Avoiding Care Home Costs

danielle1977

onlyroz wrote: »

I ask again, who else should be paying then, if not the recipient of the care? Should *I* be paying for your care when you get old?

Isn't this why we pay income tax etc our whole working lives to pay for things when we are older/sick
In my opionin its like making those who have worked and saved pay twice, once while working and once again when they need the care-boot some of them who don't work into work then we will all have to pay less

danielle1977

Morgan_Ree wrote: »

The quality of care for those who receive funding compared to those who pay for it themselves varies hugely

i know which I'd prefer.......

QUite often care homes have people who are paying themselves (or who have had their houses sold to pay for care) along side people who have never worked-care is no different-my reference is the homes I have worked where I have seen how people are funded

onlyroz

danielle1977 wrote: »

Isn't this why we pay income tax etc our whole working lives to pay for things when we are older/sick
In my opionin its like making those who have worked and saved pay twice, once while working and once again when they need the care-boot some of them who don't work into work then we will all have to pay less

Income tax, national insurance etc would have to be increased by massive amounts if we were to all receive free residential/nursing care in our latter years. Perhaps you'd prefer 50%+ income tax, like it is in Denmark then?

euronorris

If higher taxes actually reaps good results then I'm all for it.

I pay 42% here (52% higher rate, or bonuses, commissions etc) and I actually don't mind. You know why? Because I can actually see where the money is being spent and I benefit from it.

We can't expect a high level of care if we're not willing to pay for it. That isn't to say that the NHS, in particular, doesn't need a lot of improvement - especially with budgeting.

Morgan_Ree

danielle1977 wrote: »

QUite often care homes have people who are paying themselves (or who have had their houses sold to pay for care) along side people who have never worked-care is no different-my reference is the homes I have worked where I have seen how people are funded

Yes whilst i agree a number of these places are mixed (paid care/funded care) they are definitely in the minority. Most of the homes i've been too have been one or the other. I think only 2 i've seen so far have been mixed and thats only because they were homes for dementia sufferers. So better run than your bog standard care home.

I'm on placement at the minute with community nurses and honest to god i have been in some shocking places, as well as some beautiful well run private homes
Very expensive yes but so worth the money

After seeing what I've seen i can honestly say you wouldn't even need to ask me twice what sort of place i want to end up in (should the need ever arise!)

neneromanova

euronorris wrote: »

If higher taxes actually reaps good results then I'm all for it.

I pay 42% here (52% higher rate, or bonuses, commissions etc) and I actually don't mind. You know why? Because I can actually see where the money is being spent and I benefit from it.

We can't expect a high level of care if we're not willing to pay for it. That isn't to say that the NHS, in particular, doesn't need a lot of improvement - especially with budgeting.

I do agree with what you're saying, but you know what the UK is like. There will be uproar about the tax rises (I mean look at the little bits that the Torys are doing now which are being slated). Also we would never see where the money goes as the government wouldn't do the right things with it.

SammiD

People saying "Should *I* pay for their care" What about the fact that these people have worked all their lives, paid tax and national insurance, should they not benefit from the taxes they have had to pay themselves??!! Would you be shouting the same rubbish if this person was in an NHS funded hospice being treated for terminal cancer?! I don't think so.

People are too quick to judge and often don't look at the bigger picture. I for one am against the millions of spongers in this country that could easily work but are too damn lazy to and just live on benefits. However, I am certainly not against an OAP who has worked for probably 55+ years, maybe fought in wars giving us the freedom we so enjoy now, having a decent level of care paid for by the state.

euronorris

neneromanova wrote: »

I do agree with what you're saying, but you know what the UK is like. There will be uproar about the tax rises (I mean look at the little bits that the Torys are doing now which are being slated). Also we would never see where the money goes as the government wouldn't do the right things with it.

I know, I understand!

I knew it was bad before I left, but I'd never really had a comparison before, so had no idea just how bad it was!

A few examples: Late last year, there was an awful storm, trees blocking roads, trainlines etc. But.....they were out clearing the mess from 7.30am and by the time I left work, all public transport was back to normal. I'm used to a leaf on the track causing problems for 3 days in London, so I was very impressed with that!

Also, if you get a mortgage here, you can claim back the interest portion from the government each month!!! It effectively reduces your payment by a substantial amount.

And, OH and I recently found out that the government also refunds you a high proportion of your childcare costs. One of his colleagues pays the nursery €850 pm for full time care and gets €600 back from the government each month!

More money is required to fix the problem in the UK, that's for sure. But so is better planning, budgeting, spending etc etc, which I fear, as you do, just wouldn't happen in the UK. It would all disappear into a black hole somewhere.

Morgan_Ree

SammiD wrote: »

People saying "Should *I* pay for their care" What about the fact that these people have worked all their lives, paid tax and national insurance, should they not benefit from the taxes they have had to pay themselves??!! Would you be shouting the same rubbish if this person was in an NHS funded hospice being treated for terminal cancer?! I don't think so.

People are too quick to judge and often don't look at the bigger picture. I for one am against the millions of spongers in this country that could easily work but are too damn lazy to and just live on benefits. However, I am certainly not against an OAP who has worked for probably 55+ years, maybe fought in wars giving us the freedom we so enjoy now, having a decent level of care paid for by the state.

Thats just it though
Many of these funded places don't provide a decent level of care!
For a dog maybe but not for someones mum/dad/brother/sister etc etc

Of course they are not all like that, but sadly too many are

It's like comparing a Travel Lodge to the Ritz

You get what you pay for

SammiD

And thats where this country needs to sort out its priorities. Brand new flats/houses are being built around my area which are solely for council tennants, 90% of who are probably on benefits they don't actually need/deserve. Yet the care homes get left in a disgusting state with sub standard levels of care.

Its a crazy, crazy place is this once amazing island we call GREAT Britain...shame there's less emphasis on the "GREAT" these days