Care for the Elderly

saver_sue

advice needed for my elderly aunt and uncle (86 and 79) Uncle is terminaly ill and has been cared for at home by my auntie who has really struggled on her own (uncle doubly incontinant) reached a crisis last week and his psychologist and head of social services had my uncle taken in for 'respite care' for 1 week which we have been told we must pay for in full £470. Someone is coming to do a financial assesment next week DO WE HAVE TO DISCLOSE ALL of my uncles finances (over the limit of £21.000) by law???? it just seems so sad when they have saved all their life to have it taken away in high payment for care. A lot of care homes were closed to have increased "care in the comunity" but when we begged for help it didn't happen now we are in a crisis situation and want my uncle back home just with a little help a few hours a day, so where is all this CARE when we need it, or is it only available if we pay in full????

cattie

Unfortunately yes you do have to declare all savings & assets. Sadly we live in a society where, if you are careful with your money, do without luxuries & being extravagent to save to give yourself a bit of security in later life, you are penalised by having to spend your own money towards care should you need it.

People who live for the day & spend every penny as quick as they get it, on what ever takes their fancy, get their care provided free.

It works exactly the same way with benefits, provide for your future you get no help, make no provision & you qualify for benefits, so it doesn't really pay to save in a lot of cases.

Optimist

You say terminally ill which would imply your uncle needs continuing health care and as such might be eligible for treatment under the NHS although they tend to fight it in these days of a terminally ill heath service ! I suggest you have a read of the the goverments circular re continuing care

https://www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/01/22/80/04012280.pdf

If you consider your case falls within the terms then

1 Ask the primary care trust to review your case against the criteria for continuing NHS health care

2 1f the trust says your case does not meet the criteria, and your not satisfied, ask for an independent review of the decision

3 If the independent review finds that you do not have a case, contact the health service ombudsman

4 After that and your still not satisfied contact the Ombudsman

msmicawber

Can I ask what your aunt and uncle saved for all their lives if not to provide comfort and care in their old age? I want to make it clear that this isn't meant to be a pop at you. It's just that I think of saving for a rainy day as just that and, in your aunt and uncle's position, I would think that the rainy day has come.

margaretclare

If uncle is terminally-ill what he needs is the local hospice, not a 'care home'.

Hospices do a fantastic job and often people are in and out for 'respite' - it is far different from the average care home.

Agree with MsMicawber. The rainy day has come. If my DH was dying then I wouldn't care what I spent on giving him whatever he needed, buying-in services at home, a single room in hospital, anything at all.

I assume he's been claiming Attendance Allowance?

Sounds as if auntie has 'struggled' but hasn't had the right advice.

Margaret

Ted_Hutchinson

NHS CARE COSTS this site has details of the amount of care which by law the NHS is supposed to fund.
Very often the authorities understate the amount of care they are required to pay for and you need to be sure you know the law so you can see how they are trying to avoid applying it fairly.


This leaflet has details of how to claim Attendance Allowance, a non means tested benefit Pay particular attention to the Terminal Rules section.

saver_sue

Thank you so much for all your comments it's been most helpful, I have a lot of reading still to do and I will seek legal advice.
regards
Sue

LondonDiva

they should and will get help and support for their healthcare and related costs.

However, if they have savings and income above the quite high threshold 16k?, they are expected to pay towards the cost of social care.

I would say that yes, they should disclose all their income as the threshold for contributions is quite high, anything else is fraud and since they can afford to, if they don't it comes out of everyone else's pocket in the form of increased council tax (of which there are many people on the vent board unhappy about the hikes needed to pay for cases like this).

Contact the council's benefits advisors and they will come and talk your aunt and uncle through what they are entitled to and why. It seems more proportionate to contact them or the CAB than to get solicitors involved.

saver_sue

Just a quick update - yes it is illegal to do a financial assessment, and low and behold we have not got to pay £470 for respite care. It's suprising what you can claim for when you do your homework!!! At least we are getting some much needed help now Thank you all again for your help especially optimist and Ted Hutchinson
Sue

margaretclare

Good news, Sue.

Did you follow up my suggestion of the hospice?

We have 2 hospices here locally, one for adults and one for children. You'd think they'd be tragic miserable places but no, they're not, anything but. I'd a darned sight sooner anyone close to me went into a hospice than into a care home or a geriatric ward in hospital!

Best wishes

Margaret

tracy1_2

margaretclare wrote:

Good news, Sue.

Did you follow up my suggestion of the hospice?

We have 2 hospices here locally, one for adults and one for children. You'd think they'd be tragic miserable places but no, they're not, anything but. I'd a darned sight sooner anyone close to me went into a hospice than into a care home or a geriatric ward in hospital!

Best wishes

Margaret

having been in the job i can echo the outstanding work of the hospice HOWEVER the average length of stay nationwide is approx 14 days and they do not provide long term care even for the terminally ill. People are frequently moved on from hospices to home with care or to nursing homes depending on the situation. HTH anyone