Help From Social Services

Savvy_Sue

tubsmacker wrote: »

According to their website they say that AA will usually stop after 4 weeks.
The word usually suggests to me that there may be exceptions to that.
Advice on their site relating to pensions simply suggests that you call them.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/HealthAndSupport/Hospitals/DG_4000474

Interesting! Maybe I'd better ring them and check they got Mum's letter ...

monkeyspanner

Zebra wrote: »

Thanks Tubsmacker - That's something I'll bear in mind.

Thanks Monkeyspanner - apologies for not thanking you earlier, I hadn't realised you had replied.

The six-week period ends next week, so we'll see what happens then - although I don't think there's been any significant improvement in his condition.

The nursing home has in general been good - although there have been one or two issues eg a meal just being left out for him and a general lack of communication.
However, we are loathed to move him elsewhere - this home got the best assessment results of any in the area and is also the nearest.
The problem is we just don't have anything to compare it with - the home my grandmother was in until 2 years ago was excellent, but is just a residential home rather then a nursing home, and wouldn't be able to look after my Dad.

Thanks for the advice re. POA, thankfully his affairs aren't too complicated - the only sole account he has is an ISA with Barclays - so do we just register the POA for that account in a branch? What about things like pensions, tax etc?

It's good to hear things have settled a little.

If you have a POA then you should register with any banks, pensions (DWP) and Tax. DWP can be reluctant to talk to anyone but the recipient unless a POA is registered, although they will normally take someone elses word if it means they are paying less but trying to get a benefit reinstated is a different matter.

Attendance allowance should cease 28 days into a hospital stay or CHC funding you may need to prompt DWP to get them to stop it.

If you hear nothing from the PCT regarding the review I wouldn't prompt them they probably have more pressing matters to attend to!

They are unlikely to move your Dad but if this is suggested a risk assessment should be done. This should take into account both the medical and social effect of any move.

Zebra

Thanks again for the advice.

The POA has been registered with the Court of Protection, and should be finalised anytime soon.
How do I register it with pensions, tax etc? Just send a copy with a covering letter, or does it need to be done personally?

The attendance allowance has already been stopped.

Are there any other 'benefits' or payments that either my father or mother are entitled to?
It seems churlish to ask as my father's funding is currently being paid for but the whole episode has made be realise not to take anything for granted and how quickly things change.

monkeyspanner

I believe we rang DWP and they gave an address to send POA. My MIL didn't have tax to pay so we did not bother but if you have your Dad's tax office address I would write to them.

Not sure about any other benefits but I think pension credit might still be payable and is age related. If for any reason your Dad is disallowed (fingers crossed ) then Attendance allowance could be reinstated and he may be entitled to winter fuel allowance dependant on timing of events and the qualifying period. And you are not being churlish.

Savvy_Sue

tubsmacker wrote: »

According to their website they say that AA will usually stop after 4 weeks.
The word usually suggests to me that there may be exceptions to that.
Advice on their site relating to pensions simply suggests that you call them.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/HealthAndSupport/Hospitals/DG_4000474

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

Interesting! Maybe I'd better ring them and check they got Mum's letter ...

I did call them, and have been assured that we only owe what they've asked for now. I'm not convinced the chap I spoke to understood what I was actually saying, ie that because Dad had been in hospital for 6 weeks before he died, his AA should therefore have stopped after 4 weeks, so we should owe them 4 weeks AA, 2 before death and 2 after death.

He seemed more concerned about whether making any repayment was a problem (it isn't), but he assured me that we did not and would not owe any more than set out in the letter we'd been sent.

I know this isn't relevant to Zebra at the moment, but thought it was worth flagging up. I've posted about it here.

Zebra

Once again - thanks to you all for your help, it's very much appreciated.

My Dad died a few weeks ago - it was very peaceful, he developed a chest infection over the weekend and died on the tuesday evening, and my mum was present at the time.

We all realise that he was never going to get better or return home, and whilst he was comfortable his quality of life was not high, and so it's a blessing that it ended when it did, whilst he still knew who we were and could hold a conversation with us - you do hear some very upsetting stories of people with advanced dementia, and for my mum's sake I wouldn't have wanted that to happen.

So instead of questions about care homes and funding prepare yourselves for questions about probate and wills.

Savvy_Sue

Sorry for your loss, Zebra, know what you mean about the relief of it not going on and on and on ...

There are already threads about wills and probate, but ask away! BTW, I recommend the Which book on the subject, as readable as these things come.

Zebra

Thanks Sue - although in many ways his death was for the best, it doesn't make it any easier at the time.

We're going through the probate process at the moment, and it seems to be ok thanks.
He didn't have many assets of his own, nearly everything was held jointly with my mum, and we only started splitting the assets, including the house, after he went into hospital in case of any funding disputes, but as luck would have it, it wasn't actually necessary.

kingfisherblue

Zebra, so sorry to hear that you have lost your dad. Even when somebody is ill and has other health problems, it's never easy, although it might be expected.

My thoughts are with you and your family.