Social Care Assessment

[anonymouse]

MIL (88) was recently diagnosed with mixed dementia. As part of the diagnostic process, my husband received a letter saying MIL would be allocated a social worker and a social care assessment would take place.

My husband then received a telephone call from a social worker who asked whether he had Power of Attorney. He explained that all the paperwork has been done, but he is waiting for it to come back from the OPG. The social worker said that in that case she could not speak to him, but would have to speak to his mother. She then phoned MIL, had a 10 minute conversation with her and phoned my husband back to say that his mother is fine and has no requirements at the present time, but that she had left her number in case the position changes.

Although MIL has only recently been diagnosed, this has been a long journey of at least five years. She can no longer read or write and her capacity is very poor if indeed there is any left. Her default position is refusal. Whatever is being offered she says no before you have finished asking the question. She is also very nervous of the telephone because she has received so many at scam calls and sales calls which have upset her a lot. There is no way she could have taken an active or an honest part in this so-called assessment.

It has been suggested to me that the social worker has been negligent here and that a complaint should be made. MIL definitely needs a full social care assessment and almost certainly a care package at this time and probably other support from social services. In fact she’s needed this for about three years, but seems to have slipped through the net again.

Should we complain? Can we ask for a proper face to face assessment to be carried out?

Thanks

 

[Rosettastone57]

MIL (88) was recently diagnosed with mixed dementia. As part of the diagnostic process, my husband received a letter saying MIL would be allocated a social worker and a social care assessment would take place.

My husband then received a telephone call from a social worker who asked whether he had Power of Attorney. He explained that all the paperwork has been done, but he is waiting for it to come back from the OPG. The social worker said that in that case she could not speak to him, but would have to speak to his mother. She then phoned MIL, had a 10 minute conversation with her and phoned my husband back to say that his mother is fine and has no requirements at the present time, but that she had left her number in case the position changes.

Although MIL has only recently been diagnosed, this has been a long journey of at least five years. She can no longer read or write and her capacity is very poor if indeed there is any left. Her default position is refusal. Whatever is being offered she says no before you have finished asking the question. She is also very nervous of the telephone because she has received so many at scam calls and sales calls which have upset her a lot. There is no way she could have taken an active or an honest part in this so-called assessment.

It has been suggested to me that the social worker has been negligent here and that a complaint should be made. MIL definitely needs a full social care assessment and almost certainly a care package at this time and probably other support from social services. In fact she’s needed this for about three years, but seems to have slipped through the net again.

Should we complain? Can we ask for a proper face to face assessment to be carried out?

Thanks

Is your MIL self funding? Others on this forum will be along with better advice I'm sure but if MIL is self funding care can be sorted quicker. I guess if social services have already been informed then not

 

[anonymouse]

She will be self-funding, but this doesn’t affect her needs.

 

[canary]

She will be self-funding, but this doesn’t affect her needs.

Yes, but it does mean that you can go ahead and organise carers yourself without reference to SS, if you wish.

 

[nellbelles]

She will be self-funding, but this doesn’t affect her needs.

No but if SS are happy needs has no care needs at this time they won’t get involved but you can get a care agency involved.
Have you in your area a carers association? If so they may be able to give you contact details with a some care agencies.
I have just googled care agencies and several came up

 

[BIWO]

No but if SS are happy needs has no care needs at this time they won’t get involved but you can get a care agency involved.
Have you in your area a carers association? If so they may be able to give you contact details with a some care agencies.
I have just googled care agencies and several came up

Agree - if you are self funding then SS help is fairly limited. My Mum was in hospital - spoke to SS who when discovered she was self funding just gave me a list of CH and had to sort it from there.

 

[Rosettastone57]

Agree - if you are self funding then SS help is fairly limited. My Mum was in hospital - spoke to SS who when discovered she was self funding just gave me a list of CH and had to sort it from there.

I have no experience of dealing with SS for an initial assessment but my understanding is that your MIL is entitled to a needs assessment whether she is self funding or not. Once the POA is fully in place perhaps approach this again. Unfortunately the PWD often presents as "normal" in front of professionals whereas your husband can give a fuller picture. With my MIL I didn't initially bother with SS just organised carers firstly to come in for social company. The default position of saying no to anything is normal for dementia. Even when I asked for advice later from SS to be honest as soon as it was obvious it was self funding they weren't particularly interested.

 

[Sirena]

My mother's initial SS assessment was much like that - it was face to face, but the SW took my mother's word for it when she said she needed no help. And also said that if/when she did, they wouldn't be providing it because she was self funding. A waste of time.

A few months later when she had deteriorated further I called SS to do another assessment but while I was waiting, I engaged a care agency who carried out their own needs assessment for her. The SW did visit (a week after the carers started) and all she did was say it all seemed absolutely fine and I'd provided much better care than SS would. I then didn't see SS for dust. (I have finance LPA but not health - but I don't remember SS checking, they certainly never asked for a copy.)