Elderly relative, care homes and selling houses...a complicated enquiry!

jamesd

bunglejemson, it's most certainly possible for people to simply be unpleasant and hard to deal with without being mentally ill. You have my sympathy for that aspect of the situation.

For your grandmother, moving into some form of sheltered or group accommodation may be the best solution, if she can find a place that is willing to have her as a resident. That may involve her selling her home and buying one in the new place. This may get her the social contact she seems to need. This can be a matter of her preference, not any absolute need - people are free to choose things simply because they will enjoy them, however odd that form of enjoyment seems.

For your parents, it's unfortunate that your grandfather didn't make different provision in his will, such as a life interest trust, but that's just history now and it's done. She owns the property and it's part of the resources that are available to pay for her needs and desires, even if the desires are unreasonable. Setting up a discretionary trust now to shield her assets would fail, because there is a clear potential need for care, hence the deprivation of assets rules would come into play and negate the planning.

Private sheltered property purchases may be the available option that preserves her money for the maximum length of time, perhaps leaving some after her death to be inherited by whoever she leaves it to in her will, if any. They are likely to be considerably better than the results of sectioning her, which would be likely to involve drug-induced restrictions on her ability to function, to prevent her from being disruptive.

It seems unlikely that she would be willing to consider purchasing a sheltered accommodation or similar place.