Alzheimer's/care home

merrydance

Hi

My step-father has Alzheimer's and my mum cannot cope. They have carers going in 3 times a day to help, which is all free. He has nearly been sectioned once, but my step-sister persuaded my mum to keep him at home and she would help out more. I have heard that if he is sectioned then his care would be totally free in a care home. Can this be correct?

Thanks

lindens

I'm afraid i can't confirm that.
However let me put another spin on it. Would you rather your step-father was in a care home you had chosen and selected as being of a suitable place for him, and of an acceptable standard of care. or would you rather he was put anywhere in the county, possibly 50 odd miles away, that you weren'ty happy with? as if it is an emergency he could be put anywhere.
My advice is to look around now and maybe put his name down at some homes that you like in readiness.

merrydance

Thanks for your reply. We believe he will be sectioned into a local hospital, assessed and then moved into a care home. We do not want him to go, but he is getting more aggressive towards my mum.
It just seems unjust to me that some people pay and some do not. Is there such a vast difference in care between homes?

Mojisola

merrydance wrote: »

It just seems unjust to me that some people pay and some do not.

Is there such a vast difference in care between homes?

Unless they have a lot of capital, he won't be paying the full cost of his care.

In some areas, the council paid places are in the same homes as paying residents. In others, there are only one or two homes which accept council rates and the same quality service can't be provided on a lower income.

merrydance

Thanks for you reply. They have got quite a lot of savings. I just wish that these facts about paying for care were more well known. To be honest we are amazed he gets carers going in 3 times a day, free. Now it looks like he can get his care homes fees paid too.

Mojisola

There's useful info here -
http://www.ageuk.org.uk/home-and-care/care-homes/paying-for-permanent-residential-care/

Also - http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=2710

Paully232000

merrydance wrote: »

Hi

My step-father has Alzheimer's and my mum cannot cope. They have carers going in 3 times a day to help, which is all free. He has nearly been sectioned once, but my step-sister persuaded my mum to keep him at home and she would help out more. I have heard that if he is sectioned then his care would be totally free in a care home. Can this be correct?

Thanks

http://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/legal-rights/aftercare-under-section-117-of-the-mental-health-act/

I think this may be useful to you, on aftercare from discharge under section 117 of the mental heath act.

Anchoress

I had the awful situation where I had to get my mother detained under the mental health care act due to dementia. She was detained under section 2 and did not qualify for continuing care. If I remember rightly it's only under section 3 that someone qualifies.

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/Pages/mental-health-aftercare.aspx

stevemLS

Continuing care is entirely different from s117 aftercare.

To be eligible for s117 you have to have been detained under s3 (or 37 or 41 which are court ordered hospital orders).

s117 would not necessarily meet the full cost of a care home.

The vast majority of people with dementia do not qualify for either.

SandraScarlett

lindens wrote: »

I'm afraid i can't confirm that.
However let me put another spin on it. Would you rather your step-father was in a care home you had chosen and selected as being of a suitable place for him, and of an acceptable standard of care. or would you rather he was put anywhere in the county, possibly 50 odd miles away, that you weren'ty happy with? as if it is an emergency he could be put anywhere.
My advice is to look around now and maybe put his name down at some homes that you like in readiness.

Absolutely right!

merrydance wrote: »

Thanks for your reply. We believe he will be sectioned into a local hospital, assessed and then moved into a care home. We do not want him to go, but he is getting more aggressive towards my mum.
It just seems unjust to me that some people pay and some do not. Is there such a vast difference in care between homes?

Oh yes! You could ask "is there such a vast difference in restaurants", or schools, or anything. My late husband was in a Care Home last year for 7 months, and I had looked after him for 12 years with Alzheimer's Disease.


About 18 months previously, I went on a "Care Home Crawl", and visited about 15 in total. Some were part of a chain, some were privately owned, and they all differed tremendously. As long as you don't visit at mealtimes, I would always recommend going unannounced, and look round as much as you can.


Find out the ratio of staff to residents, ask what records are kept of weight, medication, diet etc, find out how frequently they are bathed, ask what the staff turnover is like. Ask to see a menu plan, and find out the choices available.


What happens when they need medical care? If they fall, are you contacted prior to an ambulance, or after? With lots of residents with Dementia, there will be "accidents", but is the smell lingering?


Regarding the finances, surely the most important thing is that the person is in the best possible place. I had to pay all DH's SRP, and half of his Private Pension each week, and 25 years ago, my Mum paid £1750 a month then.


But I was able, in both instances, to choose what I felt was best for them, to visit daily, as they were conveniently located, and I have no regrets whatsoever for the Care Homes for both my Mum and my DH.


I may be left with less money, but I have a clear conscience. Yes, there are anomalies, and often it seems unfair why some pay and others don't, but that's the way it is.


xx

merrydance

Thank you for your replies. I think we have a long journey in front of us.