Being discharged from hospital into care home

[Deleted User]

My mum has reached a stage in her illness where she now needs full time care. She has been assessed in hospital as being too high risk of accidents to go home. It has now been confirmed she has not failed a mental capacity test.

She was asked to sign a form in the hospital but I don't know what it was - I think it was to be transferred into a care home.

Our family are not surprised it has come to this but nevertheless are devastated so cannot ask the person who was there at the time about the form. Medical staff have had little or no time for us.

What happens next? Does she get to choose where she goes? Do we have to apply for NHS funding? (I think she may qualify due to her illnesss and now more complex needs).

What would the form have been she signed? So many more questions but right now I can't think straight.

pollypenny

You need to insist that the doctor looking after her, or his registrar, makes time to speak to you. You will probably have to make an appointment.

Secondly, she should have been allocated a social worker; I think they are called 'care managers' now. That is the person who should help you find a suitable home and who should be able to explain the complexities of funding. There will be more choice if you are self-funding. An attendance allowance should be payable, which may help.

Don't be put off. Make the professionals discuss everything with you.

Mojisola

If the hospital has a Patient Advice and Liaison Service, it would be worth visiting them. They can often get through to the right people and find out what's happening.

Are you confident your mother knew what she was signing? Whenever my parents have had visits from social workers or OTs, they have always been given a copy of what was agreed. Ask for a copy of that paperwork to be given to your mother.

Newly_retired

Sorry to hear about your mother, OP.
You really need to hear what the medical professionals have got to say - an appointment may be necessary. Your mother will have been allocated to a social worker of some sort who ought to work with you.
My MIL has just been in hospital and the nurses were marvellous, always ready to keep you informed. She was able to go back into her own home, with a care package in place, but this was arranged for a day when DH could be there to receive her so she did not go back into an empty house straight away. The hospital and the care company were most helpful. Social services took a bit of persuading though to fit in with the arrangements.
I hope you get some information and plenty of help for your situation.

Fabwitch

The hospital staff should have arranged a family meeting to discuss your mothers options with all the professionals involved, family members and your mother. I attended a meeting last week with my granddad and it was suggested he goes into residential care home (which he doesnt want) as he requires 24 hour care. I offered to have my granddad live with me as i have a downstairs room that can become a bedroom. This is what my grandad wanted too, so after discussion it was agreed by everyone granddad could come home with me. The Districts Nurses will provide a specialist hospital bed for my grandad and a care package will be arranged. My granddad is 95 and wants to live his remaining time with his family and not being looked after by strangers. You need to find out what your mother signed and ask for a family meeting on the ward with all the professionals to discuss her future needs, Good luck xxx

monkeyspanner

The hospital discharge team are responsible for this process. In england the process is briefly as follows.

The discharge team should carry out an initial checklist to see if a full assessment for NHS funded continuing healthcare is required (you will find a long thread on this funding by searching for CHC on this site) you should tell the hospital you wish to have some input into this process so you can advocate for your mum. If this checklist idicates that a full assessment is required (always unlikely, the NHS will avoid this funding if at all possible) this will be carried out by the PCT team in charge. If CHC funding is approved (extremely unlikely) then all care costs will be paid by the NHS irrespective of financial resources. If CHC funding is rejected then there is a possibility that a NHS nursing supplement could be paid (about £100 per week) although this is normally paid direct to the care home and does not reduce fees.

If your mum has savings (including property) in excess of around £23000 then she will be expected to pay for her care home fees (self-funding) in which case she will have complete freedom of choice as to where she lives subject to her means. There are certain circumstances where the value of the property will be excluded from any assessment one of these is when a partner still lives in the proprerty. If your mum has less than £23000 ( the lower savings limit) without the property she can apply for a 12 week disregard period to allow time to free up cash from the property sale or she can as for deferred payment in this case the council will assist with care home fees but put a financial charge against the property until it is sold.

If your mum does not have savings and property in excess of £23000 and her income is less than the care home fees then the council social services will assist with funding. Your mum will be expected to hand over all her income including state pension to go towards her fees except for a weekly allowance of about £20. The council will assist up to a maximum support level this is based on care needs and can be 1 of 4 support levels. Your local social services set these support levels based on local care home fees and a care needs assessment determines which support banding your mum will be allocated. It may well be that the council support level does not meet the fees in the home your mum will like. In which case family or friends will be asked to pay a weekly 3rd party top-up to make up the difference, please think carefully about signing a top-up agreement with the council without knowingexactly what top-up is requires it could make you liable to £100s in fees per week. Your mum will not be permitted to pay this top-up if she has less than the lower savings limit. There is an exception here in that the council cannot ask for a top-up if they cannot provide an alternative care home place at their support level. Recently a number of care homes toojk their council to court claiming the support levels were too low and won an increased support level. In addition it is common practice for councils to underestimate the care needs of people to reduce their costs.

I suggest this site which has a very good fact sheet on paying for care home fees www.counselandcare.org.uk

You should make sure you understand the process at every stage and not let the hospital discharge team and social services railroad you and your mum into decisions. If in doubt insist they explain fully. I can't guess what form your mum was asked to sign and if she cannot explain what it was then I would suggest she didn't know what she was signing and therefore could be challenged. Good luck.