Age-related advocacy services?

earthmother

My grandparents are in their 80s - my grandmother has in the last 12 months had two life-threatening stays in hospital for ulcers etc, resulting in major surgeries and a diagnosis of untreatable cancer. At the same time we found that she'd been hiding/denying the fact that my grandfather was fast sinking into dementia.

My mother (MS) and I (disabled husband, 3 children, not living in same town) are doing our best, but are getting very little backup from the health services, SS etc. We have been told that an attendance allowance claim should be made, and that there is respite etc out there, but nothing seems to be making much headway.

Whilst I do not in any way wish to pass the buck, or object to sorting all these things out, I can't help but think that there must be someone out there with more knowledge of the system who would be able to help more.

I believe there are advocacy services out there (Age Concern?) - has anyone used them, and are they to be recommended, or are they just another agency that will tick boxes and not really advance or simplify the process.

margaretclare

Have a look on the local authority's website or better still, pick up the phone and ask! In some towns there is an 'Older People's Advocacy Service' and there are people who will go out and help fill in forms, make claims etc.

chesky369

Go to your local citizens' advice bureau or local age concern - this is the sort of problem they can easily help with.

cleo1299

earthmother wrote: »

Whilst I do not in any way wish to pass the buck, or object to sorting all these things out, I can't help but think that there must be someone out there with more knowledge of the system who would be able to help more.

Maybe one of these could help:

Macmillan Cancer Support Benefits Helpline freephone 0808 801 0304 (website https://www.macmillan.org.uk) Their website allows you to put in the relevant postcode and search for local agencies who can give advice on benefits. Also has a lot of information about Attendance Allowance, esp. for anyone with terminal cancer. Macmillan were very helpful in many different ways to a friend of mine who died of cancer last year.

Counsel and Care "for older people, their carers, and their families", Advice line 0845 300 7585 (website https://www.counselandcare.org.uk)

Alzheimers Society, Dementia Helpline 0845 300 0336 (website https://www.alzheimers.org.uk)

Benefit Enquiry Line 0800 882200

Firststop "advice for older people" Advice Line 0800 377 7070 (website http://www.firststopcareadvice.org.uk)

earthmother

Thank you all - sorry I've not been back sooner.

We've asked the local authority, via SS, with no joy. I have looked on Age Concerns website, but all they say is to find a local agency, rather than actually saying if anything they are willing to do - but I will try again.

Thank you for the phone numbers and links too - I'll give them a go too


Despite her diagnosis, Grandma is actually better in mind and body than she has been for a long time (she'd had the ulcers for what we think must be at least a year but wouldn't go to the GP - it took a 999 call in Oct/Nov to get her to recognise there was an issue). That, and the lack of 'official' diagnosis (the surgeons found a mass after the second emergency surgery, said it was inoperable, and shipped her home - that was January, and oncology still hasn't seen her), seems to be making SS think she can cope with Grandpa - which of course she can't - but she won't say because she's 'that generation'.

Someone will wander along, mutter a couple of things about respite and AA, then poddle off with a 'see you in a month/2 months' and we don't hear from them again - it's that that I think we really need the help with as much as anything - someone who knows which buttons to push to get these agencies moving - otherwise I really think Grandma, and Mum, will soon burn out (again), and I'm sat here on a phone line wishing I could do more.

EdInvestor

Age Concern are very good at filling in forms for benefit claims.Someone (your mother?) needs to make contact with the local office and start the process, which possibly might involve a visit to the grandparents to see what else needs doing if they are housebound.