residential care for elderly in spain

onthemend

Hello

My mother in law and husband live in spain and are now in ill health. Both have recently had operations out there and over Xmas are relying on the help of neighbours 24hrs a day. Our family in the UK are just hearing of the magnitude of the problem and do not know what to do in the short term and long term. We are travelling out there later in the week to try and sort things out, but this will only be for a few days. Does anyone know of what help is there from the spanish health system for aftercare? It seems there isn't any. We don't seem to be able to get through to them that it's time to return to the uk. Any help/suggestions would be appreciated.

withabix

There isn't any aftercare really - they expect families to do most of the caring:

A good article here:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/expathealth/7499053/Expat-guide-to-Spain-health-care.html

It sounds like it is time for them to come home, unless they want to pay for private care in Spain (may be cheaper than the UK)

How much in money and assets (including property) have they got?

missile

Where about in spain? There are some very good private health care facilities where the residents are well cared for.

As withabix said, most spanish families look after their own.

beedeedee

You could try Cuidad Patricia on the Costa Blanca...(just google it). It always looked very nice.

chesky

Don't forget that if they do return to the UK, they will have to undergo the 'habitual residents' test before they will be able to claim any benefits. British born people are very surprised that they have to be able to prove that they intend staying here and not going back to where they were living before.

Savvy_Sue

chesky wrote: »

Don't forget that if they do return to the UK, they will have to undergo the 'habitual residents' test before they will be able to claim any benefits. British born people are very surprised that they have to be able to prove that they intend staying here and not going back to where they were living before.

Yes, and could be worth telling us how long they've been out there, and whether they were formally residents there.

beedeedee

Maybe they just don't want to return to the UK, but both wish to die eventually in the place they live and love?