Elderly people going into care homes financial question

T

TeessideCleveland

Well-known member
If an elderly person cannot look after themselves due to dementia and does not have money to fund care at home do they have to contact social services , or can they look at care homes and discuss with them first?
Was hoping someone with experience of this might be able to give me a bit of a pointer which way to start, as this situation has been sprung on me rather suddenly - and is a bit upsetting

Any advice would be gratefully received


EDIT She owns her home and had paid for care there, but her funds are getting low. She has no assets apart from the house
 
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TeessideCleveland said:
If an elderly person cannot look after themselves due to dementia and does not have money to fund a care home so they have to contact social services , or can they look at care homes and discuss with them first?
Was hoping someone with experience of this might be able to give me a bit of a pointer which way to start, as this situation has been spring on me rather suddenly - and is a bit upsetting

Any advice would be gratefully received
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The wife is working at the moment and I will ask her when she's free but I am sure we got social services involved first for her mum. Do you have a particular care home or area you want your loved one to be in?
 
Norman_Conquest said:
The wife is working at the moment and I will ask her when she's free but I am sure we got social services involved first for her mum. Do you have a particular care home or area you want your loved one to be in?
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Thank you @Norman_Conquest

There are 4 in her post code - and all passed inspections, so I'm just going on other feedback
I live 300 miles away - so I'm a bit limited in physically going there too often , and so I'm trying to get a bit of preparation done

I do appreciate your help
 
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Speak to Adult Social Care in the Council where the person lives.
They will appoint a Social Care contact who will liaise with you.
There will be an assessment of the needs and preferences of the person (and yourself).
They should liaise with the Mental Health NHS Unit to get a diagnosis for Dementia.
A Financial Assessment will also be carried out to determine what - if any - financial contribution needs to be made by the person to their care, be that domiciliary or residential.
If you have a Power of Attorney registered then this process will be a little easier. I would urge any close relative of an elderly relative to put this in place before the person loses their capabilities.

I'm sad to hear of your discovery. It is a terrible condition and so much harder to deal with from long distance.
DM me if you think I may be able to help advise.
I have one parent in a dementia nursing home (for 6.5 years, had Vascular Dementia for 9.5 years) and another that has had Mixed Dementia for 18 months still living at home with a Care package about to start.
 
TeessideCleveland said:
Thank you @Norman_Conquest

There are 4 in her post code - and all passed inspections, so I'm just going on other feedback
I live 300 miles away - so I'm a bit limited in physically going there too often , and so I'm trying to get a bit of preparation done

I do appreciate your help
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Astune Rise in Eston has a really good reputation and the care they offered the mother in law was brilliant. We took her out of a brand new care home due to the lack of care and understanding the staff showed to her and other patients.
 
Norman_Conquest said:
Astune Rise in Eston has a really good reputation and the care they offered the mother in law was brilliant. We took her out of a brand new care home due to the lack of care and understanding the staff showed to her and other patients.
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That is a great point Norman.
It is the quality, commitment and attitude of the managers and carers that matter in a Home, much more than the decor and aesthetics.
I also speak from personal experience.
 
indeedido said:
A Financial Assessment will also be carried out to determine what - if any - financial contribution needs to be made by the person to their care, be that domiciliary or residential.
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Just so the OP is clear, even if the person in question only has capital/savings below the £23k threshold, everybody has to contribute what they can afford to from their income towards the cost of residential care. For older people, this would generally involve their state pension and any private pension income. The Council are only allowed to disregard about £28 per week for personal expenses.
 
As Indeedido posts an assessment of your relative needs is required by a relevant professional. The social services department of the local council have the details. The medical assessment is free. After that a financial assessment needs is likely to be made. Based on both of these a decision is made by the NHS and social services of who is responsible for the fees. Then the relative and the family have to decide how to pay, if they are responsible. The family and the relative should select the home, but Social Services of the Council and possiblly NHS can help. Not all homes are the same. A Nursing home has a nurse and can cope with higher needs. A Care home will usually bring in nursing support when needed from a GP practice. Nursing homes are more expensive. Homes nowadays often have parts/floors for people with dementia and non-dementia. The Care Commission inspect homes and publish reports online like Ofsted. Read up on interested homes. They are only guides, but often useful.

Someone mentioned DOLLS - they may mean Dols (deprivation of liberties) - Its a legal document and procedure that has to be completed when a elderly person hasn't or can't agree to go into home. Medical staff, Social Services and Care home staff work together to complete this. Family and the person concerned have to be fully consulted. The person affected may have an advocate somebody to speak on their behalf.

TC - you may have a lot to learn. I was the same I know nothing say in March 2020. If people have followed some of my posts they know I and some of my relatives and my dear parent have been on a h*ll of voyage in just 2 years. Hopefully you will not have to deal with Covid. (3 Care Homes, 2 Rehab centres, 4 significant hospital admissions, home help organisations, social services managers, social workers, different hospital departments, Care Commission etc).

TC - reading your post if the person concerned has a very good income or their family do they can skip the financial assessment and just say they will pay say £900 to £1100 per week privately, without any support. Most people don't and thus have to sell their property when they go into a home.
 
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we found our social services people absolutely fantastic, was impressed & surprised at how well the council sorted everything out for my mum. I hope you have the same experience.
 
Thanks everyone. Am going to read all comments again when I finish work, or before I start tomorrow. All comments are really appreciated

I apologise that I have worded the above poorly - in that she owns her house, which will have to be sold as she has no other assets
She's paid for care at home, but is now running low in her bank account

While that will obviously be used to fund her stopping in a care home initially it won't last. Frankly I feel like I'd rather they just got the house proceeds , as I'm certainly not bothered about inheriting anything - I'd rather Mam lived as long as possible. I don't know whether it would be better if social services were involved from the start of not?
 
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TeessideCleveland said:
If an elderly person cannot look after themselves due to dementia and does not have money to fund a care home so they have to contact social services , or can they look at care homes and discuss with them first?
Was hoping someone with experience of this might be able to give me a bit of a pointer which way to start, as this situation has been spring on me rather suddenly - and is a bit upsetting

Any advice would be gratefully received
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I've just spoken to the wife and most points have already been covered by Indeedio, Redwurzel and others on this thread. The mother in law had been living with us for over 20 years prior to having to go into a home and they wanted to know where the money had gone that she had sold her house for and looked into other savings she had. Have an idea of the homes or standard of homes you would like your loved one to go in. Social Services will also give you a list of homes that they deem suitable, you will need to do your homework on these and don't be afraid to ask here if people have any information (good or bad) about them. You need to know that your loved one is being cared for and it will allow you to settle. You will question if you are doing/have done the right thing and the answer is yes.

It is a difficult time you are about to set out on and I certainly don't envy you it. Make sure you take time for yourself and don't be harsh on yourself for the decision you have made. Talk to others who have been through this process, it may help you to know that what you’re feeling is normal and to hear from others about how they dealt with this difficult situation.
 
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I and my brothers are absolutely useless at this sort of thing, but found the process incredibly & surprisingly easy with the help of social services, it all just sort of happened in a few weeks. My mum had low savings, and her state pension & house will be used to pay for everything.
 
Redcar and Cleveland Social Services have a scheme where they will physically pay most of the care fees, but these amounts go on a tab to be paid when the elderly person passes away. That way relatives living away can visit and stay at the house. The interest charge was only 1% per annum, will be a bit higher now but still low. Other councils may have a similar scheme. They are usually called deferment schemes.
 
Good luck TC.

We had a hell of a job with Adult Social Care, fighting to prove my Mam needed full-time care after 10 years in and out of care homes - due to her medical condition.
As my relative was providing unpaid care after work and at weekends, it was deemed Mam had a "care provider" and did not require residential care. My relative had three daughters under 18 and a full time job at the time and lived 12 miles away. In the end, Mam required daily intimate personal care, including washing, bathing, change of bedding and washing clothes, daily changing of pads and dispensed medication. It took us two years of battle with the local Elderly Adult Social Work Department to assess that she needed fullt time care and that our "assessment" was not a "knee-jerk reaction". In the end, we had to look for a care-home, with adequate provision of 24-hour care, before Adult Social Care got off their arzes. Eventually Mam died in care during covid and we werent allowed to say a propper "goodbye".

Incidentally, my Dad died of advanced stage dementia, but thats another story.
 
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