Nice people thread part 3- Nice as pie

tomterm8

Oh, yeah, they both qualify for attendance allowance. That's certain. Should also both have blue badges, and dad should be entitled to free hospital parking. Fairly sure there are lots of other things you qualify for too.

lemonjelly

Further re the lol/mum thing. he benefits system is massively in favour of the over 60's nowadays (<cynic>they do vote after all<cynic>). If both your "olds" get AA (which they will), then they can both claim the carers premium to look after each other. However, they won't be paid carers allowance (as they already get an earnings replacement benefit in retirement pension). However, it will mean that they will get a massively increased amount of pension credit.

They could be coining in the megacash!

Wheezy_2

PasturesNew wrote: »

That's one CUTE mofo!

Thanks Miss New.
I was even a cuter mofo when i was still a babie!

John_Pierpoint

GDB2222 wrote: »

If he's moaning in pain, for goodness sake call an ambulance!

PasturesNew wrote: »

Really? But he always does that. You can't be calling out ambulances because somebody's making a bit of noise.

PasturesNew wrote: »

No idea whatsoever. I can't even remember half the time if you're M/F

I'm not a very good stalker really.


People say it's about personal care needs, which to me means "do you wipe his 4rse?"... and the answer to that'd be "NO!"



I wouldn't want/don't need the CA - and I wouldn't qualify (isn't it income-based?)

Forms are allegedly on their way, for whatever the nurse ordered forms for. She said she'd get forms sent just 3 days ago.

Illness is advanced incurable renal "C"

Hi PN,

Any idea of the prognosis: 6 weeks, 6 months?

In my humble opinion some people would prefer to die at home.
I have seen people moaning in care homes and hospitals.
I'm particularly haunted by a near naked body moaning in an open ward in a nursing home - they might have realised that dying is inevitable and were as much in psychological pain as physical pain.

In the 1970's the GP would have been able to fill then with morphine, to the stage where they did not know where they were.

These days there are more acceptable palliative measures and I think the philosophy that the "patient" can make their own decisions.

Dying is not a curable condition, the NHS will give you the "Is he self funding?" treatment. (Translation: we don't want a home owning bed blocker in here) However if the prognosis is relatively short (I cannot remember the exact number of weeks) the NHS does have the funds to pay for Nursing home/hospice care. [My uncle found himself in ever such a posh nursing home - but he was only there for a fortnight.]

You did not tell me if he served in the forces during the war.
If he did, he will almost likely qualify for some sort of grant from "The Veterans", especially if you can establish a link between his service and current medical condition.

Though I have not personally used the McMillan nurses - I have heard good reports about them.

If you apply for Attendance Allowance, there is a fast track routine for this sort of situation. (Are the application forms down loadable?).
[I just got a 'phone call and then the high level payment, despite my protestations that he could get himself through the night].

This might sound and feel a bit "brutal" both to you and the other nice people, but it is based on my experience with both my mum and then my uncle in the last half a dozen years and the latter was "big C" - actually multiple "big C" as I discovered when I got access to his medical records.

I'm sure all of us here will do as much as we can, but someone local calling in and administering palliative care, would help take the emotional pressure off you.

lemonjelly

Lovely weather here at the mo. Shame the forecasters are predicting rain for when we play bowls tonight. They've been wrong every day for the past 7, so here's hoping...

Meanwhile, question for davesnave & any of the other gardeners if they're about. I have pea pods on my pea plants!:j

How do I know when to pick them?:o

Peas are absolutely my favourite vegetable.

I also have tomato flowers!:j

tomterm8

Pea's are nice. Hard to explain when to pick them in text, but have a look at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2ydBf6uhrU&feature=related . I mainly do it by sight... you can just see when they are ready.

Wheezy_2

lemonjelly wrote: »

I also have tomato flowers!:j

About time

Our biggest toms are about 2 inches diameter

....and that's without greenhouse, jelly

John_Pierpoint

Presumably not "Mange tout"?
I normally leave then until swollen enough for the bottom end to "pop" when squeezed and it is easy to run a finger inside and strip out the whole pod. If they taste good eaten raw they are just right.
(Unless you are growing for drying or "marrowfat" 'cos you are into fish and chips and mushy peas)

tomterm8

Our tomato plants are smaller than normal for this time of year. And half the flowers in our garden are months ahead. It is weird, our garden looks like it is August.

Davesnave

You pick your pea pods when they feel reasonably full, but not burstingly fat, or they will be past their best. As they will produce more if you pick more, you won't lose anything by using trial & error.

I only grow mangetout, cos I'm lazy!

PN, you've had some excellent advice here and I agree that Dad will probably want to stay at home as long as possible, but it is good to have hospice contact lined up too. You may never need it, but....

As regards feeling that you're not allowed to interfere or make decisions, I understand all that, but there comes a point when a 'child' becomes the responsible adult. Been there & done it. You have at least one brother or sister too. What are they doing/thinking? Can they give some back-up?