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kepnuts

Hi,
This is my first time to this site and have to say the more I'm looking at all the topics and forums, the more useful it's becoming. Therefore I'm wondering if anyone is able to provide me with some impartial websites / organisations I can use to try and find out the following information. I'm from Wales (I know that England and Scotland have some different legislation).
My father who has dementia may need to leave my mother (after being married for 58 years) and unfortunately require private care in a nursing home. I'm really confused and heard lots of different advice about what money they will take from my mother, they'll take the house etc. I just want to make sure my mother does not have to worry about any finances if this happens. I understand that care is very expensive and she is happy to pay some of the costs but obviously I need to make sure she has enough money to be comfortable. They have joint savings accounts, individual savings account, joint names on the home etc.
I hope someone is able to help and if this topis has been raised in the past and I haven't yet come across it I do apologise

Thank you:o

Addiscomber

I suggest that you start here
http://www.ageuk.org.uk/cymru/home-and-care/care-homes/

troubleinparadise

If you haven't already found it, the Alzheimer's Society website and forum is a mine of information on all aspects of living with dementia.

This link takes you to a factsheet specifically about paying care home fees, and there are others to do with finances etc:

http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=125

Best wishes

z.n

It may not be helpful but this was our experience:

My MinL required home carers for a while last year so we had to look into the financial arrangements. The local social services organanised the care and sent a financial assessor round to help fill in the forms etc. (about 1200 pcm)As FinL still lived in the house they ignored the cost of it completely in making the assessment, and also ignored personal items such as MinL jewellery, car etc, but they did look at all bank accounts, savings etc. FinL found the whole process very intrusive and it clashed with his own views on keeping finances private etc. Infomation was sought from MinL while she was ill in hospital (she claimed substantial assets which simply didn't exist while incapable-unfortunately these false assertions were treated as fact and coloured how FinL was spoken to.'of course I can pay my own way' was seen as an assertion of substantial wealth when it was simple old fashioned pride.)

Where money was in joint accounts it was treated as a straight 50/50 split regardless of whose money it 'morally' was-ie if a lump sum came from FinL but went into joint account it was treated as 50% belonging to MinL. If money was on a long term deposit it was treated as immediately available (ie you are expected to break the deposit.) They did not look at the needs of FinL at all, literally just the financial position of MinL (which worried us for obvious reasons giving the need to keep the house going.) It was clear they were completely focused on the money.

Having calculated the available funds, they then invoiced MinL directly for her care costs on the basis that they would assess further once she reached total free assets of £23000 odd. Between that level and £13000 odd SS would contribute to cost of care-and then ultimately meet the full cost. This meant that she and FinL had to be willing to justify all expenditure of 'her' funds as being necessary (so no sudden foreign holidays etc for FinL on joint account ).

At one point a social worker was appointed for her but not much came of it as she went back into hospital. We were told that SW would in due course act for SS to approve any expenditure of MinL money even though we had a full power of attorney because of the risk of diminuation of assets. This cropped up because we wanted to get her some private physio as the waiting list for NHS was so long. While she was paying her own way it felt like so long as it was not outlandish there was no problem providing for this sort of extra- but once within the SS net someone else would be making those decisions if Min L money was to be used. There was a list of allowed expenditure but that list was a secret one and known only to SS- it was a matter of checking every expenditure and getting a yes or no.

By the time we looked into things it was too late to get money out (our focus was to try to ensure FinL financial stability so he could afford to keep the house running) and it caused huge stress and worry to FinL, especially as the care bills were so high and of course he was getting the accounting calls and invoices. It didn't help that there were often errors in the calculations and it all needed careful monitoring. MinL never quite reached the threshold for financial contribution.

I am sure the situation is more complex if someone is going into residential care and the financial thresholds are different but hope this helps slightly.

Best wishes to you and your family.

Mayflower10cat

I've found this site extremely useful, too. I hope you find the information you need from the other useful sites already posted - they've been a huge help to us, too, in a similar situation.

http://www.dementiaweb.org.uk/index.php

Gingernutty

You may find a bit more information on the Over 50s Money Saving Board.

What's in place mat vary according to which local authority you come under. You probably need to visit the local authority's website to have a look.

kepnuts

Thank you to everyone who has replied. It's really lovely to know that in these times, there are people who care.
:T