Giving it all away to avoid care costs

Three of my grandparents died in their home or after a short stay in hospital (a few days). One went into a care home for a year or so.

AndyAdams wrote: »

To put the other side of the argument, both of my grandmothers ended up in the same care home at the same time. One was 100% funded by the council the other had to pay her care fees as she had a home. The home was sold to pay for the care home fees.

That's such an unusual coincidence it almost sounds like a parable. I don't doubt that it's true, but the reality for someone who relies on the state is far more likely to be of the kind that Lovinituk described.

If I was living out my final days in a care home next door to someone who had no money and was being funded by the council, then I would have spent the last 80-odd years living a far more comfortable life than my neighbour, thanks to the fact that I provide for myself and he has lived his life dependent on the tender mercies of the state. It seems odd to get bitter just because he gets to live in the same place as me for the last two, probably less.

Besides, they can turf him out at any second if the council decides they don't want to pay for that home anymore, but they can't do the same to me. Conversely, if the home changes hands and the standard of care goes to pot I can move, while he is stuck. There is literally nothing to envy him over.

I just feel that doesn't seem particularly fair.

Fair is a meaningless word invented to allow children to take part in adult conversations. The question is whether you want to squander all your assets so that you can live a life dependent on the state. You can make that choice at any stage of life, not just in your dotage. Few of us would.

SallyG wrote: »

What about the increasingly common situation where grown up kids are back in the maternal home out of necessity after marriage breakdown/business failure/redundancy/mortgage default - no other home to go to - if the parent/s need eventually to go into a care home where does that leave the adult offspring who rely on the maternal home for a roof over their heads?

Adults, with few exceptions, are not dependants and are expected to stand on their own two feet or claim benefits if they qualify.

So far i've had a grandmother in a home for a year or two, another and also a father-in-law in one for a few weeks after a long hospital stay, and two grandfathers who died suddenly when not 'unwell' or in care. so only 1 in 5 so far who spent more than a handful of weeks in care. Yet some people act likes its a given, to their detriment.

Trustees now gone into care 2 added trustees not acting professionally . My mother in law has gone in a care home her was in trust with her sister both of whom are in care home. The 2 added trustees are selling the house . Which I believe is wrong . I am power of attorney for 1 of the ladies . What can I do. I am also a beneficery. They are selling to a relative who has been to an estate agent and got her own valuation as she has been given a key . Today I had a valuation done which is 40k more than her valuation . My belief is that the house has to be marketed at the highest price there is no reason for a quick sale

Fireflyaway wrote: »

What I do disagree with is that some people (who have worked hard and saved etc) have to pay whilst others don't. That is wrong. Services cost what they cost and everyone should be made to pay the same if they use them.

The problem is that some people simply don't have the money to pay for their care, however hard they have worked. My mother in law spent the last eighteen months of her life in care. She worked hard (full time) all her life but in low paid jobs (cleaning etc), and was effectively living hand to mouth (this was before tax credits etc). She lived in council housing and had no savings and only a small pension of her own and widows pension on top of her state pension.

All of her pensions apart from the £25 a week allowed (which was used for clothes, toiletries, hairdresser etc) went towards her care, but she was still reliant on the local authority to pay the majority of the bill (which was around £650 a week).

If you genuinely believe that everyone should pay the same then you either have to fix the bar at what the lowest can afford to pay, which could be next to nothing, or set it higher knowing that that will simply abandon the poorest people that can no longer care for themselves. I hope our society is better than that.

anney63 wrote: »

Trustees now gone into care 2 added trustees not acting professionally . My mother in law has gone in a care home her was in trust with her sister both of whom are in care home. The 2 added trustees are selling the house . Which I believe is wrong . I am power of attorney for 1 of the ladies . What can I do. I am also a beneficery. They are selling to a relative who has been to an estate agent and got her own valuation as she has been given a key . Today I had a valuation done which is 40k more than her valuation . My belief is that the house has to be marketed at the highest price there is no reason for a quick sale

Best to start your own thread rather than latch on to the OP's thread