Time for a Care Home - Dad it is now out of your hands

[iworry]

My Mum (79) is 5 years in with Dementia and I would describe later stages.
I have followed this forum and experience most things and now in recent months police and social care involvement - Mum running off - Dad blind drunk unable to cope etc.

Yesterday we had a nurse and social care visit for mental health assessment and the nurse didn't even bother doing the assessment as it was plain to see.

Also in hand was a police report which may for hard reading (mum escaping for the nth time - returned by police - dad found drunk etc - mum refusing to enter the house etc)

So.......

Dad has agreed to put mum into a home. Doesn't want anything to do it - it is up to my sister and I.

Now...the shock...

They do have savings - they're not millionaires!! but exceed the threshold for mums savings etc.

The care home near us - yes it is private - £1,200 per week!!!

We get attendance allowance ~£350 p/month

I understand there is opportunity for additional funding 'continuing heath care' which is not means tested.

However - I sense this funding is very much focused on mobility and health needs rather than social and mental issues??

Any thoughts - If you want to push for funding is it heavily focused on health and mobility??

As ever - thank you - This forum has been very helpful on our continuing journey

 

[PeggySmith]

Hi, just wanted to get you started and give your post a bump. There are some real experts on here who can help you negotiate all the difficult stuff. Is the CH near you a nursing home? (means they have a nurse on duty 24/7) If it is, your Mum would also, probably, be entitled to "funded nursing care", which, together with AA came to about £200 per week a year ago.

This factsheet from AS is a good starting point: http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?&documentID=399

It feels to me that CHC funding belongs in an alternative universe, but we did get it for MIL and it's been in place for a year now.

Good luck with it all, I know from our own experiences that it can all be a bit overwhelming.

 

[iworry]

Thank you.

One of my thought processes is Dad could still refuse to put mum in a home however it really is out of his hands now because of the police reports and if the NHS were seen not to intervene they would be considered negligent.

So can you force someone into care then look at the family and say 'you have to pay?'

 

[Katrine]

So can you force someone into care then look at the family and say 'you have to pay?'

It would be more a case of forcing someone into care, then telling that person they have to pay for their own care. It would be assessed on your mum's assets and income.

Sorry, I don't know the answer to your question.

 

[arielsmelody]

It isn't clear from your post what options you are choosing between. Is the care home you mention the only one suitable for your mum's needs? Are there other ones further away that might be suitable but cheaper?

 

[jaymor]

From your post I would imagine that the safest place for your Mum to be would be in a care home. Your Mother needs to be assessed to see which type of care home will suit her needs.

Unfortunately there are fees to be paid, it is something we can't get away from. Even when it comes to the LA being involved, attendance allowance is taken away, state pension has to be used towards care as is any private pension ( half private pension if there is a spouse) and around £25 per week left with the resident to cover personal requirements. No care is free.

The NHS are responsible for supplying any drugs prescribed but not care home fees unless health issues contribute greatly towards the needs for permanent care.

From your post and I opologise if I have it wrong, your Mother requires a care home place because your Father, who has issues of his own, cannot care and your Mother is therefor vulnerable and at risk because of her stage of dementia.

You can always ask for a CHC assessment if you think your Mother has high health care needs. There is also a ceiling to how much the NHS will pay for care.

I hope you can sort things out, it is a minefield and a worrying time for everyone, something non of us like to think about let alone go through.

 

[AlsoConfused]

Hi iworry

I'm currently embroiled in the early stages of trying to get CHC funding for my Mum and would be happy to share any material that might help. I'm very grateful for the help I've already had from certain TP members assisting me in my own struggles.

For starters I'd suggest you Google Beacon Health Care and look at their navigational tools for people who think their relatives might be entitled to CHC funding. These documents are beautifully clear and highlight the differences between how the system is supposed to work and how it works in practice. More importantly it points to ways in which you can make it work better for you!

 

[AlsoConfused]

There's also a lot of useful if mind-boggling stuff on the "Care To Be Different" site.

 

[iworry]

Hi iworry

I'm currently embroiled in the early stages of trying to get CHC funding for my Mum and would be happy to share any material that might help. I'm very grateful for the help I've already had from certain TP members assisting me in my own struggles.

For starters I'd suggest you Google Beacon Health Care and look at their navigational tools for people who think their relatives might be entitled to CHC funding. These documents are beautifully clear and highlight the differences between how the system is supposed to work and how it works in practice. More importantly it points to ways in which you can make it work better for you!

Thank You. I have also found TP very helpful and appreciate your feedback.