and paid care so in practice they did the same job)

 

[Gill W]

Thanks for that Clive!

Yet another gem of info to scribble down & chase up. I think my Gran is deteriorating as quickly as she is because she doesn't have someone to see her every day. Someone goes in for a half hour morning & evening, but sometimes half of that half hour is spent trying to get in!

That's certainly one to investigate.

Thank you again.

Gill
X

 

[ROSEANN]

Up date on inspectors

Hi
I told you a few weeks back that I was going to a meeting with what I thought were council inspectors to give them feedback on local services.
Well it turned out that they were goverment inspectors checking up on the council and they wanted to know what help people were getting and if we were satisfied with the service.
It was a very good meeting as far as the carers were concerned because we were told what we should be getting and if we were not how to go about getting the help.
They were quite shocked at how little information was forth coming from our council and that people who had been caring for a long time had not been updated on things like direct payments with one man having to pay out 16 pounds a week for pads for his wife when he could have had them paid from direct payments.
As for myself I told them how I was having trouble getting an assesment and they told me to get get on the phone when I got home and tell them that the goverment inspectors had told me by law I was entitled to one and it worked, now waiting for appointment
So for once I had a good day
Roseann