Advice needed about caring for elderly relatives

sahmx5

She is beyond the stage whereby a buzzer would be sufficient for her needs.

She is too stubborn to let anyone help her to eat.

I have checked with her finance man and he confirmed that she gets attendance allowance.

Before she became infirm she was extremely active, a county bowls champion in the 70's, a creative gardener, she ate out every night in fine restaurants and visited all the top shows in the West End. She has visited every continent on the globe and was riding horses into her 70's. She was always willing to try new things and was a fantastic gran to me.

The reasons she went into respite care:-

1. She wanted to go into a care home. She had experienced several problems and had nobody due to call for several hours.

2. She was fed up with sitting in the same room all day. (The same reason why she wants to go back home)

3. Nobody came to see her (she lives 90 minutes drive from me).

4. She felt she was being financially taken advantage of. She has paid for new boilers, divorce lawyers, holidays and vets bills for carers.

5. Her GP was completely overworked. He would take 3 days to attend to her if she requested a home visit (she is unable to get to the Surgery).

margaretclare

No, attendance allowance is NOT means-tested, nor is it taxable. I can say that with confidence because I get it.

She felt she was being financially taken advantage of. Yes, she was, if as you say, she was paying for all those things for carers! Contact Help the Aged - they've been running a campaign about abuse of the elderly, and this includes financial abuse and 'grooming'.

http://www.helptheaged.org.uk/en-gb/Campaigns/ElderAbuse/default.htm

HTH

Margaret