Unable to find care home. Please help.

[Alf_78]

Please Please Please can someone offer any advice.

Bit of History on this one I am afraid.

I am caring for my Granddad who was diagnosed with Alz in Dec 2014.

Up until that point he was living a happy healthy independent life with my Grandma (his wife of 64 years) in Jan 2015 he was sectioned under section 2 of the mental health act as he started having vivid hallucinations.

He was placed in our local NHS psychiatric hospital for assessment. After 28 days he was taken off section 2 and kept on the ward on an on-going basis until a social worker could be allocated and a care home found for my Granddad. After 4 weeks of waiting for a social worker he was classified as urgent. After a further 2 weeks while he was still waiting he caught pneumonia and was transferred to our local A&E and from there to the Adult care ward.

After 48 hrs on the adult care ward I was contacted by the NHS psychiatric hospital saying that patents can't occupy 2 beds in the NHS for more than 48 hrs and he would be discharged from the NHS psychiatric hospital.

My Granddad made a swift recovery from the Pneumonia but we had to start the process of getting a social worker all over again.... ahhhh .After another few weeks we were allocated a social worker and given full funding as my Grandma was still in the house that they own.. I was told to look for dementia residential home for my Granddad .. They insisted that he does not need nursing or EMI.

Back on the ward my Granddad is causing a whole load of trouble. Adult care ward are not the best places to be but for a very fit but very confused Alz patient is horrible. He was going in other patients rooms and going through their stuff. Trying to get into bed with other patients thinking they are his wife eventually the other patients complained that they felt "unsafe" provided him with a side room and 1:1 care.

As much as I try I cannot find a care home to take my Granddad they all say they "Cannot meet his needs". I've tried over 10 so far.

To make matters worse my Grandma (his wife passed away last night) so they have withdrawn the LH funding pending another assessment as the house could not be taken into consideration as my Grandma was living there.

Is finding a care home soo difficult for a patent with very special needs ?? My granddad is a very loving caring man but does get confused easily and as he is so fit and strong still even at 93 people can easily see this as aggression rather than just the frustration that it really is.

The only 2 EMI homes in our local area with availability I have contacted would have reservation as he is under 1:1 care due to his behaviour on the Adult care ward.

Its May an we are still no closer to getting my Granddad into a care home..

Questions:

Recommendations for care home in West Yorkshire for patents with specialist dementia needs ?

How are these special needs funded ?

I need to apply for deputyship over my granddads affairs but I have been told this will cost over £1000 and upto 6 months. What happens while this is going through ?

The capital of the house is the only assets my Granddad has my Grandma will passes everything to my Granddad so the LH realistically are not going to fund his care in any home we find.

Will I be forced to sell the house ?

Can the state sell the house ?? My Granddad isn't in any state to sign anything. The house is fully fitted to care for my Granddad needs. so not in any position to be put onto the market for sale.

Help, Help, Help

 

[Grannie G]

Hello Alf

You have so many questions , it sounds as if you have the weight of the world on your shoulders.

Social Services should be able to give you the names of care homes in your area suitable for your granddad. The hospital cannot discharge him unless there is somewhere suitable for him to go.

The information on this factsheet might help you.

http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=173

I cannot answer your questions about Deputyship and the house so suggest you phone the National Dementia helpline.

http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/helpline

The Helpline is usually open from:
9am - 8pm Monday to Wednesday
9am - 5pm on Thursday and Friday
10am - 4pm on Saturday and Sunday

 

[Kevinl]

Hi Alf, welcome to TP
As Grannie G says this is an issue for social services, as he's been sectioned then finding a place and cost for his care may be covered under the section 117 rules, I've put a link below and I think you should look into it. If he was taken in under section then his discharge from hospital should (in my view) be covered by 117.
You might need to fight your corner on this, but I believe SS need to find a place for him and they should fund it under these rules, they may not like it but I believe you have a case.
K

http://www.mind.org.uk/information-...e-under-section-117-of-the-mental-health-act/

 

[jenniferpa]

I don't think section 117 would apply. My feeling is that it should do (because he was kept on the ward and not released which would imply a section 3). But if a section 3 wasn't made and he "agreed" to treatment, section 117 wouldn't apply.

 

[Kevinl]

I don't think section 117 would apply. My feeling is that it should do (because he was kept on the ward and not released which would imply a section 3). But if a section 3 wasn't made and he "agreed" to treatment, section 117 wouldn't apply.

I don't know and probably you're right Jen but the OP says "in Jan 2015 he was sectioned under section 2 of the mental health act" and "he was taken off section 2 and kept on the ward on an on-going basis until a social worker could be allocated and a care home found for my Granddad" so if he went in under a section 2 then is there not a case he should come out under section 117?
K

 

[jenniferpa]

Not if he wasn't formally moved to a section 3.

 

[LYN T]

Not if he wasn't formally moved to a section 3.

I think you are right Jennifer. My OH was sectioned 5 times and a couple of times he was 'held' after the 28 days when the sectioned expired. Once 'voluntarily' and a couple of times he was given a 'DOLS'-section 3 is only issued when further treatment or assessment is needed, If the OP's Grandad had been assessed and no further treatment needed,(i e his meds sorted out) it would be unlikely that a section 3 would be issued.

I hope the OP's Grandad has had a checklist completed for CHC funding

Take care

Lyn T XX

 

[Karjo]

Oh you poor thing, it's such a lot to deal with and no doubt pressure will be put on you to sort it all without letting you know all the facts, ie a lot hides behind confidentiality, and everyone you deal with will have their own agendas as well.
Maybe your grandad needs to go back to the assessment unit so that his medication can be adjusted if he is on one to one and no home wants him.Is he still under a psychiatrist? Does he have a CPN? I also think if someone was on a section they also need a proper "Care Plan Approach" meeting so everyone knows what is happening and poor grandad does not fall through the gaps between social and health care which so often happens.
I think it was probably quite "convenient" for the assessment unit when your grandad got pneumonia because he became somebody elses problem. The assessment unit were already under pressure to move him on and though i know it sounds cynical, his pneumonia solved the problem for them. They probably will refuse to have him back (i know from bitter experience) but you could then ask the hospital if he requires CHC as he will require a lot of input from the home for his aggression and to be frank why should your grandad pay for one to one if it is a health need that has put him there. Sorry could say more but gotta get up and go to work, just hope what I have written in a rush makes sense!

 

[canary]

The hospital cant discharge your dad until there is somewhere safe for him to go. Have you had any imput from Social Services? They need to assess his needs. I would say from what you have said that he needs a specialist dementia unit.

Dont worry too much about the financial side of things ATM. He may be eligible to have some/all of his fees paid, but I dont know about that side of things. He will have to have a deputyship, but if you do not want to manage his finances and sort out his house, then social services will do it, so you might want to just bite the bullet! Your estimate of time is about right, you can save money (it comes out of his finances) by doing the paperwork DIY if you wish. If you do end up having to pay for fees then you can usually arrange deferred payment with the residence until you have financial access.

Im sure your head is in a whirl. You may want to print out this topic so that you can take your time to go over everyones replies